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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.

ROLE PURPOSE

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.
• Manage own research and administrative activities, within guidelines provided by senior colleagues.
• Undertake comprehensive and systematic literature reviews and write up the results for internal reports, publication in peer-reviewed journals or for presentation at conferences or public meetings.
• Contribute to the design of research materials and make arrangements for data gathering.
• Contribute to drafting research publications, book chapters, article, reports, and reviews.
• Contribute to discussions and share research findings with colleagues in partner institutions, and research groups.
  

• 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
• Excellent verbal and writing skills and proven ability to communicate complex, specialist, or conceptual information/research findings clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences
• Ability to interact with scientists and engineers from a broad range of disciplines in multi- and inter-disciplinary teams
• Proven ability to conduct research independently to advance research agenda and to identify new research problems and solve them originally
  

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 at [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: Sunday 21 April 2024 at 23:59

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.

QUALITY, 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 team to reflect this. We therefore welcome applications from the broadest spectrum of backgrounds.

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.

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].