Head of Research

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Location: Remote/Paris

Seeking: Deep technical expertise + passion for AI strategy.

Deadline: August 11, 11:59 PM CET

About CeSIA

CeSIA is a independent, non-profit technical and policy think tank whose mission is to prevent major risks related to AI development. We advise governments, conduct research activities, and raise awareness among the general public and decision-makers about these fundamental issues.

In just over a year, we have become a key player in the ecosystem in France and Europe. We want to make AI safety a top priority and position France and Europe as leaders in responsible AI governance. Past projects have included advising the French AI Safety Institute, creating the ML4Good bootcamps, writing the AI Safety Atlas, and evaluating the robustness of LLM supervisors.

The role

As the Head of Research, you will be the intellectual engine of CeSIA's technical work. You will provide the technical evidence and frameworks that ground our policy advocacy. Your primary responsibility is to develop and execute high-impact research that is both technically rigorous and directly applicable to the urgent governance challenges we face.

You will lead initiatives core to our mission, such as:

• Operationalizing unacceptable AI risks: Develop methodologies to translate abstract commitments (such as theIDAIS red lines) into concrete, measurable thresholds for unacceptable risk. Your work will power our "AI Unacceptable Risk Tracker," a public-accountability tool designed to explain scientifically to policy-makers how far away we are from those unacceptable risks.
• Evaluating the evaluations: Pioneer research on the quality and robustness of safety evaluations conducted by AI developers. This "REVEAL" project is critical for ensuring that safety claims are backed by credible evidence.
• EU AI Office evaluations: Participating to the official evaluator network for the EU AI Office for the manipulation track.

You will work with the leadership and policy teams to refine the research agenda and identify the intersection between ecosystem needs and scientific feasibility.

You will build and mentor a small research team (contingent on future funding), and have the opportunity to present your research during academic seminars and courses taught by CeSIA at ENS Ulm and ENS Paris-Saclay.

Finally, you will represent CeSIA in key technical forums and forge collaborations with leading academic institutions and AI labs.

The ideal candidate

We are seeking a candidate who combines deep technical expertise with a passion for policy and a strategic mindset.

• Technical and research excellence: You possess a deep understanding of frontier AI capabilities and current AI safety research, likely demonstrated by a PhD in a relevant field or equivalent research experience. You have a proven track record of leading impactful technical research projects from conception to completion. A track record of publications on platforms such as the AI Alignment Forum is highly valued.
• Leadership and strategic vision: You are an experienced manager, capable of recruiting and mentoring a high-performing team. You think strategically, identifying neglected research areas where a small team can have an outsized impact on global policy.
• A bridge between research and policy: While your background is technical, you are motivated by real-world outcomes. You can translate complex technical findings into clear, persuasive recommendations for policymakers and can effectively communicate with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Mission alignment: You are driven by the urgency of reducing global catastrophic risks from AI.
• Practical skills: You are fluent in English. Proficiency in French is useful for engaging with our host country's key institutions but isnot a requirement.
• Strong leverage: Influence policy in France, a key EU member and G7 lead, and help enforce the EU AI Act, the world's most significant AI regulation.
• Direct, measurable impact: See your research directly translate into policy recommendations, legislative text, and international institutions during a critical window of opportunity.
• Intellectual vitality: Join a dynamic, fast-paced team of dedicated experts who are passionate about solving one of the most important challenges of our time.

How to apply

Please submit your applicationhere:

Deadline: August 11, 11:59 PM CET

If you have questions or suggestions, please contact us

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Research, Analyst, and Information Technology

• Industries

  Technology, Information and Internet

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