Scientific Communicator

Role Overview

We are looking for a communicator who can turn SAFL's research into clear writing and visuals for funders, partners, policymakers, and the public. This role is ideally for someone with 2 to 5 years of relevant experience, though a strong body of work can stand in for years.

You will read technical and policy work on AI and explain it in plain language without losing the substance. A large part of this role is visual. You will build slide decks and visual maps that show what the lab works on and how the parts fit together, and the team uses these for fundraising and for updates to partners. You will work closely with the research and leadership team.

You do not need to be a well-known voice in the field already. You do need to write clearly, learn our research quickly, and care about getting it right.

For people with significant relevant experience, we can also hire for a senior version of this role. We also encourage exceptional people who do not have this experience to apply.

SAFL is in a field that moves quickly. The work is demanding, and we mean that plainly. You will explain research that is new, and you will often be the first person to put it into words a non-expert can follow. Priorities will change as the field changes, and you will need to change with them. What you write and design goes straight to funders, government partners, and the public, so the standard is high. If you want a role with a fixed scope and a settled routine, this is not that role. If you want to test yourself on hard problems and grow quickly, you will find that here.

About SAFL

The Secure AI Futures Lab (SAFL) is South Asia's first research and capacity-building lab for navigating powerful AI. SAFL pursues parallel interventions in AI governance and impacts research, expert talent advancement, government engagement, and ecosystem support infrastructure. Our foundational work received support from Schmidt Sciences and the Future of Life Institute, among others.

What You Will Be Explaining

Our research runs across two broad areas. Managing AI Risks covers technical AI governance and policy, and AI security and alignment research. Societal and Economic Impacts covers the economic impacts of AI and the psycho-social impacts of AI. Evaluation, red-teaming, and measurement are the methods we lean on most. You do not need to arrive knowing this material, but you should be able to learn it quickly and explain it accurately.

Key Responsibilities

Writing and Editing

• Turn technical research and policy work into clear writing for different readers, for example a short brief for a policymaker or a blog post for a general reader.
• Write and edit concept notes, event pages, newsletters, summaries, and one-page briefs.
• Help draft and edit funding proposals and material for partners.
• Keep a consistent voice and house style across the lab's writing.

Visual Communication

• Build slide decks that present the lab's research and plans.
• Build visual maps that show how the lab's research areas fit together.
• Make simple diagrams and charts that make a finding easy to follow.
• Keep a shared library of templates and reusable visuals.

Website and Channels

• Keep the lab's website, mailing list, and social channels accurate and up to date.
• Post about the lab's work on channels such as LinkedIn and X, and help the audience grow over time.
• Help place the lab's work with journalists and partners, and support joint announcements before events.

Coordination and Records

• Keep internal copies and clear records of all published and external material.
• Work with researchers to plan what to publish and when.

Who We're Looking For

The ideal candidate may not have all of these. If you are on the fence, please apply.

Experience and Track Record

• Ideally 2 to 5 years of relevant experience in science or technical communication, writing, editing, journalism, or policy communication. A strong body of work can stand in for years.
• A portfolio that shows you can explain a complex topic clearly to readers who are not experts, for example a published article, a blog, or a report you wrote.
• Genuine interest in AI, and in AI safety and governance, and the ability to learn our research quickly.
• We will also consider exceptional recent graduates through the internship track described below.

Skills

• Strong writing and editing in English.
• The ability to build clear slide decks and simple visuals, using tools such as Google Slides, Figma, or Canva.
• The ability to read technical or policy material and find the main point.
• Care for accuracy. You check claims and represent the research faithfully, and you know the difference between what a piece of research shows and what it does not.
• Comfort using AI tools such as Claude to draft and refine material, while always checking the output for accuracy.

Working Style

• High agency and ownership. You work out what needs to be said and how to say it well.
• Sharp attention to detail. You notice the thing that is slightly off, and you do not let it pass.
• Reliable when plans change. You can juggle deadlines and tasks without dropping things.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and with revising your work, since this is a young lab in a fast-moving field.

Good to Have

None of these are required. They will make you stand out.

• Experience communicating about AI, technology, or science policy.
• Some experience growing an audience on social channels, or running a newsletter.
• A design portfolio, or strong design sense.
• Familiarity with data visualization, or with basic tools for publishing to a website.
• Familiarity with India's AI policy ecosystem, such as MeitY, NITI Aayog, or academic AI labs.
• Familiarity with the work of global AI safety and governance organizations, and with how they communicate their research.

Internship Track

This role has an internship track for applicants who do not yet have the experience above, including current students and recent graduates. If that is you, apply through the same form and mark that you would like to be considered for the internship track. It is a way to join the lab and grow into the full role. Interns are paid ₹50,000 to ₹1,00,000 per month, depending on the prior profile and performance in our assessments.

How to Apply

Please read the complete job description before applying. We review applications as they arrive, and we encourage you to apply early using the Apply Now button on this page.

Location

Hybrid. You will start remote for the first month. Eventually, we may require you to be located in one of our Secure AI Hubs, or elsewhere across India.

Type

Full-time fixed-term contractor role, initially for 6 to 12 months, with considerable autonomy. The first two months are a probation period. Based on satisfactory or outstanding performance, there are reasonable prospects to renew the contract or to graduate into one of our core full-time roles. You will work closely with SAFL leadership, the research team, external collaborators, and partners across different time zones.

Compensation (INR)

₹80,000 to ₹2,00,000 per month. Compensation is all-inclusive and will be based on your prior relevant work and your demonstrated ability to meet the needs of this role. For people with significant relevant experience, we can also hire for a senior version of this role.

Application Process Overview

Our process may change based on our needs, but here is what you can usually expect.

• Screening application. A short application to check basic fit.
• Skills test. An unpaid 2-hour work test to assess relevant skills.
• Video interview (optional). A short automated video interview of about 5–7 minutes to help us understand you.
• Interviews. 1–2 short interviews. These go both ways. We learn more about you and you learn more about the role and about us.
• Paid work trial. A paid trial of 2–5 days where you work on real tasks with the team, in person or remote.
• Final call. A closing conversation before we decide.
• Reference checks. We will reach out to a couple of your references to wrap things up.

SAFL is committed to building a diverse, curious, and high-integrity team. We welcome applications from people of different backgrounds.

Questions? Write to us at hiring[AT]secureaifutureslab[DOT]com.