AI Industry Associate/Lead – Remote Job Opportunity at Future of Life Institute (FLI)

Organization: Future of Life Institute (FLI)
Job Title: AI Industry Associate/Lead
Location: Remote, with preference for candidates based in or willing to relocate to Europe
Job Type: Full-time
Work Arrangement: Remote
Salary: €82,000–€150,000 per year
Application Deadline: November 15, 2026
Expected Start Date: As soon as possible after accepting an offer
Application Method: Online application through the organization’s website
Official Website: https://futureoflife.org/

About the Future of Life Institute

The Future of Life Institute (FLI) is an independent nonprofit organization founded in 2014. It works to ensure that transformative technologies benefit humanity while reducing the risk of extreme, large-scale harm.

The organization engages policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and the public through grantmaking, educational outreach, and policy advocacy. Its work focuses on addressing risks associated with advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, while promoting approaches that support a positive future for humanity.

FLI advocates for AI development that strengthens human capabilities, protects civil liberties and democratic institutions, and keeps people meaningfully involved in important decisions.

The organization operates largely virtually, with approximately 40 team members distributed internationally, primarily across Europe and the United States. It maintains offices in Campbell, California; Brussels, Belgium; London, United Kingdom; and Washington, DC. The team meets in person twice a year.

About the AI Industry Associate/Lead Position

The Future of Life Institute is seeking an AI Industry Associate/Lead to develop and advocate for a pro-human approach to artificial intelligence development.

The successful candidate will help advance a vision of AI built around controllable, verifiable, reliable, and human-centered tools rather than maximally autonomous general AI systems designed to replace humans across a wide range of activities.

The role will involve developing a credible strategy for AI innovation that allows technological progress and safety regulation to advance together. The successful candidate will also engage policymakers and other stakeholders to promote practical approaches to AI development, industrial applications, and national AI strategies.

FLI is open to hiring candidates at different levels of seniority. The final job title, responsibilities, and scope will depend on the selected candidate’s experience.

The position will report to the Head of European Policy and Research.

Key Responsibilities

1. Develop AI Industry Strategy

Candidates appointed at the Lead level will develop a rigorous argument for why a successful AI strategy does not necessarily require building or adopting maximally general and autonomous AI systems.

This includes developing a credible alternative that promotes economically valuable AI applications while maintaining human control, reliability, and accountability.

2. Monitor AI Industry Developments

The successful candidate will track emerging technical developments and support alternative approaches to AI development beyond large-scale model expansion.

Areas of interest include:

• Efficient and smaller AI models.
• Open-source and open-science AI.
• Physical AI systems and robotics.
• High-value industrial and scientific data applications.
• Technical approaches that improve AI reliability, verification, and controllability.

The role requires an understanding of how these developments could contribute to a competitive and responsible AI industry.

3. Engage Policymakers and Build Coalitions

The successful candidate will work with policymakers and stakeholders interested in developing sovereign AI strategies.

Engagement will include policymakers and institutions in Brazil, Canada, European Union member states, and the European Union’s AI Office in Brussels.

The role will also involve building relationships across government, industry, research institutions, and international partners to support practical policy solutions.

4. Translate Strategy into Policy Recommendations

The AI Industry Associate/Lead will convert strategic analysis into clear, actionable recommendations that policymakers can use.

This will require explaining technical AI developments in accessible language and identifying practical policy measures that support innovation while addressing safety and governance concerns.

Required Qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate the following qualifications:

• Technology strategy experience: Experience in technology strategy, preferably involving AI policy, the technology industry, a startup, or a related policy environment.
• Technical understanding of advanced AI: Sufficient knowledge of AI capabilities and development trajectories, agentic systems, evaluation techniques, and verification methods to engage credibly with technical experts.
• Independent strategic judgment: The ability to assess alternatives to the prevailing emphasis on scaling AI systems and develop a defensible position.
• International policy engagement: Experience working with policymakers outside the United States and China, or a demonstrated ability to engage effectively in these environments.

Candidates should be comfortable working at the intersection of technical AI developments, public policy, and industry strategy.

Required Skills and Qualities

The organization is looking for candidates with the following skills and attributes:

• Excellent written and spoken communication skills.
• Ability to produce high-quality, policy-ready analysis.
• Confidence representing FLI in expert discussions and high-level engagements.
• Experience translating technical concepts for non-technical audiences.
• Strong stakeholder management and partnership-building abilities.
• Capacity to work across institutions, industries, and international partnerships.
• Independence, initiative, and the ability to take ownership of strategic work.
• Adaptability in a rapidly changing AI policy and technology environment.
• Commitment to FLI’s mission of reducing catastrophic risks while promoting positive outcomes for humanity.

