GovAI Research Scholar
The Research Scholar role is a one-year visiting position. It is designed to support the career development of AI governance researchers and practitioners, while offering opportunities to do impactful work.
As a Research Scholar, you will have freedom to pursue many different projects. This could include conducting policy research, social science research, or technical research; advising policymakers; or starting new applied projects. For example, past scholars have used the position to help define the field of technical AI governance, support policymaking through government secondments, and launch a new organisation to facilitate cross-border AI governance dialogues. The topics we work on include, but are not limited to: risk management, threat modeling, economics of AI, geopolitics of AI, public policy, and technical governance.
Over the course of the year, you will deepen your understanding of the field, connect with a network of experts, and build your skills and professional profile – within an institutional home that offers both flexibility and support.
Applications for the Research Scholar position are now open. The deadline for applications is 23:59 Anywhere on Earth (AoE) on Sunday, 15 February 2026
About the Team
GovAI was founded to help humanity navigate the transition to a world with advanced AI. Our researchers have provided knowledge and assistance to decision makers in government, industry, and civil society. Our alumni have gone on to policy roles in government; top AI labs, including Google DeepMind, OpenAI, and Anthropic; and think-tanks such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Center for Security and Emerging Technology, and the Tony Blair Institute. Our initial research agenda, published in 2018, helped define and shape the nascent field of AI governance. Our research developing the framework of “cooperative AI" led to the creation of a $15 million philanthropic foundation. We made significant early contributions to the ongoing public discussions over the security implications of AI.
Our researchers have published in leading journals and conferences, including Science and NeurIPS. We have published commentary in venues such as War on the Rocks, The Washington Post, and Lawfare. Our work has also been covered by publications such as The New York Times, MIT Technology Review, and the BBC.
Our staff are based across the United Kingdom, United States, and European Union.
About the Role
The Research Scholar role is designed to support your career development in AI governance, with significant flexibility to pursue this goal as you see fit.
You will be supervised by a member of the GovAI team or network (typically meeting weekly or bi-weekly), be mentored by an external expert or another GovAI team member, receive guidance and support from one of our Research Managers, and get feedback from our team through regular work-in-progress sessions.
Your Research Scholar year may involve:
- Informing policymakers and decision-makers on pressing governance issues
- Producing original research in the form of academic publications, policy memos, reports, or blog posts
- Convening key stakeholders around high-priority questions
- Launching a new initiative or organisation
Note: For researchers with significant experience in AI governance research, we are also hiring Research Fellows. These are longer-term staff roles with two-year renewable contracts that focus on contributing to core research workstreams. There is a shared application for both Research Scholar and Research Fellow roles, so you need only submit one application.
Areas of Interest
Our researchers work on a broad range of topics related to AI governance. While much of our work concerns general-purpose AI systems, we're also interested in research on narrower AI applications and their policy implications. Our research spans several areas, including:
- Risk Management: How can AI companies make responsible development and deployment decisions, successfully managing risks without hindering innovation and adoption? What is the role of third parties – evaluators and auditors – in informing such decisions?
- Threat Modeling: What is the state of evidence regarding different hypothesized risks from AI and what further information would be most useful for reducing uncertainty? At the same time, what role can AI progress and adoption play in mitigating risks?
- Economics of AI: Exploring the economic implications of AI development and deployment, including questions around labour markets, competition, and growth.
- Geopolitics of AI: What strategies are different states using to compete in AI and how effective will they be? How do geopolitical dynamics shape AI development and governance?
- Public Policy: What effects will different regulatory proposals have on frontier AI? In what ways will existing regulation need to be amended or removed in light of AI developments?
- Technical Governance: What technical work could help address challenges in AI governance? This might involve studying the role of compute in the AI supply chain, as well as how to evaluate and govern the safety properties of AI systems.
Some of our most impactful Research Scholars have dedicated the majority of their time to applied work, rather than traditional research. We welcome applications from candidates who would primarily focus on launching new AI governance organizations, organizing high-impact events, educating policymakers on AI, or supporting other applied work.
Qualifications and Selection Criteria
We are open to candidates with diverse academic and professional backgrounds. We have previously hired researchers with backgrounds in computer science, political science, public policy, economics, history, philosophy, and law, as well as professionals from government, industry, and civil society. There are no educational requirements for this role.
Essential Qualifications
Successful candidates will have:
- A strong interest in positively shaping the lasting impacts of AI, in line with our mission
- Demonstrated ability to produce excellent work or achieve impressive results
- Some familiarity with AI governance
- Some expertise in a domain that is relevant to AI governance
- A compelling explanation of how this position will help you have a large impact
What We Value
They will also likely demonstrate:
- Self-direction and the ability to evaluate projects based on impact
- Intellectual honesty and rigour
- Receptiveness to feedback and commitment to self-improvement
- Strong communication and collaboration skills
- Motivation to help others succeed
Additional Considerations
For candidates who are hoping to do specific kinds of work (e.g. technical research) or work on particular topics (e.g. US policy), we will also look for expertise and experience in those particular areas.
The most promising candidates typically have either graduate degrees or relevant professional experience, but we consider applicants at all career stages and have hired talented scholars with less experience.
Duration, Location, and Salary
Duration
Contracts will be for a fixed 12-month term. While these contracts are non-renewable, Research Scholars may apply for longer-term positions at GovAI — such as Research Fellow positions — at the end of their contract.
Location
We typically prefer candidates to be based in London, UK or Washington, DC, but are open to candidates based elsewhere.
We do have stronger location preferences in some cases:
- Policy-focused work: If you plan to focus heavily on a particular government’s policies, we prefer you to be based in or near the relevant city (e.g. Washington DC for US federal policy).
- Project management roles: If you’ll be managing projects or launching new initiatives, we prefer you work out of our London office.
- Supervisor preferences: Some London-based supervisors prefer their supervisees to be primarily London-based.
If you have location restrictions that might prevent you from applying, please inquire at recruitment@governance.ai.
We are able to sponsor visas in the UK. We can only support visa sponsorship in exceptional cases in the US, and in many instances, will not be able to support a visa petition. If location constraints might affect your ability to apply, please contact recruitment@governance.ai.
Salary
Compensation is based on experience and location. Successful candidates based in London typically receive between £75,000 and £95,000 per year, and those based in Washington, DC typically earn $100,000–$150,000.
We offer additional compensation for candidates in higher cost-of-living regions, such as the San Francisco Bay Area. There may be additional flexibility in compensation in cases where salary considerations would prevent a candidate from accepting an offer.
Other benefits of the role include:
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- A £5,000 (~$6,000) annual wellbeing budget
- A £5,000 (~$6,000) annual professional development budget
- Remote staff get ~$500/month for a coworking space
- Flexible work hours
- Extended parental leave
- Ergonomic equipment
- A 10% employer pension contribution
- 33 days of paid vacation (including public holidays)
Please contact recruitment@governance.ai if you have questions or concerns regarding compensation or benefits that might affect your decision to apply.
How to Apply and What to Expect
Application Process
The selection process has four stages:
- Written application
- An abstract reasoning assessment
- A paid remote work test
- Two interviews and reference checks
Special Circumstances
Please contact recruitment@governance.ai if you:
- Need a decision communicated by a particular date
- Require assistance with the application due to a disability
- Have questions about the application process
Addressing complex AI governance challenges requires many different skillsets and perspectives. We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds. If our mission excites you, we encourage you to apply, even if your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification listed. Your unique combination of experience and motivation might be exactly what we're looking for.
