Research Officer in Economic Theory and AI Alignment

LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university

Salary from £43,277 to £51,714 pa inclusive with potential to progress to £55,497 pa inclusive of London allowance

Funding is available to support this position until 31^st December 2027 initially, with possibility of extension (subject to funding). The start date is flexible but will be no later than 1^st September 2026.

We are seeking a motivated, independent, and highly skilled Research Officer to contribute to a research agenda on economic approaches to AI alignment, funded by a grant from the UK AI Safety Institute and led by principal investigators Dr Matthew Levy (LSE) and Professor Balazs Szentes (University of Hong Kong). The project develops theoretical frameworks using mechanism design and evolutionary game theory to analyse control of advanced AI systems, with a focus on multi-agent settings where AI systems interact with each other and with humans.

The postholder will work with the principal investigators to develop game-theoretic models, prove theoretical results, and write up findings for publication in peer-reviewed economics journals. The research extends economic theory to computational agents whose decision-making processes may be opaque to human principals. The role offers the opportunity to lead on academic papers and develop independent research within this emerging area. There are no teaching duties associated with this position.

Candidates should have a PhD in Economics completed or near completion by the post start date, expertise in game theory, mechanism design, or economic theory and strong mathematical and analytical skills, including experience with formal proofs. In addition, candidates should have excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to produce high-quality research, suitable for publication in peer-reviewed journals. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent attention to detail and be able to work independently and manage their own workload.

We offer an occupational pension scheme, generous annual leave, hybrid working, and excellent training and development opportunities.

For further information about the post, please see the how to apply document, job description and the person specification.

To apply for this post, please click the 'Apply' button above. If you have any technical queries with applying on the online system, please use the “contact us” links at the bottom of the LSE Jobs page. Should you have any queries about the role, please email c.l.harman@lse.ac.uk  

The closing date for receipt of applications is 1^st March 2026 (23.59 UK time). Regrettably, we are unable to accept any late applications.

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