Research Fellow, Digital Ethics

HOURS: 36

The Alan Turing Institute

Named in honour of Alan Turing, the Institute is a place for inspiring, exciting work and we need passionate , sharp, and innovative people who want to use their skills to contribute to our mission to make great leaps in data science and AI research to change the world for the better.

Please find more information about us here

BACKGROUND

The Alan Turing Institute’s Defence and Security has three aims – to support defence and national security agencies to keep societies and citizens safe; to protect the privacy and security of citizens, institutions, and industry; and to contribute to the global good by enabling societies around the world to derive benefit and prosper from emerging technology.

The Research Fellow role will sit within the Alan Turing Institute’s Defence & Security Grand Challenge and will work to support the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory’s interests in ethics.

The Research Fellow Dstl (Digital Ethics) will work across the Defence research portfolio to assist in building a consensus on the definitions and parameters for the ethics of applied research in future AI technologies. They will lead the development of ethical guidelines for responsible innovation practices to help ensure the smooth transition of these technologies from research into Defence's acquisition processes.

DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

The Research Fellow Dstl (Digital Ethics) will work closely with the fellows based at The Turing Institute as well as those at Dstl to:

• Develop a collaborative research and capability development strategy for applied digital ethics research.
• Support the development of MOD policy and frameworks for the ethical application of AI in Defence.
• Define the requirements for MOD funded research and lead the delivery of these research activities.
• Attend and present research findings and papers at academic and professional conferences and contribute to the external visibility of Dstl.

Person Specification

• Possession of a PhD or has equivalent experience in Applied / Practical Ethics or a related discipline
• Experience in developing and implementing strategic research and capability development plans
• Experience or demonstrable understanding of applied ethics in technology
• Effective strategic thinking and leadership skills
• Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills at all levels

Please see our portal for a full breakdown of the Job Description.

Terms and Conditions

This is full-time post is offered on a fixed term basis till 31 March 2025. The annual salary is £53,576 - £55,125 plus excellent benefits, including flexible working and family friendly policies, https://www.turing.ac.uk/work-turing/why-work-turing/employee-benefits

Successful candidates will need to undergo a security check by DSTL’s security team.

The Alan Turing Institute is based at the British Library, in the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter.We expect staff to come to our office at least 4 days per month. Some roles may require more days in the office; the hiring manager will be able to confirm this during the interview. 

Application procedure

Please see our jobs portal (via the ‘Apply’ button above) for full details on how to apply and the interview process.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to making sure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive.

This includes making reasonable adjustments for candidates who have a disability or long-term condition. Please contact us at [email protected]  to find out how we can assist you.