EmergingDefence and national security AI assurance

AI Wargaming and Simulation Specialist

Also called AI Strategic Simulation Analyst

An AI Wargaming and Simulation Specialist uses controlled simulations to test AI-related strategic scenarios. They give leaders a clear view of assumptions, risks and options before decisions are made, without pretending to predict the future.

What they do

They design scenarios around AI-related strategic questions, then build or configure authorised simulations to explore them. They set out the assumptions, run variations and test how results change when those assumptions move. They work with analysts, engineers and assurance staff to agree what the study should answer. They check the simulation models are fit for the question, record limits and document every choice. They write up findings for decision makers in plain language, and they work inside secure, governed environments with approved tooling and clear handling rules.

What a strong hire delivers

In the first months, a strong hire agrees a small set of priority questions with the people who will use the answers. They produce a scenario study with stated assumptions and sensitivity analysis. They leave behind a repeatable method, clear records of how the work was done, and decision makers who understand what the findings can and cannot support.

How you can tell they are good

Ask them to walk through a past scenario study from question to write-up. Listen for how they chose assumptions, tested sensitivity and handled uncertainty. They should say plainly where a simulation stopped being useful. Ask what they changed after a result surprised them. Be wary of anyone who talks about outputs as forecasts or cannot explain what their model left out.

Why it is hard to fill

Almost nobody holds this title yet. The work usually sits inside defence analysis, simulation engineering or safety assurance roles, so candidates describe it in different words. Few people combine scenario design, technical modelling and AI risk understanding. Many also work in settings where they cannot share detail, and some roles need security clearance, which narrows the pool further. Expect to judge on the substance of their work, not their job title.

Where to find them

Look in defence systems analysis, operational research, security analysis and simulation engineering. Safety assurance and model evaluation teams are another source, as are digital twin and modelling groups. They tend to come from defence contractors, government-linked analysis units, research institutes and consultancies serving security clients. Some are in AI companies already, labelled as evaluation, red teaming or risk staff while doing scenario work on the side.

Indicative pay

Not enough published evidence yet to give a fair range for this role, which is common for work this new. We benchmark it for you as part of a search.

Interview questions for an AI Wargaming and Simulation Specialist

  1. Describe a scenario study you designed. What question was it meant to answer, and who used the result?

    A strong answer names a clear decision question, the users and how findings were applied. Listen for scoping choices and what was left out. Worry if the study was built around a tool or output rather than a decision.

  2. How do you decide which assumptions to test in sensitivity analysis?

    Good answers rank assumptions by influence and uncertainty, involve subject experts and show how results shifted. They accept that some assumptions cannot be tested. Worry about candidates who vary only convenient parameters or skip documentation.

4 more questions, with what a strong answer covers, are in the Role Kit.

Job description you can post

We are hiring an AI Wargaming and Simulation Specialist to help us examine AI-related strategic scenarios using controlled, authorised simulations. You will work with analysts and engineers to turn hard questions into clear studies that support sound decisions, with assumptions stated and limits understood.

What you will do

  • Design scenarios around AI-related strategic questions agreed with stakeholders.
  • Build or configure authorised simulations to explore those scenarios.
  • Run sensitivity analysis and document how results change with assumptions.
  • Validate models and record their limits.
  • Write scenario studies that decision makers can use without mistaking them for predictions.
  • Work within secure, governed environments and approved tooling.
  • Collaborate with security, assurance and evaluation colleagues.

What you will bring

  • Demonstrated scenario design or strategic simulation work.
  • Experience in defence systems, security analysis, simulation or safety assurance.
  • Clear method for stating assumptions and testing sensitivity.
  • Ability to write plainly for senior, non-technical readers.
  • Working knowledge of model evaluation and AI risk management.
  • Experience working under security and handling controls.

Nice to have

  • Experience with digital twins.
  • Security engineering background.
  • Existing security clearance or eligibility to obtain one.

Free to use and adapt. If it saves you time, a link back to this page is appreciated.

Skills that matter

  • AI risk managementAdvancedIdentify, assess, treat and monitor AI risks
  • Model evaluationAdvancedMeasure capability and failure modes credibly
  • Security engineeringWorkingProtect systems, identities and sensitive assets
  • Simulation and digital twinsWorkingBuild useful virtual representations of environments

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How we wrote this

Role definitions are our own editorial work, checked against occupational classifications, standards, research and employer pages. Titles vary by company, and this is a description of the work, not a job advert.

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