Research Resident, AI × Bio Threats and Mitigations

Job Type:

About the Team

The RAND Center on AI, Security, and Technology's mission is to understand and address emerging threats to global security, in particular biosecurity and AI security. We believe that biotechnology and frontier AI will be among the most powerful and transformative technologies of the coming decades, and that addressing the risks that accompany them is one of today's most pressing challenges.

Our work focuses on understanding these threats and developing concrete solutions to counter them, from technical analysis through to engagement with the stakeholders positioned to act. RAND is an independent non-profit, but regularly engages with senior stakeholders within the USG, allied governments, and relevant industry stakeholders.

About the Role

We are looking for a Research Resident to help us understand and counter the ways frontier AI could lower barriers to harmful biological activity. You will assess where AI meaningfully increases misuse risk, develop safeguards and detection approaches, and turn analysis into concrete recommendations that developers, policymakers, and government partners can act on.

Depending on your background and interests, your work could span areas such as:

• Assessing how AI accelerates scientific workflows in ways that could enable misuse, identifying concerning capabilities, and developing indicators for major capability shifts at the AI × Bio intersection

• Contingency planning for the point at which a frontier model materially increases the likelihood of serious biological misuse, and building the infrastructure to recognize and coordinate a response in advance.

• Understanding how sophisticated and state-linked actors might pursue AI-enabled biological misuse, and developing frameworks to deter and disrupt them, including work on attribution and signaling.

• Building methods and architectures for advanced technology providers to detect misuse before harm occurs, including identifying the signals and patterns that would distinguish a serious threat from noise.

Qualifications:

All research positions at RAND require excellent analytic skills; the ability to communicate clearly and effectively, 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.

We are looking for someone who is comfortable owning problems end-to-end and working across ambiguity on novel questions. You might be especially well suited to the role if you are strongly motivated by mission-driven work, have a track record of rigorous analysis in a fast-paced environment, and reasoning about how adversaries think, plan, and can be disrupted.

We expect strong candidates to have around 5 years of relevant experience, although we are open to excellent candidates with less experience if they have a track record of high-quality analysis and the ability to adapt quickly to new questions and challenges.

Familiarity with frontier AI or the life sciences is a strong plus, though not required.

Education and Experience Requirements:

RAND is hiring for multiple AIxBio Threats & Mitigations Research Residents across three possible internal job families; those being the Technical Resident, Biosecurity Resident, and AI Policy Resident profiles. For each profile, we’re open to candidates at the Associate, Specialist, or Expert levels of experience.

The minimum education requirements at the Associate level are as follows:

A minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field is required.

Relevant fields include:

Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics, Artificial Intelligence, Biology, Biostatistics, Business, Chemistry, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Engineering and Public Policy, Engineering Physics, Epidemiology, Geology, Health Services Management, Information Security, Information Technology, International Relations, Law, Machine Learning, Mathematics, National Security Policy, Natural and Physical Sciences, Philosophy, Physics, Policy Analysis, Political Science, Public Administration, Public Health, Public Policy, Security Studies, Statistics, Technology and Policy, Technical Discipline, or similar.

Minimum experience requirements for an Associate Biosecurity Resident or Associate AI Policy Resident are:

A PhD in a relevant field.

OR

A Master’s degree in the fields listed above with at least 3 years of relevant professional experience.

OR

A Bachelor’s degree in the fields listed above with at least 5 years of relevant professional experience.

Minimum education and experience requirements for a Technical Resident, Associate I are:

A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Cybersecurity, Information Security, Information Technology, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering Physics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Engineering and Public Policy, Technology and Policy, National Security Policy, Policy Analysis, Political Science, International Relations, or similar AND 1 year AI-focused real-world experience.

Security Clearance:  

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance, which includes having U.S. citizenship, is preferred but not required. Hired applicants will have the opportunity to maintain their clearance through RAND.

Location:

This is a US-based remote role, but we may be open to other locations for excellent candidates. RAND has offices in Washington, DC; San Francisco, CA; Boston, MA; Santa Monica, CA; and Pittsburgh, PA. We offer a hybrid work arrangement combining work from home and on-site options, and will also consider fully remote.

Term:

This position is a 3-year term appointment with a possibility of renewal, alongside options for longer term employment.

Salary Range: $90,400 - $274,300

This range extends from our minimum at the Associate I level up to the top of our Expert level.

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. Successful candidates will be offered employment in a specific title, as determined by the candidate’s education and experience. The salary range includes base pay plus RAND’s sabbatic pay (which provides additional compensation above base pay when vacation is taken). In addition, RAND provides strong benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, paid time-off and more.

Equal Opportunity Employer