Associate General Counsel, AI, Biosecurity, & Emerging Technologies

RAND•Santa Monica, DC

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

RAND’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is seeking an attorney to serve as the legal lead for some of the most consequential work happening at the intersection of AI, biosecurity, and national security. In this role, you would be the primary legal partner for RAND’s Center on AI, Security, and Technology (CAST) and the person our technical teams turn to as they tackle novel, fast-moving challenges where the precedent is thin and the stakes are high. This is a hands-on role for someone with an operator’s mindset—comfortable reasoning through legal ambiguity, owning problems end to end, and building legal infrastructure from the ground up. You will report directly to RAND’s Vice President & General Counsel and have significant autonomy to shape how we approach emerging legal questions that often have no playbook. You might be especially well suited to this role if you have advised teams inside a national security or government setting, have experience using AI tools to deliver timely and accurate legal advice, and are energized—not daunted—by work that sits at the frontier of law and technology. RAND OGC is comprised of intellectually curious, creative legal professionals who are tireless advocates for RAND and its mission. Our attorneys are highly skilled in particular legal disciplines and continuously expand their capabilities to address the novel and complex issues confronting RAND. Even as RAND researchers leverage and evaluate the most advanced frontier AI capabilities in tackling the world’s most complex public policy challenges, our team has fully adopted leading edge AI legal tools to enhance and advance our legal services – with continuous exploration of new capabilities and a willingness to challenge longstanding assumptions and practices. We combine this with high levels of engagement across the organization and collaboration within the team and with the people we support, enabling us to confidently provide thoughtful, practical, and actionable advice at the speed of a fast-moving organization. RAND CAST'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. CAST’s 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.

Requirements

At least nine (9) years of experience as a practicing attorney, with substantive experience advising on technology matters, emerging technology issues, or national security-adjacent legal questions—whether in a government, in-house, or law firm setting
Detail-oriented, works well under pressure, and has an affinity for RAND’s mission
Proven problem-solver who takes ownership of work, partners effectively with technical teams, and adapts quickly to new questions
Demonstrated ability to confidently provide sound judgment even in ambiguous situations
Collaborative, collegial, and skilled at building consensus with diverse professional groups
Willingness to take on novel legal issues that may be outside prior experience
Ability to identify priorities and adjust as necessary to meet unanticipated needs
Ability to travel occasionally to other RAND offices (primarily in the U.S.)
J.D. and licensed to practice law (in good standing). If not licensed to practice law in the state of employment, must qualify under the Supreme Court of Virginia’s Rule 1A:5 or the requirements for Registered In-House Counsel for the State of California (as applicable).
U.S. citizenship is required for this position as it requires the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance and DHS Fitness.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in-house as an attorney for a technology company, research institution, or an intelligence or national security organization
Experience working for (or with) a non-profit organization
Familiarity with biosecurity, frontier AI, or related emerging technology domains
Substantive experience pertaining to any of the following: export control regulations (EAR, ITAR) or trade compliance programs; cybersecurity; federal government contracting, FAR/DFARS compliance, or government procurement matters; any of the “other responsibilities” described above
Licensure in California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, D.C., or New York is a plus.

Responsibilities

Partnering with technical teams to structure and support active programs, develop operational guidelines, and work through novel legal questions at the intersection of national security, technology, and emerging capabilities
Drafting and negotiating agreements with government and research partners as well as industry, including research agreements, data-sharing and data-handling arrangements, licensing agreements, NDAs, and technology contracts
Counseling on technology transactions and emerging technology matters, including artificial intelligence, digital assets, data acquisition, data use, and related privacy considerations
Supporting engagement with U.S. Government and allied government partners, including work involving sensitive and classified information
Advising on information security matters and supporting the implementation of security protocols
Navigating national security law, export controls, and cross-jurisdictional questions—including personnel and operational considerations
Helping teams identify and mitigate legal risk, designing internal approval processes and governance frameworks, and working with stakeholders to implement solutions
Directing outside counsel as required
Special projects as assigned by the General Counsel
Advising and training on export control and trade compliance matters, including ITAR, EAR, and related regulatory frameworks applicable to RAND’s domestic and international activities, including AUKUS
Advising on intellectual property matters, including IP strategy, protection of RAND’s IP assets, patents, and negotiation of IP-related provisions in research and commercial agreements
Other areas of RAND's work aligned with your skills and interests