Ethics Research Scientist

At DeepMind, we value diversity of experience, knowledge, backgrounds and perspectives and harness these qualities to create extraordinary impact. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding) or any other basis as protected by applicable law. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us know

About us

We’re a dedicated scientific community, committed to “solving intelligence” and ensuring our technology is used for widespread public benefit. We’ve built a supportive and inclusive environment where collaboration is encouraged and learning is shared freely. We don’t set limits based on what others think is possible or impossible. We drive ourselves and inspire each other to push boundaries and achieve ambitious goals.

We constantly iterate on our workplace experience with the goal of ensuring it encourages a balanced life. From excellent office facilities through to extensive manager support, we strive to support our people and their needs as effectively as possible.

Our list of benefits is extensive, and we’re happy to discuss this further throughout the interview process.

Snapshot

Research Scientists on the Ethics Research Team at DeepMind lead our efforts to develop novel analytical and sociotechnical tools and research that advances our understanding of emerging ethical questions surrounding AI and its potential implications. 

The position will require an interdisciplinary approach to research and a willingness to collaborate widely with projects across the whole of DeepMind. This team plays a meaningful role in promoting ethical best practice within DeepMind by supporting training and review processes.

You will need experience in an academic field such as moral philosophy, political theory, critical theory, applied ethics, science and technology studies, human-computer interaction, or a related area of study. You also need to have some familiarity with AI, machine learning or data science.

The role

As an Ethics Research Scientist at DeepMind, you’ll collaborate with multiple research teams to collectively advance the thoughtful and ethical development of AI and application of AI to scientific research:

Key responsibilities

• Conduct groundbreaking, high impact peer-reviewed research on the ethics and/or societal impact of AI systems
• Develop ethically-aligned and socially responsible research, projects, experiments, and designs, in collaboration with other researchers at DeepMind
• Communicate complex social and ethical topics and nuanced insights to diverse internal and external audiences
• Study the interaction between humans and AI systems, with a particular focus on the impact these systems have on vulnerable, marginalised or otherwise disadvantaged groups 
• Contribute to the development and advancement of AI ethics and responsible innovation through participating in panel discussions and conference presentations
• Contribute to the design and running of ethics training programs to help teams understand and foresee the ethical implications of new technologies
• Develop ethics case studies and analyses, primarily for internal use

About you

Minimum qualifications:

• PhD in moral philosophy, political philosophy, critical theory, applied ethics, science and technology studies, human-computer interaction, or a related field
• Experience dealing with complex ethical challenges in an academic institution,  a think tank, or equivalent industry role 
• Demonstrable curiosity about AI ethics and responsible innovation
• Ability to quickly evaluate complex issues and work across multiple science and technology areas
• A well-motivated teammate, who can exercise accurate judgement in a rapidly changing environment
• Excellent personal, analytical and organisational skills
• Excellent communicator, in person and in writing

Desirable qualifications

• A track record of research excellence demonstrated via some combination of publications in leading journals, presentations at interdisciplinary conferences, or awards and honours.
• Experience conducting research into the ethics and social impact of AI systems
• Experience with critical approaches to science and technology studies, e.g. value-sensitive design, participatory methods, feminist methodology etc.
• Familiarity teaching applied ethics
• Experience researching the implications of emerging technologies, assistive technologies, language technologies or the question of AI safety and value alignment
• Experience leading research projects

Competitive salary applies.