AI Policy Lead

Location

Washington DC

Employment Type

Full time

Location Type

Hybrid

Department

SalesFederal

We are an applied AI lab building end-to-end software agents.

We're the makers of Devin, the first AI software engineer, and Windsurf, the AI-native IDE. Together, they represent our vision for collaborative AI teammates that enable engineers to focus on more interesting problems and empower teams to strive for more ambitious goals.

Our team is small and talent-dense. Among our founding team, we have world-class competitive programmers, former founders, and leaders from companies at the cutting edge of AI including Scale AI, Palantir, Cursor, Waymo, Tesla, Lunchclub, Modal, Google DeepMind, and Nuro.

Building Devin is just the first step - our hardest challenges still lie ahead. If you’re excited to solve some of the world’s biggest problems and build AI that can reason on real-world tasks, apply to join us.

About the Role

We are seeking an AI Policy Lead to help shape Cognition's engagement with policymakers, regulators, and government stakeholders as AI becomes increasingly important to economic competitiveness, national security, and public sector modernization.

You will serve as a bridge between technical innovation and public policy, helping policymakers understand the opportunities and implications of advanced AI systems while ensuring Cognition remains informed on evolving regulatory, legislative, and geopolitical developments.

This role sits at the intersection of technology, government, and strategy. You will work closely with company leadership, product teams, legal counsel, and external stakeholders to support responsible AI deployment and advance policies that promote innovation, security, and economic growth.

Core Responsibilities

Monitor and analyze emerging AI policy, regulatory, and legislative developments across the United States and key international markets

Develop policy positions, briefing materials, white papers, and executive-level recommendations on issues related to artificial intelligence, national security, technology competitiveness, workforce transformation, and digital infrastructure

Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, government agencies, think tanks, industry associations, and academic institutions

Support executive engagement with Congress, the Executive Branch, regulators, and international government stakeholders

Represent Cognition in policy discussions, industry working groups, conferences, and strategic forums

Partner with technical teams to translate complex AI capabilities into clear, actionable policy narratives

Identify opportunities for public-private partnerships that accelerate AI adoption across government and critical industries

Help anticipate policy risks and opportunities that could impact company strategy, product development, or market expansion

What We Value

Intellectual curiosity and a genuine interest in understanding frontier AI systems

Strong judgment and the ability to navigate complex policy environments

Clear communication across technical, business, and government audiences

Relationship-building and long-term trust with stakeholders

Pragmatism and a focus on outcomes rather than ideology

Ownership mentality and willingness to operate independently

Ability to balance innovation, competitiveness, and responsible governance

Requirements

5–10 years of experience in public policy, government affairs, national security, technology policy, congressional offices, federal agencies, think tanks, consulting, or related fields

Strong understanding of U.S. government institutions, policymaking processes, and regulatory frameworks

Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and navigate complex organizations

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills

Experience developing policy recommendations, briefing materials, or strategic analyses for senior decision-makers

Ability to quickly understand technical concepts and communicate them effectively to non-technical audiences

Interest in artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and their implications for government and society

You Might Excel If You...

Have worked in Congress, the White House, federal agencies, national security organizations, or leading policy institutions

Are familiar with federal budgeting cycles

Have experience with AI, cybersecurity, defense technology, cloud infrastructure, or emerging technology policy

Have advised senior government officials, executives, or technology leaders

Understand both the public and private sector perspectives on innovation and regulation

Are passionate about ensuring the United States remains the global leader in AI development and deployment

Equal Opportunity