Senior Communications

Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Sunday 21 December and therefore we advise getting your application in by no later than midnight on Saturday 20 December.
As the UK’s communications regulator, we’re delivering vital work that helps keep the UK connected and shapes the future of how we’ll stay connected with each other.

Our work covers everything from phones and broadband, through to TV, radio, the postal service, and wireless devices. We’re also taking on the challenge of making the online world a safer place. And we need people of all backgrounds, skill sets, and experiences to help us achieve our goal of making communications work for everyone.

The Online Safety Technology team conducts research to build knowledge and understanding in subject areas fundamental to online safety. This includes, for example, AI and machine learning, digital identity, privacy enhancing technologies, decentralisation, user experience, gaming, network infrastructure, and digital forensics. The team provides technical expertise to policy, supervision and enforcement colleagues in the wider Online Safety Group, and others in Ofcom, during policy development processes and industry engagement activities.

We are looking for a technically strong and strategically minded AI/ML Senior Technology Advisor to provide expert guidance on the technical aspects of artificial intelligence and machine learning as they relate to online safety.

The successful candidate will play a leading role within the Online Safety Technology team to help design and deliver a programme of work that will develop and share fundamental understanding of the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies that underpin online services to help meet Ofcom's Online Safety objectives. This position is ideal for candidates with deep technical expertise and a passion for applying AI responsibly in complex socio-technical environments.

Technical Advisory & Policy Support

Provide expert guidance on AI/ML technologies to policy, supervision and enforcement teams.
Advise on the technical feasibility and risks of proposed regulatory interventions.
Translate complex AI concepts into actionable recommendations for senior leaders, policy experts, and external stakeholders.

AI/ML Research

Independently lead AI/ML research projects—ranging from literature reviews of publishable standard to experimental studies — on new capabilities, system performance, safety, and effectiveness, often in collaboration with multidisciplinary internal teams (e.g., lawyers, economists, data scientists).
Explore novel and emerging AI/ML techniques that may impact online safety, such as Generative AI, Agentic AI, or multimodal models.
Design demos that illustrate advances in capabilities across AI models and convey the pace of progress in the field to help non-technical audiences understand how AI models function.
Develop an evidence base to inform policy decisions and support regulatory innovation.

Evaluation of AI Systems

Assess AI systems used in online services for accuracy, fairness, transparency, robustness, scalability, and societal impact.
Evaluate models and tools to determine the technical feasibility and appropriateness for online trust and safety environments.
Contribute to algorithmic audits and the development of standards for Responsible AI.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to influence regulatory thinking and promote responsible AI practices.

Monitor the AI research and technology landscape to identify emerging trends and anticipate regulatory challenges.
Contribute thought leadership to ongoing debates around AI ethics, transparency, and accountability in online services.
Practical and theoretical expertise in one or more AI/ML areas such as Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision, Reinforcement Learning, Agentic AI, Multimodal Models, Generative AI, Responsible AI, and Algorithmic Auditing.
Knowledge of assessment techniques to evaluate AI systems for effectiveness, scalability, fairness, safety, robustness, and societal impact.
Familiarity with programming languages commonly used in AI/ML (e.g., Python) and familiarity with relevant frameworks and tools.
Experience working in a technical advisory role, with a focus on AI/ML or online safety is desirable.
Articulating Ideas: The ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights for non-technical audiences, including internal and external stakeholders, consumers, and policy areas.
The ability to work across organisational boundaries in multi-disciplinary project teams of policy professionals, technologists, data specialists and lawyers to understand requirements and their mapping to technical specifications and delivering business outcomes.
Scanning Horizons: The ability to take a strategic view by identifying emerging trends, risks, and opportunities, and aligning decisions and actions with long-term goals to inform effective policy and delivery outcomes.


Where positions are listed as full time, we remain open to reduced hours, part-time arrangements, job shares and other flexible working options from day one of employment. As a disability confident employer, we offer interviews to any disabled applicant who meet essential criteria for advertised roles.