Senior AI Fellow at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services

AI Science Residency Program

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. This mission has become increasingly critical in an age of 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 Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES, this position) and the California Department of Technology (CDT,  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 Cal OES, 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 Fellows – Cal OES will be placed in the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC), which is part of Cal OES' Homeland Security Division. Cal OES serves as the state's leadership hub during all major emergencies and disasters.

The Senior AI Fellow will support Cal OES' work on state-level AI policy and governance issues, in particular, recent legislation relating to AI safety, transparency, catastrophic risk management, critical safety incidents, and other AI policy issues. They will collaborate with science and technology staff within the State and with external partners.

This position will be formally employed by CCST and placed in Cal OES 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 Cal OES staff and participate in staff meetings.

A Senior AI Fellow – Cal OES 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 Cal OES, this position is expected to report to the AI Science Advisor, an embedded technical expert, who in turn reports to Cal-CSIC Commander Matt Sage. They will also work closely with the Homeland Security Cyber Policy Team Lead at Cal OES and the AI Science Residency Program Manager (or delegate) at CCST.

Key responsibilities of the Senior AI Fellow include:

• Respond to requests from Cal OES leadership team for information, analysis, evaluation, or advice related to on frontier and generative AI risk assessment.
• Support Cal OES staff and AI Science Advisor by connecting and coordinating with AI governance teams across internal offices and divisions.

Additional responsibilities of the Senior AI Fellow may include:

• Respond to requests from Cal OES leadership and staff for information, analysis, evaluation, advice, or execution support related to AI adoption, governance, safety, risk assessment, and security.
• Solicit information and ideas from 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 identifying critical emerging AI adoption and/or governance opportunities or challenges and support efforts to address such issues that may be of concern to Cal OES.
• Support efforts to responsibly and ethically leverage AI to modernize government service delivery and strengthen cybersecurity.
• Support efforts to identify and address AI-related cybersecurity risks to critical infrastructure and state networks.

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

Position requirements include:

• 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 assessments, and risk mitigation, AI transparency, AI…