AI FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME - PUBLIC POLICY, GOVERNANCE, PUBLIC LAW, ML

About the Programme

We are recruiting a founding cohort of 21 Fellows to build legal, technical and policy capacity in support of a national AI and digital governance initiative based in Riyadh. Fellows will work at the intersection of regulatory law, applied AI evaluation, AI governance, and public policy — helping stand up the frameworks, evaluation methods and institutional structures needed to govern AI systems as part of Saudi Arabia's wider digital transformation agenda.

This is a single cohort intake: all 21 Fellows join on the same date and work as one programme, organised into two parallel tracks.

International Fellowship

• Open to Saudi and non-Saudi nationals.
• Relocation to Riyadh is required — this is a fully onsite role with no remote or hybrid option.
• Competes for global specialist talent in regulatory law, applied AI/ML evaluation, and AI governance/policy.
• Open exclusively to Saudi nationals.
• A localisation and capacity-building track, pairing Saudi talent with the same skill areas as the International track.
• Designed to build lasting in-country expertise alongside the programme's international specialists.

What You'll Do, by Skill Area

Public Law (3 positions)

Legislative drafting expertise, not litigation.

• Draft and review administrative and regulatory law instruments.
• Conduct comparative regulatory analysis against international frameworks.
• Support institutional and governance structuring for the programme's regulatory functions.
• Provide dispute-resolution support where regulatory matters require it.

Computer Science / AI — Technical Evaluation (9 positions)

Applied ML expertise with an evaluative and advisory focus — not pure research or pure engineering.

• Perform technical evaluation of AI/ML architectures and model assessment methodology.
• Lead vendor technical due diligence on proposed AI systems and platforms.
• Review AI systems for bias, robustness and security risk.
• Advise governance and policy colleagues on the technical feasibility and risk profile of proposed frameworks.

AI Governance (6 positions)

The hybrid role, sitting between the legal and technical teams.

• Design and apply AI risk-classification frameworks.
• Define and monitor regulatory compliance requirements for AI systems.
• Design oversight-body structures and audit mechanisms.
• Translate technical evaluation findings into governance and policy recommendations.
• Conduct policy research and comparative analysis of digital and AI policy instruments.
• Lead stakeholder consultation across government and industry.
• Evaluate the socio-economic impact of proposed digital policy measures.

Public Policy (2 positions)

• Conduct policy research and comparative analysis of digital and AI policy instruments.
• Lead stakeholder consultation across government and industry.
• Evaluate the socio-economic impact of proposed digital policy measures.

Programme Coordination (1 position)

A programme-support role at the centre of all 21 Fellows' work — not a subject-matter-expert seat.

• Prepare briefings and coordinate across all five workstreams.
• Organise meeting and workshop logistics for the programme.
• Track deliverables, actions and follow-ups across the cohort.
  

Requirements

• Language: English required for all roles; Arabic is an advantage but not mandatory.
• Location: Fully onsite in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — no remote or hybrid working.
• International Fellowship candidates: must be willing and able to relocate to Riyadh.
• Saudi National Fellowship candidates: must hold Saudi nationality.
• Start date: 26 November 2026, common to all 21 roles — please confirm your availability for this date when applying.

Vertical:

Technology