AI Governance Fellow

The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) is seeking a Fellow with research and/or applied technical expertise on issues relating to the governance of artificial intelligence. The Fellow will contribute to the work of CDT’s AI Governance Lab, focused on the responsible design, testing, monitoring and regulation of AI systems.

The Fellow will contribute to original research, writing, and recommendations on questions that are core to current AI governance efforts in the public and private sectors. Example topics include: developing effective AI auditing ecosystems, analyzing the implications of increasingly personalized and agentic AI systems, evaluating and advancing transparency practices such as system cards and model disclosures, and evaluating emerging risks from foundation models and their downstream applications. We welcome applicants interested in both technical and sociotechnical approaches to AI risk assessment and mitigation.

As part of CDT’s AI Governance Lab team, the Fellow will have the opportunity to shape cutting-edge efforts to establish norms and requirements for AI governance at a critical moment for the field. Recent developments—including rapid advances in foundation models and frontier AI systems, increasing AI deployment across sectors, and evolving regulatory frameworks—make this work particularly urgent.

The Lab develops and promotes adoption of robust, technically-informed solutions for the effective regulation and governance of AI systems by:

• Developing, analyzing, prototyping and amplifying best practices for AI governance solutions

• Advocating for the adoption of responsible AI governance solutions through multi-stakeholder initiatives, standards-setting, and direct-to-company engagement

• Advising policymakers on effective legislative and regulatory approaches

• Supporting civil rights organizations, consumer protection organizations and other public interest advocates engaging on AI issues by providing technical and operational expertise

• Building bridges for the research community to better participate in and inform current policy debates, particularly around technical developments and their societal implication

• Tracking recent technical developments at the frontier of AI research and translating and communicating them to internal and external policy audiences

• Grounding AI research and policy in the needs of impacted stakeholder groups and the use context.

The Fellow will participate in each of these activities, leading their own projects and initiatives while also serving as part of a fast-paced, collaborative team.

This is a one-year full-time fellowship, with the possibility of extending or transitioning to a permanent role at CDT after the fellowship based on performance, the organization’s needs, and availability of funds.

About CDT

The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that fights to advance civil rights and civil liberties in the digital age. We champion policies, laws, and technical designs that empower people to use technology for good, while protecting against invasive, discriminatory, and exploitative uses. CDT was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1994 and has operated a second office, in Brussels, since 2014.

CDT works to protect people’s rights across a range of technology uses and applications, with a strong focus on privacy and data governance (including specific projects on health privacy, education, worker privacy, and disability rights & tech), as well as projects on government surveillance, elections & democracy and free expression/platform governance. We engage policymakers in the U.S. and the European Union, advocate for companies to adopt best practices, represent the public interest in multistakeholder processes and standards bodies, file amicus briefs in court, conduct original research, and raise public awareness about how technology design and governance impact our democracy and social inequality.

CDT is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and collaborates closely with its partner organization, CDT Europe, which is based in Brussels.

Required Qualifications

• A degree in a relevant discipline such as computer science, information science, engineering, economics, public policy, or similar research qualification and experience (including industry experience in AI risk management or governance); a graduate degree (e.g., Masters or PhD) or commensurate research and/or applied experience is desirable but not strictly required.

• Demonstrated research and/or applied experience in the form of publications ( reports, conference papers, peer-reviewed papers, etc.), presentations, frameworks, or other outputs, and the demonstrated ability to translate technical research findings to non-technical and/or non-expert audiences.

• Familiarity with the AI governance landscape including current debates around AI system and foundation model evaluation, approaches to risk assessment, and emerging regulatory frameworks. Candidates with knowledge of ongoing AI safety research, AI safety stakeholders, and related policy discussions including debates around model capabilities, alignment approaches, and risk mitigation strategies, are particularly encouraged to apply

• Interest in technology's societal impacts, particularly how AI systems affect individuals and communities based on race, gender, disability, income, immigration status, or other characteristics

• Excellent writing skills for communicating with technical, policy, and general audiences

Compensation and Location

The compensation for this position ranges from $80K-$115K. Compensation is determined on a tiered pay scale based on years of experience and the responsibilities of the role. Candidates may request guidance on where they would fall within the salary range prior to their first interview, or any time thereafter. CDT provides a generous benefits package that includes health care and dental coverage for employees and dependents, a retirement plan, paid vacation, sick days, and parental leave.

This position is based in CDT’s Washington, D.C. office, with the possibility of remote work.

To Apply

Please send a full CV, a relevant writing sample (article, report, published paper or similar work) and a cover letter, describing your interest in the position and your experience/qualifications for such work, by clicking the "apply for this position" button below. The cover letter should also highlight any relevant experience developing, analyzing, and/or implementing practical guidance for responsible AI system development and deployment. These materials should be compiled into one PDF or document for submission. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact hr@cdt.org.