AI Research Project Specialist

Job Type:

Position Description:

The Technology and Security Policy Center (TASP) within RAND’s Global and Emerging Risk Division is seeking mission-driven AI Research Project Specialists to contribute to research, analysis, or technical work at the intersection of artificial intelligence and national or global security. The successful candidate will engage in interdisciplinary projects that address the implications of frontier AI technologies, assisting in the development of policies to advance U.S. competitiveness and global security. This would include work in areas like AI capability evaluation, hardware export controls, technology talent flows, the geopolitics of AI, and defensive AI technologies.

This position offers the opportunity to contribute to high-stakes decision-making in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Successful candidates will bring a combination of policy insight, technical understanding, and analytic capabilities to address some of the most pressing challenges in the AI policy space.

Responsibilities:

• Successful candidates will work in a multi-disciplinary, geographically distributed team to provide research and project support on tasks, which may include literature reviews, writing, preparation of draft documents and presentations, and coordination of work among project team members.

• Conducting policy analysis, assisting with the design and execution of research studies, and/or performing technical tasks such as coding or data analysis.

• Collaborating with policymakers, technical experts, and multidisciplinary researchers to produce rigorous, actionable insights.

This is a one-year term position with the possibility of renewal for up to two additional years.

Qualifications:

Applicants should have excellent research and analysis skills demonstrated in coursework and (if applicable) internship/work experience, and must be highly motivated, organized, flexible, and demonstrate a strong commitment to RAND's core values of quality and objectivity. 

Required:

• Demonstrated ability to conduct high-quality, rigorous research and policy analysis, ideally in technology or AI-related domains

• Strong analytic skills, with the ability to synthesize complex technical and policy issues into actionable recommendations

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, tailored to technical and non-technical audiences

• Demonstrated interest in one or more of TASP’s research areas, such as AI governance, global technology competition, or defensive technology development

• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment

• Fluency with MS Office suite

• Fluency in Microsoft Excel (experience of additional programming languages and data analysis packages [e.g., Python, R, MATLAB, STATA, GAMS, SPSS] preferred)

• Demonstrated strong quantitative analysis skills

Preferred: 

• Familiarity with the technical aspects of AI systems, such as machine learning, computational infrastructure, or threat modeling.

• Experience working in or with the US government on AI policy.

• Proficiency in Python, Java, C/C++, or other popular programming languages

• Software engineering skills.

Education Requirements:

A Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, engineering and public policy, data science, science and technology policy, mathematics, applied mathematics, public policy, or another relevant field is required.

Experience:

0 - 5 years of relevant professional experience

Security Clearance:

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government clearance is preferred but not required.

Location:

We are actively hiring for this position in our RAND offices in Washington, DC; Santa Monica, CA; Pittsburgh, PA; and Boston, MA, as well as in San Francisco, CA. We offer a hybrid work arrangement, combining work from home and on-site options. Fully remote work will also be considered. Some travel will be required.

Salary Range: $47,100-$75,100

Research Project Specialist I $47,100-$75,100

Research Project Specialist II II $54,700- $81,400

RAND considers a variety of factors when formulating an offer, including but not limited to, the specific role and associated responsibilities; a candidate’s work experience, education/training, skills, expertise; and internal equity. This position is eligible for overtime. In addition, RAND provides strong benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, paid time-off and more.

Term:

This position is a 1-year term position with the possibility of renewal for an additional 2 years alongside options for longer term employment.

Equal Opportunity Employer: race/color/religion/sex/sexual orientation/gender identity/national origin/disability/vet