(Senior) Research Scholar

The Institute for Law & AI (LawAI) is seeking Research Scholars and Senior Research Scholars to conduct legal research at the intersection of law and artificial intelligence. The salary range for Research Scholars is $100,000–$140,000, and for Senior Research Scholars is $125,000–$175,000, depending on experience and location. Candidates with exceptional qualifications may be eligible for higher compensation, such as those with more than a decade of experience in federal agencies, advising Congress on technology policy, conducting academic research in administrative law, or drafting model legislation.

There are two research directions available to apply to: US Law and Policy and EU Law. You can learn more about these focus areas in this overview of our Workstreams and Research Directions.

If you’re looking for a supportive place to explore a career at the cutting edge of AI, law, and policy, and build your skills under the mentorship of our researchers, we encourage you to apply. Applications close on April 17, 2026.

This is a full-time, one-year role. 

The Institute for Law & AI (LawAI) is an independent think tank that researches and advises on the legal challenges posed by artificial intelligence. We believe that sound legal analysis will promote security, welfare, and the rule of law. We conduct research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, law, and policy and advise governments, international organizations, and private actors. You can review LawAI’s recent publications on our website.

As a (Senior) Research Scholar, you will conduct legal research at the intersection of law and artificial intelligence to inform promising paths to beneficial AI policy. Our researchers work on a variety of topics relevant to AI, law, and policy, outlined in this overview of our Workstreams and Research Directions. 

Our goal is to prepare (Senior) Research Scholars to pursue impactful work in AI, law, and policy upon completing their one-year position and to accelerate their contribution to the field. With this in mind, we expect to accept applicants with varying skill sets, levels of experience, and degrees of knowledge in AI, law, and policy. LawAI will tailor its level of mentorship to fit your experience level, whether you’re an expert with a defined focus area or a new researcher looking for guidance.

The exact responsibilities will depend on experience and interests, but will include a subset of the following:

• Self-guided research: Working independently and collaborating with team members and external stakeholders on academic papers, policy reports, and regulatory engagement.
• Consulting: Preparing legal and policy analyses in response to requests from governments, international organizations, and other public institutions as well as private actors.
• Feedback and guidance: Providing feedback on others’ work throughout the research process.
• Project development: Developing and presenting research proposals in our current workstreams and research directions.

Responsibilities could also include:

• Information gathering and analysis: Analyzing and commenting on legislative and regulatory proposals; analyzing white papers, comments, and other materials articulating the policy and legal positions of major AI developers, deployers, and infrastructure providers; monitoring new technical, legal, and policy developments relevant to AI.
• Mentorship: Managing other researchers, including Research Scholars, participants in our summer or winter fellowship programs, and emerging talent in AI law and policy.
• Policy engagement: Engaging with and advising policymakers.
• Research communication: Attending and presenting at events and conferences and building relationships with experts and decision-makers in AI, law, policy, and related fields.

Some projects within the EU Law track may involve providing legal analysis to external partners, such as governments or international organizations. This work can require responding to requests on relatively short timelines with research agendas defined by client needs. Because of the time-sensitive and collaborative nature of this work, researchers in this track are expected to treat the (Senior) Research Scholar position as their sole professional commitment for the duration of the role.

You might be a good fit for this role if you:

