AI Biosecurity Evaluations Associate

Job Type:

AI Biosecurity Evaluations Associate

Full-time or part-time

Overview

RAND’s Technology and Security Policy Center (TASP) is seeking mission-driven Associates for the biological workstream in our AI Capability Evaluations (ACE) team.

RAND's reputation for excellence is built on our commitment to high-quality, rigorous analysis and objectivity. TASP is at the forefront of work on the impact of high-consequence, dual-use technologies on global competition and security. Our research has been used by the White House, government departments, the EU and UK governments, and industry leaders, among others. Our alumni have gone on to important roles at institutions such as the NSC, Commerce, DOD, Congress, Google DeepMind, OpenAI, EU AI Office, UK AISI, other key think tanks, and founding mission-driven tech initiatives.  

ACE develops and conducts evaluations of national security relevant capabilities of frontier AI systems, with a current focus on the intersection of large language models (LLMs) and AI agents with biological risk. Associates will contribute to work assisting policymakers’ understanding of and mitigations for that intersection. They will be a key part of multidisciplinary project teams that include biosecurity experts, machine learning engineers, and policy researchers, and will have access to extensive government and industry connections.

This position is initially structured as a focused 1-year appointment to create the urgency needed to drive ambitious change in this rapidly evolving field. Every day of your tenure will count toward that goal. The appointment may be renewed for up to a total of 3 years, with opportunities for longer-term employment at RAND thereafter. Full-time and part-time (at least 20 hours per week) schedules will be considered, but with a preference for full-time.

Responsibilities

Given the breadth of valuable work our team could do, there is some ability to align projects with an individual’s skills, interests, and career goals. Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:  

• Contribute to developing concrete, operationalizable threat models for high-consequence risks at the AI-bio intersection, working with both internal and external partners

• Contribute to the design and execution of rigorous, objective evaluations of AI capabilities relevant to key bottlenecks within those threat models, using a broad range of analytically rigorous, quantitative and qualitative research tools, methods, and skills

• Interpret internal and external research results to support decision-making surrounding complex AI biosecurity policy problems

• Contribute to the dissemination of research results to policymakers and other key stakeholders

Qualifications

All research positions at RAND require excellent analytic skills; the ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English, both orally and in writing; the ability to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team; and a strong commitment to RAND's core values of quality and objectivity.

Other required qualifications:

• Domain expertise in one or more relevant domains (e.g., virology, molecular biology, computational biology, biosecurity, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, national security), or an ability to rapidly develop that

• Strong interest in the intersection of LLMs and AI agents with biosecurity risks and AI capability evaluations as a route to impact

• Alignment with the team’s focus on high-consequence biosecurity risks and AI misuse risks as a threat to national security

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, tailored to technical and non-technical audiences, or ability to rapidly develop that

Preferred but not required:

• Familiarity with biosecurity policy, policymakers, and key policy levers (especially in the US)

• Expertise in at least one of the following: nucleic acid synthesis, AI-enabled biodesign, dual-use research of concern, potential pandemic pathogens, bioterrorism, AI capability evaluations, or working at/with leading AI companies

• Ability to reason about policy options given different technical considerations

• Aptitude for quantitative analysis and modeling, including modeling of uncertainty

• Experience in government, intelligence community, or other relevant decision-making offices

• Proficiency in Python or other popular programming languages and machin