Senior Researcher: AI Governance

ABOUT FUTURE SHIFT LABSFuture Shift Labs (FSL) is a Noida-based AI governance and digital policy think tank working at the intersection of emerging technology, public policy, and grassroots impact. FSL runs several flagship platforms including the AI Legislators' Forum (AILF), Yashoda AI (grassroots AI literacy for rural India), and maintains active partnerships across parliamentary networks, global policy forums, and academic institutions in India, the UK, Europe, and Africa. ROLE SUMMARYFSL is looking for a Senior Researcher to lead in-depth research and analysis on AI governance, regulation, and policy design. This is a senior individual-contributor role for someone who can independently drive research workstreams, produce publication-ready analysis, and represent FSL's research quality in external-facing reports, briefs, and partnerships, while also mentoring junior researchers on the team. KEY RESPONSIBILITIESLead end-to-end research on AI governance frameworks, regulatory developments, and comparative policy analysis across jurisdictions (India, EU, UK, US, and emerging markets).Design and execute research programmes, from literature review and methodology to data collection, analysis, and final report writing.Author policy briefs, white papers, and reports for external audiences including legislators, regulators, and international partners.Track and synthesise fast-moving AI policy developments (legislation, enforcement actions, standards bodies) into actionable insights for FSL's programmes and partners.Support proposal and grant-writing efforts by contributing research framing, evidence bases, and literature grounding.Represent FSL's research in external forums, roundtables, and stakeholder meetings, including with government, industry, and civil society actors.Mentor and review the work of junior researchers and research associates; maintain quality and rigour across the team's output.Collaborate with FSL's initiatives (e.g., Yashoda AI, AILF) to ensure research stays grounded in on-the-ground realities, not just theoretical frameworks.REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS4–5 years of relevant experience in policy research, think tank work, regulatory analysis, or a closely related field; AI/tech policy experience strongly preferred. Postgraduate degree in public policy, law, political science, international relations, technology policy, or a related discipline.Demonstrated ability to independently produce long-form written analysis: policy briefs, reports, oracademic-adjacent publications with minimal supervision.Strong grasp of AI governance debates: regulatory approaches (e.g., risk-based frameworks), international coordination efforts, and key institutional actors.Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; working proficiency in Hindi is an asset for grassroots-facing work.Comfort working across both high-level global policy contexts and India-specific, grassroots realities.PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONSPrior published work (reports, papers, articles) on AI, technology regulation, or digital rights.Experience engaging with parliamentary, governmental, or multilateral policy processes.Familiarity with research on AI's social impact in low-resource or rural settings.Prior experience mentoring or managing junior researchers. Interested candidates should submit a CV, a cover letter and one writing sample (published or unpublished) demonstrating independent policy research and analysis on contact@futureshiftlabs.comFuture Shift Labs is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and experiences.