• Are considering a career in the field and want to prioritize research questions relevant to ensuring that advances in AI are beneficial and safe for the public. You believe that the potentially transformative impacts of AI merit rigorous, thoughtful research. You are motivated to work on projects that could have real implications for promoting security, welfare, and the rule of law for all people.
• Gravitate toward work that is action-relevant and has a practical bent. You prioritize questions that can meaningfully improve our understanding of the tools, limitations, and tradeoffs of governing advanced AI. You frequently ask, “But who actually cares about this answer?” and “What information would they need to make a better-informed decision?” You want to help researchers, policymakers, and other key decision makers have more accurate views of the world and the choices available to them.
• Have a legal background. You might have worked at a law firm, in academia, in government, or in an organization that tries to inform governments, such as a think tank. We expect that the most promising candidates typically have a JD, another graduate degree in a relevant field of expertise, or equivalent qualifications from other jurisdictions.
• Have a demonstrated ability to produce excellent work. You have a deep knowledge of administrative law, agency decision-making, international institutions, liability and insurance law, analogous regulatory regimes, legislative drafting, or other topics relevant to AI, law, and policy.
• Have excellent written communication skills. You can articulate your views clearly and with strong reasoning transparency. You are able to convey complex legal concepts in an accessible and nuanced way.
• Care about seeking truth. You want to carefully evaluate the evidence, including when doing so is inconvenient or complex. You want to convey your level of (un)certainty in your conclusions and reason transparently so that people can identify potential flaws or shortcomings in your analysis. You make recommendations when you believe that they are well-supported and you are comfortable withholding them when they aren’t. You see research as an iterative process that benefits from critique and discussion over time.
• Are self-directed and proactive. You are comfortable setting priorities, identifying promising lines of inquiry, and moving work forward with limited supervision, while knowing when to seek input or alignment.
• Work well in teams. You collaborate well on longer projects as well as time-sensitive requests, and you are motivated to help others succeed. You both give and are receptive to constructive feedback.
• Have excellent analytical and critical thinking skills. You can break down complex questions, surface key assumptions, and assess arguments and evidence with care and rigor.
• Can travel 2–3 times a year for team retreats and conferences.

While these attributes are each important, there’s no such thing as a perfect candidate; we don’t expect a successful hire to excel in all dimensions. If you’re on the fence about applying because you are unsure whether you are qualified, we strongly encourage you to apply.

The salary range for Research Scholars is $100,000–$140,000, and for Senior Research Scholars is $125,000–$175,000, depending on experience and location. Candidates with exceptional qualifications may be eligible for higher compensation, such as those with more than a decade of experience in federal agencies, advising Congress on technology policy, conducting academic research in administrative law, or drafting model legislation.

We are open to candidates starting at a time that suits them, but ideally no longer than three months from receiving an offer.

This is a full-time, one year position with flexible working hours. We encourage in-person work from our office in Cambridge, UK, but we have staff working from many different countries and support flexibility where needed.

We are not considering part-time candidates at this time.

We may be able to support visa applications in some instances for this role, though individual eligibility is not within our control.

Our benefits include:

• Flexible working hours, with in-person work encouraged from our office in Cambridge, UK
• 5 weeks of PTO recommended per year, plus public holidays
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave that can be taken prior to birth or adoption and during the first year, with the option to take additional unpaid leave
• Employer pension or matching 401(k) contribution up to 4% of your salary
• Health insurance for employees residing in countries without nationalized healthcare
• An annual reimbursement fund of $5,000 for productivity and professional development
• An annual reimbursement fund of $5,000 for mental health support
• An annual reimbursement fund of $2,500 for equipment and office supplies
• A friendly, open work culture that encourages feedback and close collaboration and a team that appreciates the contributions of all team members

We aim to employ people with many experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who share our mission. We are committed to creating an environment where all employees have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their race, religion, disability, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation.

If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability or incompatible assistive technology, please contact hiring@law-ai.org to request reasonable accommodations.

If you think you might be a good fit for the role but are unsure whether you should apply, we strongly encourage you to do so. The hiring process looks like this:

1. Application form: Submit your application form by April 17, 2026. We will not be able to assess late applications.
2. Screening interview: A brief 15-minute conversation to help us understand your perspective on AI development and its implications for society, law, and policy.
3. Work test: An invitation to complete a short work test (~2 hours) designed to simulate the type of work you would do in this role and assess skills that are important for success.
4. Research interviews: Conversations with members of our research staff to discuss your research interests, goals, and overall fit for the role.
5. Reference checks.
6. Employment offer.

This position is eligible for LawAI’s referral program. The referral program offers $5,000 to eligible individuals who refer a candidate who is ultimately hired for one of our open positions. Full terms can be found here.