Project Director

Project Director, Think/Nav AI Research

UCLA DataX is seeking a highly energetic and entrepreneurial individual with a strong AI research and policy background to serve as Project Director, think/nav AI Research. The Project Director will lead research and policy analysis on speculative and accelerationist AI movements and convene a new Community of Practice, think/nav, made possible through generous philanthropic support. Through the Community of Practice, the Program Director will provide high-quality educational training to nonprofit, public sector, and educational participants, supporting critical thinking and informed navigation of the fast-moving fields of AI ethics and AI safety.

This is a temporary one (1) year position.

DataX is an initiative with collaboration and connection at the center of its efforts. At DataX, we strive to serve the UCLA community by offering programs and services to students, faculty, researchers and partners across disciplines who engage in activities related to data: collecting, archiving, storing, processing, analyzing, and using data to make predictions, decisions and even critique of such use.

UCLA provides a full pay range. Actual salary offers consider factors, including budget, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business considerations. Salary offers at the top of the range are not common. Visit UC Benefit package to discover benefits that start on day one, and UC Total Compensation Estimator to calculate the total compensation value with benefits.

Qualifications

• A minimum of three (3) years' relevant experience within the AI research and policy ecosystem. (Required)
• A demonstrated track record of delivering high-quality research, analysis, synthesis, and educational training. (Required)
• Ability to multi-task with demanding timeframes. (Required)
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing. (Required)
• Excellent project management skills. (Required)
• Demonstrated management, administrative, and organizational skills. (Required)
• Ability to use discretion and maintain all confidentiality. In particular, there is an expectation that the Project Director will exercise the utmost discretion in managing sensitive and non-public information learned in the course of performing their duties. (Required)
• Budget management skills. (Preferred)
• Experience successfully pursuing funding opportunities for research and education. Skill in grant writing or funding proposal development. Experience working with funding agencies and foundations is a plus. (Preferred)
• Fluency in word processing, presentation and spreadsheet software - MS Office: Word, Excel, Powerpoint expertise. (Preferred)

Education, Licenses, Certifications & Personal Affiliations

• Education and/or other relevant experience with research topics relevant to the project. (Required)
• Ph.D. in relevant field (Preferred)

Special Conditions for Employment

• Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.
• Live Scan Background Check: A Live Scan background check must be completed prior to the start of employment.

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., PST / Temporary one (1) year position

RP-Research and Public Service PR