About The AI Safety Institute

The AI Safety Institute (AISI), launched at the 2023 Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit, is the world's first state-backed organization dedicated to advancing AI safety for the public interest. Our mission is to assess and mitigate risks from frontier AI systems, including cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, AI-enhanced chemical and biological threats, large-scale societal disruptions, and potential loss of control over increasingly powerful AI. In just one year, we've assembled one of the largest and most respected model evaluation teams, featuring renowned scientists and senior researchers from leading AI labs such as Anthropic, DeepMind, and OpenAI.

At AISI, we're building the premier institution for impacting both technical AI safety and AI governance. We conduct cutting-edge research, develop novel evaluation tools, and provide crucial insights to governments, companies, and international partners. By joining us, you'll collaborate with the brightest minds in the field, directly shape global AI policies, and tackle complex challenges at the forefront of technology and ethics. Whether you're a researcher, engineer, or policy expert, at AISI, you're not just advancing your career – you're positioned to have a significant impact in the age of artificial intelligence.

Role Description

The AI Safety Institute (AISI) is looking for exceptionally motivated and talented Full-Stack Engineers to join our Platform Engineering team. Our platform is the core of our project to build and run safety evaluations for next-generation frontier AI systems: in this diverse role you’ll collaborate with our research teams and blend web development, UX engineering and data visualization to provide inference channels, facilitate hosting our own models, and create expert interfaces for evals development. This position offers a unique opportunity to push forward an emerging field while part of an organization that is a unique and fast-growing experiment in AI research and governance.

In this role, you’ll receive mentorship and coaching from your manager and the technical leads on your team. You'll also regularly interact with world-famous researchers and other incredible staff (including alumni from Anthropic, DeepMind, OpenAI and ML professors from Oxford and Cambridge).

Person Specification

You may be a good fit if you have some of the following skills, experience and attitudes:

• Have proven full-stack web development skills and expertise in technologies such as JavaScript / TypeScript, Node, React, testing libraries like Jest or React Testing Library and bundlers like webpack or Vite to write quality production code, evidenced by past projects or tools developed. Bonus points if you have experience with asynchronous communication concepts like streams and web sockets.

• Have experience in developing and maintaining component libraries and standards, ensuring consistency and usability across various machine learning tools and platforms.

• Excel in agile development teams, showing the ability to work iteratively and respond to changing requirements in a fast-paced environment.

• Have led or been a significant contributor to high-stakes greenfield and/or established software products, demonstrating cross-functional collaboration skills.

• Work independently and in a self-directed way, thriving in a constantly changing environment and a steadily growing team, while figuring out the best way to solve a particular problem.

• Bring your own voice and experience but also an eagerness to support your colleagues, being ready to do whatever is necessary for team’s success.

• Take responsibility for problems from beginning to end, demonstrating problem-solving abilities and preparedness to acquire any missing knowledge necessary to get the job done.

Salary & Benefits

We are hiring individuals at all ranges of seniority and experience within the research unit, and this advert allows you to apply for any of the roles within this range. We will discuss and calibrate with you as part of the process. The full range of salaries available is as follows:

• L4: £85,000 - £95,000

• L5: £95,000 - £105,000

• L6: £105,000 - £125,000

• L7+: £145,000+

There are a range of pension options available which can be found through the Civil Service website.

Selection Process

In accordance with the Civil Service Commission rules, the following list contains all selection criteria for the interview process.

We select based on skills and experience regarding the following areas:

• Writing production quality code

• Writing code efficiently

• Node, React

• Written communication

• Verbal communication

• Teamwork

• Interpersonal skills

• Tackling challenging problems

• Learn through coaching

Desired Experience

We additionally may factor in experience with particular areas that the Platform team requires:

• Expertise in Cloud Infrastructure or Dev Ops (AWS, Azure, Kubernetes, Terraform, CDK, Docker, etc.)

Additional Information

Internal Fraud Database

The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organizations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to DLUHC as a participating government organization. DLUHC then carry out the pre-employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented. For more information please see - Internal Fraud Register.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check and get baseline personnel security standard (BPSS) clearance before they can be appointed. Additionally, there is a strong preference for eligibility for counter-terrorist check (CTC) clearance. Some roles may require higher levels of clearance, and we will state this by exception in the job advertisement. See our vetting charter here.

Nationality Requirements

We may be able to offer roles to applicants from any nationality or background. As such we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet the standard nationality requirements.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attracting, retaining and investing in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.