Program & Research Lead, AI, Labor, & Economy (Fixed Term)

About this role

WHO WE ARE

The Partnership on AI (PAI) is the leading forum addressing the most important and difficult decisions on the future of AI.

We are a nonprofit that invites diverse voices into the process of technical governance, design, and deployment of AI technologies. Our diverse Partners work together across industry, academia, and civil society to form responsible AI solutions so that AI empowers humanity -- contributing to a more just, equitable, and prosperous world.

Role Summary

PAI is seeking a Program & Research Lead, AI, Labor & Economy, to join our team as a full-time, fixed-term employee through December 15, 2027. This is a benefits-eligible employee position with a defined end date. The ideal candidate will bring strong project management, research, and partnership management experience, with a demonstrated ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.

PAI is building the foundational research agenda and data needed to understand the labor and economic impacts of AI in the United States and globally. Working alongside major AI companies and international development organizations, this work aims to turn fragmented, proprietary AI usage data into harmonized insights that answer high-priority questions identified by key stakeholder groups. Over the course of 2026, PAI convened a series of stakeholder workshops with representatives from labor groups and unions, K-12 and postsecondary education, workforce training systems, and safety net and human services providers; those consultations surfaced an emerging, prioritized set of research questions about AI use, adoption, and impact.

Reporting to the Head of AI, Labor, & Economy, this role supports the next phase of that work: validating and building support for the emerging research agenda, developing an understanding of what data and indicators beyond AI usage data could answer key stakeholder questions about the labor and economic impacts of AI, working with stakeholders to understand how potential new AI adoption and usage data sources meet their needs and what gaps remain, authoring public outputs for a range of audiences, and ensuring this work informs the design of a global measurement effort, related efforts, and the broader field.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

The Program & Research Lead is someone who can manage complex projects across diverse stakeholder groups, plan and deliver virtual and in-person consultations/workshops (typically 1-2 hours in length), and lead and author written outputs with minimal supervision, contributing analytical and substantive expertise to program outputs.

Content Leadership & Expertise

• Apply substantive expertise to validate and build support for PAI's emerging AI, Labor & Economy U.S. research agenda. Identify what data beyond AI usage data could answer key stakeholder questions and improve their decision-making. In collaboration with others, develop a stakeholder-informed global research agenda of prioritized needs.

• Lead the execution of clear, accessible written outputs for a range of audiences, including U.S. labor groups and unions, K-12 and postsecondary education systems, workforce training systems, and safety net and human services providers.

• Represent stakeholder priorities in discussions with technical and international partners, including reviewing in-progress work and designing a bounded process for gathering stakeholder feedback on it.

• Ensure this work informs the design of a global AI labor-impact measurement effort and the broader field.

Program Operations & Project Management

• Own project management for complex deliverables with multiple workstreams, ensuring timelines are met and stakeholder input is integrated appropriately. Lead select projects from ideation to execution and post-project impact assessment.

• Lead end-to-end planning and execution of small group virtual consultations with stakeholders and external experts to validate, develop and build support for research agenda. Partner with colleagues to plan and execute select in-person convenings including agenda design, pre-read materials, logistics and facilitation.

• Partner closely with colleagues across PAI teams to ensure Programs & Research work is aligned with organizational priorities and contributes to PAI’s shared goals. Maintain strong communication channels across the organization to ensure alignment and transparency.

Stakeholder & Relationship Management

• Lead, design and facilitate consultations that validate and pressure-test the research questions identified to date, or fill perspective gaps within sectors already consulted.

• Work collaboratively and conscientiously across PAI to lead the development of deeper partnerships with PAI’s Partnership network and other organizations bringing complementary expertise, skills and networks.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with Partnership network and collaborating organizations and consultation participants to support their continued ownership of the work, in partnership with the Head of AILE and other colleagues.

• Working with PAI’s Partnership Development team, support engagement with philanthropic partners by articulating program strategies, theory of change, and expected impact.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years of relevant and progressively responsible experience at the intersection of AI, labor, and economics.

• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage concurrent workstreams and deliverables.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical and policy insights into accessible research, outputs, and messaging for diverse audiences; demonstrated experience producing written outputs such as reports or briefings for policy and practitioner audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to translate stakeholder input into research questions, measurement frameworks, or analytical priorities, and to work effectively with academic researchers and technical…