Senior AI Fellow at the California Department of Technology

Senior AI Fellow – California Department of Technology

The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization that exists to make California's policies stronger with science and technology. CCST's mission has become increasingly critical given the novel challenges in the governance of frontier artificial intelligence (AI). In response, CCST is placing a cohort of AI experts in key executive agencies through its AI Science Residency Program.

The first cohort of CCST's Senior AI Fellows will be offered a one-year placement (with a possibility of extension pending funding) to support this work in the California Department of Technology (CDT, this position) and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES,  for the position description).

During their year of public service, CCST Senior AI Fellows have the opportunity to learn about the craft and process of AI governance in California. As full-time staff members placed at CDT, Senior AI Fellows work alongside decision-makers to evaluate complex AI-related scientific issues and interpret data while tackling the responsibilities of full-time staffers.

Senior AI Fellows use transferable skills from their studies such as research, writing, and analysis in their daily work. CCST also offers various policy training and professional development opportunities that will be embedded throughout the yearlong program.

The Senior AI Fellow will support CDT's work on AI policy, safety, governance, and adoption issues, in particular, as it relates to frontier AI safety, risk management, models, developers, and relevant thresholds, as outlined in recent California AI safety legislation. They will work with science and technology staff from within and beyond the State government.

This position will be formally employed by CCST and placed in CDT on a full-time basis via a formal memorandum of understanding between CCST and the placement office. The Senior AI Fellow will work as part of CDT staff and participate in staff meetings.

A Senior AI Fellow – CDT will serve as technical advisor on state-level AI policy and governance issues, in particular, recent California legislation relating to AI safety, transparency, catastrophic risk management, critical safety incidents, and other AI policy issues. It is important that Senior AI Fellows serve as honest brokers willing to work with industry, academia, and communities, as well as the public sector.

The Senior AI Fellow must also be adept at communicating complex ideas in a clear and concise manner.

Within CDT, this position is expected to report directly to the AI Science Advisor, a senior level embedded technical expert, who in turn reports to Vera Zakem, State Chief Technology Innovation Officer. They will also collaborate with other senior leaders at CDT and with the AI Science Residency Program Manager (or delegate) at CCST.

Key responsibilities of the Senior AI Fellow include:

• Respond to requests from CDT to summarize, synthesize, and advise on quantitative and qualitative analysis of stakeholder input received from public input channels, per recent California AI safety legislation.
• Respond to requests from CDT to contribute to the development of a report including providing written content to the State Legislature with findings and recommendations.
• Support CDT staff and AI Science Advisor through connecting and coordinating with AI governance leads across internal offices and divisions.

Additional responsibilities of the Senior AI Fellow may include:

• Respond to requests from CDT leadership team for information, analysis, evaluation, advice, or execution support related to AI adoption, governance, safety, and security.
• In consultation with CDT and AI Science Advisor, solicit information and ideas from, and where applicable support coordination with, a broad range of experts, including but not limited to state agencies, the academic research community, the private sector, federal research facilities and laboratories, foundations, Native American Tribes, community groups, and nonprofit organizations.
• Assist in convening policymakers among executive branch agencies and relevant technical and scientific experts on cross-cutting AI adoption, governance and safety issues.
• Assist in identifying critical emerging AI adoption and/or governance opportunities or challenges that may be of concern to CDT.
• Support CDT's efforts to responsibly and ethically leverage AI to modernize government service delivery.

Senior AI Fellows will collaborate as needed with staff across all levels at CalOES, CCST staff, CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows, and different state, tribal, community, academic, and industry partners.

Position requirements:

• Be in possession of either: a graduate degree AND subject matter expertise on AI policy and governance OR multiple years of specialized experience in multiple topics covering frontier AI, AI foundation models, AI safety and safety incidents, AI standards, AI risks, risk…