The Ada Lovelace Institute (Ada) is looking to hire a Public Services Research Lead to evaluate and shape UK public service decisions about the use of data and AI, to support Ada’s mission to ensure data and AI work for people and society.

As Public Services Research Lead you will support the development (and then lead the delivery) of Ada’s work on public sector use of data and AI. Your role will seek to answer the question: how should data and AI be used by the public sector in ways that are effective, value for money, and socially legitimate. You will identify conditions which balance the needs of people, communities, frontline professionals and services, identifying where technology could be adopted or curtailed, building evidence of how tools are used on the ground. You will take responsibility for using that insight to influence how the UK uses data and AI in the delivery of public services, where they most impact people and society. Priority areas include sectors where data and AI are making or are likely to make profound changes to frontline practice, such as health and care, education, justice and welfare.

You will undertake primary and secondary research, analysis and synthesis, as well as mobilising and connecting Ada’s existing research to live questions about the use of data and AI in the public sector. For example, you might lead convening and desk research on transparency mechanisms in the public sector, develop recommendations for the use of a public sector chatbots drawing on Ada’s research on AI Assistants or lead primary research with social workers to understand how AI affects relational practice and vulnerable groups, identifying conditions for use. 

You may have a background working in the public sector on data, AI or digital transformation, or conducting research on data/AI questions with a deep interest in public services and the role of the state. You know your way around the UK public sector, have been following key debates on public sector data/AI (eg on health reform, the national data library or the AI Exemplars programme) with interest.

You are curious and passionate about the issues which arise at the intersection of technology and society, and committed to bring multidisciplinary, sociotechnical and public evidence to bear on policy making.