Research Lead - AI Biosecurity Evaluations

• Term (Fixed term)

Overview

RAND's Technology and Security Policy Center (TASP) is seeking a mission-driven Research Lead to run the biological risk workstream of 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. This Research Lead will oversee work assisting policymakers' understanding of and mitigations for that intersection. They will lead 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 1-2-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 an additional 2 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 strong preference for full-time.

Responsibilities

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

• Oversee a research portfolio involving an interdisciplinary team of >5 people and with >$7M already secured

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

• Design and execute rigorous, objective evaluations of AI capabilities relevant to key bottlenecks within those threat models.

• Set and execute high-level strategic and research priorities, with an emphasis on the policy impact of evaluations

• Oversee execution of this research 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

• Communicate research results to policymakers and other key stakeholders at all levels through written products and oral presentations

• Manage an interdisciplinary team to execute this work

• Manage relationships with internal and external 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.

Required:

• Domain expertise in one or more relevant biology domains (e.g., virology, molecular biology, computational biology, biosecurity, etc)

• 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

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

• Aptitude for technical management and leading complex projects to completion, including leading cross-functional teams, managing project budgets, and mentoring and developing team members.

• Ability to design and execute research using analytically rigorous methods

• Ability to reason about policy options given different technical considerations

• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment

Preferred:

• Deep familiarity with biosecurity policy, policymakers, and key policy levers (especially in the US), or an ability to rapidly develop that

• 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

• 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 machine learning frameworks (e.g. PyTorch, TensorFlow)

• Experience working on AI research, ML model training, and/or model deployment

• Experience in high-intensity fast-paced environments and/or navigating complex organizational structures.

Education Requirements

RAND is hiring a Research Lead at either the specialist or expert level of experience. Minimum education requirements at the specialist level are:

A PhD in Virology, Molecular Biology, Computational Biology, Biology, Biostatistics, Biosecurity, Biodefense, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, National Security Policy, Policy Analysis, or similar with at least 3 years of relevant professional experience.

OR

A Master's degree in the fields listed above with at least 6 years of relevant professional experience.

OR

A Bachelor's degree in the fields listed above with at least 8 years of relevant professional experience.

Security Clearance

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance, including having U.S. citizenship, is preferred but not required.

Location

We are actively hiring for this position in Washington, DC; San Francisco, CA; Boston, MA; Santa Monica, CA; and Pittsburgh, PA. San Francisco or especially the DC office are preferred. We offer a hybrid work arrangement, combining work from home and on-site options. Fully remote work will also be considered.

Term

This position is a 1-2-year term appointment with a possibility of renewal for up to 3 years total, alongside options for longer term employment.

Application

Applications must include:

• A detailed resume highlighting relevant academic and professional experience.

• A writing sample demonstrating analytical and communication skills. This sample can use a recent, previously written paper or report (e.g., journal article, master's thesis or paper written for coursework, prior employment, or internship). Applicants with fields of study or work experience in which they have not produced written products (e.g., model development), or in which written products have dissemination restrictions, may submit a short, written summary (i.e., less than one page) of one or more recent products they have developed.

• Optionally, you may also submit a code sample.

• A cover letter which responds to the following prompts:

• Summarize in <200 words your career goals and why you are interested in this role.

• Describe in <500 words a preliminary research agenda or approach for ACE's biological workstream that you would be excited to lead. Describe what strategic objectives you would prioritize, RAND's comparative advantage in this area, the most promising research directions, and what outcomes this research might help achieve (e.g., what important policy decisions it might inform). Also briefly describe your current key uncertainties about your answer and how you would address them. This is just an assessment step and does not mean you would definitely work on this if hired.

Salary Range: $137,000 - $246,600

Visiting Technical Specialist = $137,000 - $209,000

Visiting Technical Expert = $157,800 - $246,600

RAND considers a variety of factors when formulating an offer, including the specific role responsibilities; a candidate's work experience, education/training, skills, expertise; and internal equity. In addition, RAND provides strong benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, a savings plan, paid time-off, and more.