AI Research Fellow/Senior Fellow Position at FAI

Published Date : 30/09/2025 

The Foundation for American Innovation (FAI) is seeking dynamic Research Fellows and Senior Fellows to advance pragmatic AI policy. Apply now to join a team of builders, hackers, and policy entrepreneurs. 

To apply, please complete this form. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

The Foundation for American Innovation (FAI) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 with a mission to develop technology, talent, and ideas that support a better, freer, and more abundant future. Our politics is driven by builders, hackers, and founders who are committed to advancing a more perfect union between technology and the American republic.

To further this mission, FAI is seeking several Research Fellows or Senior Fellows to focus on different aspects of artificial intelligence policy. Reporting to the Director of AI Policy, Fellows will be responsible for advancing pragmatic AI policy at the federal and/or state level through original research, commentary, convenings, and collaboration with FAI’s AI Policy Team. Fellows are expected to be policy entrepreneurs: identifying opportunities, framing debates, and ensuring good ideas are implemented.

This full-time position is based in Washington, DC. We seek energetic, motivated, and detail-oriented individuals to enhance our capabilities, execute key priorities, and grow quickly into a crucial resource for staff and scholars. Ideal candidates will have prior experience in AI policy (or a related technology policy field), law, or technical AI/computer science, looking to apply that experience at a think tank.

Areas of Focus

FAI is seeking Fellows who can expand the AI Policy Team’s purview. We are particularly enthusiastic about individuals who can specialize in one or several of the following domains:

- Cybersecurity and National Resilience : Protecting critical infrastructure and American intellectual property from AI-driven threats.

- AI Diffusion : Rethinking outdated regulatory frameworks and reducing barriers to responsible deployment.

- Technology Competition : Ensuring U.S. leadership in semiconductors, manufacturing equipment, and American-made AI systems.

- AI and Society : Analyzing the proliferation of AI agents and their effects on culture, governance, and families.

- Public-Sector Adoption : Accelerating integration of AI into federal processes to ensure American government institutions keep pace with technological change.

Responsibilities

- Producing Original, Nonpartisan Research and Commentary : Advancing serious policy thinking on artificial intelligence and adjacent technologies.

- Acting as Policy Entrepreneurs : Identifying opportunities where FAI can shape debates, offer intellectual leadership, and equip policymakers with the tools needed to promote and manage emerging technologies.

- Translating Complex Technical Debates : Making technical discussions accessible to policymakers, media, and the broader public.

- Shaping and Participating in FAI Programming : Including panels, workshops, and expert convenings in Washington, DC, and major U.S. tech hubs.

Senior Fellows may also be asked to periodically travel for FAI events in major U.S. tech hubs and develop donor relationships to support their projects.

Qualifications

Competitive applicants will demonstrate:

- Commitment to FAI’s Mission : Enthusiasm for working within our community of builders, hackers, and policy entrepreneurs.

- Exceptional Communication Skills : The ability to write clearly, speak persuasively, and translate technical debates into language that resonates with policymakers and the public.

- Intellectual Rigor and Attention to Detail : Paired with the creativity to identify solvable problems and the policy levers to address them.

- Entrepreneurial Initiative : Comfort working independently, driving projects forward, and collaborating across disciplines.

- Fluency in Both Technical and Policy Conversations : The ability to connect engineers and lawmakers around shared challenges.

Bonus but not required: A college degree in a related field (e.g., economics, politics, or STEM). A law degree or legal experience is a plus.

Research Fellows will typically have 2–6 years of relevant experience in policy or industry work on frontier technologies or artificial intelligence. Highly qualified recent graduates are also encouraged to apply.

Senior Fellows will bring 6 or more years of experience in policy or industry, a record of published work in policy journals or national outlets, and the ability to lead major policy efforts.

Benefits and Perks

- Health, dental, and vision insurance

- 401(k) match up to 6%

- Generous annual performance bonus

- $1,000 annual book credit

- Monthly commuter benefit

- Unlimited vacation policy

- Flexible work schedule in a hybrid office environment in Union Market, Washington, DC, with free snacks & drinks.

- An annual salary of:

- $75,000–115,000 for Research Fellows

- $130,000–175,000 for Senior Fellows

To apply, please complete this form. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

FAI is an equal-opportunity employer. We review applications for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, uniformed services, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, or any other basis prohibited by law. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the application process for the Research Fellow or Senior Fellow position at FAI?

A: To apply, please complete the application form available on our website. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Q: What is the mission of the Foundation for American Innovation (FAI)?

A: FAI is a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 with a mission to develop technology, talent, and ideas that support a better, freer, and more abundant future.

Q: What are the key areas of focus for the Research Fellows and Senior Fellows at FAI?

A: The key areas of focus include cybersecurity and national resilience, AI diffusion, technology competition, AI and society, and public-sector adoption.

Q: What are the qualifications required for the Research Fellow position?

A: Research Fellows should have 2–6 years of relevant experience in policy or industry work on frontier technologies or artificial intelligence, with exceptional communication skills and a commitment to FAI’s mission.

Q: What benefits do the Research Fellows and Senior Fellows receive at FAI?

A: Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) match up to 6%, a generous annual performance bonus, an annual book credit, monthly commuter benefits, unlimited vacation, and a flexible work schedule. 

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