Staff Member, Senate Committee or Office (in the U.S.)
Oct 11, 2023
Last Updated
•
Policy and Governmental Roles
Possible roles within the Senate that are most impactful include: Legislative Correspondent (LC), Legislative Aide, Legislative Assistant (LA), Policy Advisor/Counsel, Legislative Director (LD), Research Assistant/Legislative Correspondent, Professional Staff Member/Counsel/Investigator, Staff Director
Description
Roles in the Senate (staff member) vary in their level of seniority, required Capitol Hill experience, and potential. Within the Senate, the aforementioned roles are the ones most likely to yield influence pertaining to AI policies.
Example tasks
Develop positions based on rigorous research and influencing elected officials.
Serve as a liaison for the Senator or with Committee Member offices, federal government officials, other Senate and House committees.
Advise the Senator on community, legislative, or other developments.
Monitor developments, opinions, concerns of the government, etc.
Attend meetings & events to represent the Senator.
Remain abreast of current legislative issues and assists with drafting reports, statements, memoranda and research papers on various issues.
Work with representatives of federal, state and local entities.
Provide input to the press office for media inquiries as appropriate.
Why we think this job is impactful
Senate committees and Senators play a crucial role in shaping legislation and policies in the U.S., including pertaining to new technologies and AI more specifically. They take action on bills, resolutions, amendments, and treaties by voting. They can also introduce bills to create a new law in the chamber of Congress. By working on a committee or in a Senator’s office, one may have opportunities to influence their work and policies. Staff members often conduct research, analyze policy issues, and provide recommendations that inform the committee or the Senator's decisions and positions on various matters. They may engage with constituents, stakeholders, and advocacy groups, helping the committee members or the given Senator understand the perspectives and concerns of different parties.
How Successif can help
We have developed a way to assess potential candidate’s fitness for this role and collected sample interview questions that can be asked for this job. We also offer a training course on how to engage with policymakers, which you can apply for here. If you are passionate about mitigating the risks of transformative AI systems and believe you would be a good fit for this role, apply for our career services.