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.

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THE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMME

The Public Policy research programme works alongside policy makers to explore how data-driven public service provision and policy innovation might help to solve long running societal problems. We also work hand-in-hand with public sector organisations and citizens to develop practice-based ethical standards for the responsible development and use of data science and AI.

The Alan Turing Institute is recruiting a Research Assistant to assist with research in the Women in Data Science and AI project, which sits within the Turing’s Public Policy programme. The project works alongside policy makers and industry stakeholders to conduct actionable research exploring the ethical, economic and governance-related issues stemming from gender inequalities in AI.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Public Policy programme is recruiting a Research Assistant to work on the Women in Data Science and AI project. The RA will provide crucial support for our ongoing work.

This position will involve assisting the Women in Data Science and AI team in administrative and research tasks, and supporting the project’s engagements internally and with external partners. The successful candidate will collaborate with the team, working across a variety of tasks as necessary.

The successful candidate will report to Research Fellow, Dr. Erin Young. They will collaborate with the wider Women in Data Science and AI team and Public Policy programme, including Professor Judy Wajcman. The post-holder will work closely with academics, as well as government and industry stakeholders, in an interdisciplinary, dynamic, and collaborative environment.

DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

The core responsibilities of the Research Assistant are as follows:

• Assist the Public Policy programme’s Women in Data Science and AI project in the development and delivery of research outputs. This work may include both desk and field research duties, with a view to creating actionable data-driven insights, policies and other recommendations;
• Manage work-plans, shared folders and team meetings to ensure smooth running and timely delivery of objectives;
• Assist with website, Mendeley and project documentation maintenance, and other public engagement and administrative tasks as necessary;
• Support work on a new initiative exploring diversity in the Venture Capital and startup ecosystem in the UK, and globally;
• Participate in knowledge exchange activities as appropriate, for example, assisting in the preparation of outputs and resources tailored to different audiences, ranging from policy makers to researchers, industry and the general public. This includes helping to write, edit and format briefing papers, articles, websites, blog posts, videos, and other reports;
• Conduct a large-scale literature review, including synthesising efforts already undertaken by the project;
• Participate in internal meetings with relevant groups, including the Turing’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) stakeholders, as well as external meetings with representatives of government agencies, industry and potential partner organisations;
• Stay up-to-date with progress in related fields.

• A Master’s degree awarded in a discipline with a specialism that provides suitable tools for understanding the issues raised by data science, AI, and related digital technologies, and their social implications, such as Science and Technology Studies (STS). Equivalent professional experience will also be considered.
• Experience researching in an area related to the social science of technology, and within related organisational settings such as governmental agencies, industry or the third sector.
• Project management/administrative experience (e.g. organising and keeping up-to-date team calendars and shared folders).
• Excellent communication skills in writing, speaking and distilling information.
• Interpersonal skills relevant to collaborating and working as part of a multi-disciplinary team and communicating with stakeholders in academia, the public sector, and industry.
• Highly motivated and committed to achieving the project goals.
• Ability to work flexibly, prioritising tasks to meet deadlines and maintaining a high standard of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Experience supporting research including desk-based literature review, information retrieval, content analysis and summary, and compiling and formatting bibliographic and review material.
• Demonstrable interest in the mission of the Alan Turing Institute, and in exploring the real-world impact of cutting-edge technology.
• Commitment to EDI principles and to the Organisation values.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are interested in this opportunity, please click the apply button below. You will need to register on the applicant portal and complete the application form including your CV and covering letter. If you have questions about the role or would like to apply using a different format, please contact us on 020 3970 2148 or 0203 862 3340, or email [email protected].

If you are applying for more than one role at the Turing, please note that only one Cover Letter can be visible on your profile at one time. If you wish to apply for multiple roles and do not want to overwrite your existing Cover Letter, please apply for the role using the button below and forward your additional cover letter directly to [email protected] quoting the job title.

If you are an internal applicant and wish to apply, please send your CV and Cover Letter directly to [email protected] and your application will be considered.

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 23rd March 2023 at 23:59

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if enough applications are received.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This full-time post is offered on a fixed-term contract until December 2024 with the likelihood of extension subject to funding. The annual salary is £38,236 plus excellent benefits, including flexible working and family friendly policies, https://www.turing.ac.uk/work-turing/why-work-turing/employee-benefits

We are currently assessing the results of our hybrid working trial, which ran for six months. We will soon publish a long-term workplace policy: as a guide, we anticipate this will be between 2-4 days per month. Some roles may require the jobholder to spend a greater number of days in the office, but the hiring manager will be able to confirm this during the interview.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The Alan Turing Institute is committed to creating an environment where diversity is valued and everyone is treated fairly. In accordance with the Equality Act, we welcome applications from anyone who meets the specific criteria of the post regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are committed to building a diverse community and would like our leadership teal to reflect this. We therefore welcome applications from the broadest spectrum of backgrounds.

Reasonable adjustments to the interview process will be made for any candidates with a disability.

Please note all offers of employment are subject to obtaining and retaining the right to work in the UK and satisfactory pre-employment security screening which includes a DBS Check.

Full details on the pre-employment screening process can be requested from [email protected].