IP: Opening at the CSTB

[David Farber <dfarber () fast net>]

[ As a alumni of the CSTB and one of it's predicessor Boards, I can strongly
recommend that you look at the opportunity. Also as a now inside the beltway
person, I can attest to the worth of giving DC a try.

Dave ]

From: Marjory Blumenthal <MBlument () nas edu>

Do you - - or someone you know - - want a shot at working with the
premier Internet policy shop?  The Computer Science and
Telecommunications Board (CSTB; http://www.cstb.org) is looking for a
new professional staff member and welcomes referrals and applications.

CSTB was formed in 1986 as an operating unit within the complex derived
from the National Academy of Sciences and now known as the National
Academies.  The National Academies operate under congressional charter
but are outside of the government to meet the mission of providing
independent technology and policy advice for the nation.  The Board
itself is a group of 20 leaders in information technology and
complementary fields.  For each Board project, balanced committees of
experts are convened to work with professional staff to provide
objective analyses and policy recommendations on topics involving
technology, economics, law and public policy.  IP's own Dave Farber was
a Board member for several years and has served on project committees.
The National Academies provides prestige and authority that distinguish
CSTB from special-interest organizations and enable it to play its
special role in finding common ground on numerous contentious topics.

CSTB has influenced policy and private-sector decision-making through
its authoritative reports in such areas as export controls (_Global
Trends in Computer Technology and Their Impact on Export Controls_),
cryptography policy (_Cryptography's Role in Securing the Information
Society_), privacy (_For the Record_), intellectual property (_The
Digital Dilemma_), information security/assurance (_Computers at Risk_,
_Trust in Cyberspace_), research ("Brooks/Sutherland," _Funding a
Revolution_), education (_Being Fluent with Information Technology_),
and the evolution of the Internet (_Realizing the Information Future_,
_The Unpredictable Certainty_).  Staff shape projects, develop expert
committees, organize and lead the study process, foster consensus
within committees, and have unique opportunities to participate in
discussions on the issues that shape the way we design and live with
information technology.  It is an unparalleled environment for exposure
to smart, knowledgeable people in all aspects of information technology
(and in many other disciplines) and with all points of view, and it
presents unparalleled opportunities to promote understanding and
improve national decision-making on Internet-related topics.  CSTB's
impact reflects the quality of the staff we have been able to attract
as well as the outside experts we convene.

Good CSTB staff-members are very hard to find.  The ideal background
contains a mix of technical and policy-related education and a capacity
to engage in multi-disciplinary analysis and to ascertain when
technical inputs are incomplete or inaccurate.  A technical (computer
science or electrical engineering) undergraduate degree is highly
preferred, and at least a masters degree is required, in either a
technical field or such fields as economics, law, business, or public
policy.  Great communications skills are a must.  Since CSTB produces
reports, staff must be good writers.  Because the CSTB process involves
internal and external interactions with a wide range of people, good
oral communications and people skills are also important.  Staff
members must be good listeners and negotiators, willing and able to
present a personally neutral front on a position and to change their
own thinking through the study process - - this is a job for analysts,
not outspoken advocates.  Finally, CSTB staff members are expected to
be self-starters, well-organized, and problem-solvers - - staff have to
make things happen, whatever the unexpected circumstances.  CSTB's
offices are in Washington, DC.  Because we sometimes receive classified
briefings, staff must be capable of receiving a U.S. national security
clearance.

Candidates should e-mail our office manager, Janet Briscoe
(jbriscoe () nas edu), with a cover note explaining why you think you
would be a good fit, a resume, and a brief writing sample.