Preferred Qualifications

The following qualifications and experience would strengthen an application but are not all mandatory:

• A graduate degree in economics, computer science, a technical AI discipline, or another relevant field.
• Previous employment at a technology startup or comparable experience understanding how the technology industry operates.
• Experience in, or detailed knowledge of, a safety-sensitive industrial sector where reliability is an essential operational requirement.
• An established professional network among leading AI researchers and relevant policymakers.

FLI encourages applicants who are passionate about its mission to apply even if they do not meet every listed qualification.

Salary and Benefits

The advertised annual salary range is €82,000–€150,000.

Compensation will depend on the candidate’s experience, seniority, and geographical location. The final job title and responsibilities will also reflect the successful candidate’s background.

Benefits vary by location but typically include:

• Paid time off: 25 days per year.
• Paid parental leave.
• Work-from-home allowance: Financial support for purchasing office supplies or equipment.
• Professional development budget.
• Health insurance: May be covered depending on the location.
• Pension contributions: May be covered depending on the location.

Applicants should confirm the specific compensation package and benefits applicable to their country of residence during the recruitment process.

Location and Remote Work

This is a remote position. FLI welcomes applications from candidates in different locations but particularly prefers applicants who are already based in Europe or are willing to relocate there.

The organization has an internationally distributed team, making the position suitable for candidates comfortable collaborating across geographical boundaries.

Although candidates from other regions may be considered, applicants should clarify their location and work eligibility with the organization if they are based outside Europe.

Application Deadline and Start Date

Application deadline: November 15, 2026.

FLI may move the position to a rolling application process after the stated deadline, so interested candidates should apply as early as possible.

The selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible after accepting an offer.

Required Application Materials

Applicants must submit their application through the organization’s website. Email applications are not accepted.

The application requires:

1. A résumé: Upload a résumé outlining relevant professional experience, qualifications, technical knowledge, and policy or industry achievements.
2. A short written response of no more than 200 words: Describe a time when you successfully persuaded a group of people to change course. Explain your strategy and the specific actions you took.
3. A second short written response of no more than 200 words: Explain how states that do not export major AI models can and should pursue sovereign AI strategies.

Applicants should prepare concise, evidence-based responses that demonstrate strategic thinking, persuasive communication, and an understanding of AI policy and governance.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should visit the Future of Life Institute’s official website and submit their résumé and both written responses through the designated online application process.

Application deadline: November 15, 2026.

Official organization website: https://futureoflife.org/

Questions about the application: jobsadmin@futureoflife.org

Please note that applications sent by email will not be accepted.

About FLI’s Work and Achievements

The Future of Life Institute has contributed to international discussions about AI safety, governance, and the risks associated with transformative technologies.

Its initiatives include:

• Superintelligence Statement: An open letter calling for a prohibition on developing superintelligent AI until there is strong public support and scientific consensus that such systems can be developed safely and controllably. The organization reports that the statement has received more than 130,000 signatures.
• Asilomar AI Principles: An influential set of principles addressing the responsible development and governance of artificial intelligence.
• The Pro-Human AI Declaration: A declaration outlining five guidelines for ensuring that AI development prioritizes humanity.
• Nuclear war simulation: An educational scientific simulation examining the potential consequences of a nuclear conflict between Russia and the United States.
• AI Safety Index: An initiative assessing AI companies across important safety and security areas using expert evaluations.

These initiatives reflect FLI’s broader mission of encouraging technological development that protects humanity and supports positive long-term outcomes.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Future of Life Institute aims to be an inclusive organization and actively encourages applications from people with diverse backgrounds.

Candidates who are enthusiastic about the organization’s mission are encouraged to apply even if they do not satisfy every qualification listed in the advertisement.

Final Summary

The AI Industry Associate/Lead position offers an opportunity for an experienced technology strategist or AI policy professional to influence how artificial intelligence is developed and governed internationally.

With an annual salary of €82,000–€150,000, remote working arrangements, and a focus on AI strategy, international policymaker engagement, and responsible innovation, the role may appeal to candidates with strong technical understanding, policy expertise, and strategic communication skills.

Interested candidates should submit their applications by November 15, 2026, through the Future of Life Institute’s official website.