Lead for Counter-AI, Center for the Geopolitics of AGI

RAND•Washington, DC

5d•$255,000 - $355,000•Hybrid

About The Position

RAND’s Center for the Geopolitics of AGI, part of the Global and Emerging Risks Division, seeks a technical and strategic leader to serve as Lead for Counter-AI. The role provides technical leadership for the center’s Counter-AI portfolio, connects emerging technical capabilities with strategic analysis, and helps develop research initiatives and government partnerships. The position calls for deep AI expertise, experience directing complex research programs, and the ability to translate technical developments into actionable insights for national security decisionmakers. The role serves as technical lead for a U.S. government-sponsored Counter-AI portfolio and interfaces between technical communities and RAND strategic analysis teams. It partners with the Director and Associate Director on business development, represents RAND in meetings with government stakeholders and performers, develops relationships, and writes or reviews analytic products translating technical concepts into strategic scenarios or strategic analysis into technical requirements. The Lead will design and direct a six-month Counter-AI sprint, defining its scope and approach while ensuring it complements other ecosystem efforts. Activities may include convening public- and private-sector participants, commissioning foundational analysis, or engaging contractors to develop capabilities. The Lead also contributes as an intellectual partner and research collaborator to the core Geopolitics of AGI team, participates in its council, and reviews and informs other projects as priorities allow. Informal responsibilities include serving as a thought partner to the Center’s Director and Associate Director on strategic planning and government and AI-company engagement, as well as explaining developments in AI and related technologies to nontechnical team members and consultants. This is a three-year term appointment with the possibility of renewal and options for longer-term employment. The position is based in Washington, DC, with a hybrid work arrangement combining work from home and on-site options. A Ph.D. in a relevant technical field and the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Top Secret security clearance are required.

Requirements

At least 10 years of significant leadership experience in government research organizations, industry research and development, or major interdisciplinary research programs.
Deep technical expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning, with experience applying that expertise to national security challenges.
Demonstrated success developing and executing research strategies, leading multidisciplinary teams, and overseeing complex research portfolios and budgets.
Experience designing, securing support for, executing, and evaluating research programs, and transitioning them from initial concept to operational use or other demonstrable impact.
Ability to assess emerging AI capabilities and limitations and translate technical findings into implications for strategic analysis, policy, and capability development.
Experience advising senior government or industry leaders on complex technical issues relevant to national security.
Ability to build productive relationships across government, industry, and academia, including developing research partnerships and supporting business development.
Experience mentoring program managers, principal investigators, or technical leaders in research design, execution, evaluation, and communication.
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced research environment with evolving priorities, define new initiatives under uncertainty, and collaborate across organizational and disciplinary boundaries.
Excellent analytic skills; clear and effective oral and written communication; ability to work effectively on a multidisciplinary team; and commitment to RAND’s core values of quality and objectivity.
Ph.D. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a closely related technical field.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government Top Secret security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Experience serving as a chief scientist, research office director or deputy director, or comparable senior technical leader in a government research agency or defense and intelligence research organization.
Research or technical leadership experience in media authentication and forensics, computer vision, explainable AI, AI-enabled decision-making, information operations, cybersecurity, or secure and resilient systems.
Experience developing government-sponsored research portfolios, including proposal development, government contracting, sponsor engagement, and transitioning research capabilities to operational users.
Experience establishing interagency or international research collaborations that advance shared national security objectives.
Contributions to the technical research community through publications, conference leadership, peer review, workshops, or other professional activities.
Experience representing an organization at major technical and policy forums and communicating complex research topics through public speaking and media engagement.

Responsibilities

Provide technical leadership for the Center for the Geopolitics of AGI’s Counter-AI portfolio.
Serve as the technical lead and interface between technical communities and RAND strategic analysis teams on U.S. government-sponsored Counter-AI projects.
Partner with the Director and Associate Director on business development for the portfolio.
Represent RAND in meetings with U.S. government stakeholders and performers, and build and strengthen those relationships.
Write or review memos and analytic products that translate technical concepts and capabilities into scenarios for strategic analysis, or strategic analysis into requirements for technical capabilities.
Define, design, and lead a six-month Counter-AI sprint, ensuring it complements other efforts in the ecosystem.
As appropriate, convene public- and private-sector participants, engage contractors to build capabilities, and commission foundational analysis to scope requirements.
Participate as an intellectual partner and research collaborator with RAND staff and consultants.
Participate in the Geopolitics of AGI Council and review and inform other projects as priorities allow.
Draw on talent across the Division and RAND as appropriate.
Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Center’s Director and Associate Director, including on planning and government and AI-company engagement.
Explain technical developments in AI to nontechnical team members and consultants.