Research Manager, AI Safety

Cambridge Boston Alignment Initiative•Cambridge, MA

3d•$100,000 - $145,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Cambridge Boston Alignment Initiative (CBAI) is a nonprofit research organization dedicated to ensuring a safe and beneficial transition to advanced AI systems through research and education. CBAI produces original research and accelerates AI safety research via fellowship programs. Following a successful 2025 launch, CBAI is scaling rapidly in 2026, expanding its fellowship cycles, cohort size, and team. The organization is seeking Research Managers to support cutting-edge work in areas such as interpretability, AI control, formal verification, evaluations, and AI governance & policy. The role involves both research management (70% FTE) and program management & development (30% FTE). CBAI is committed to advancing AI safety and mitigating catastrophic AI risks.

Requirements

Experience supporting complex intellectual work, such as teaching, managing technical teams, conducting research, consulting, coordinating academic programs, or providing substantive feedback.
Substantial analytical work experience (academia, policy analysis, consulting, or industry research) to recognize solid research plans, identify blockers, and suggest concrete next steps.
Skilled at providing constructive feedback that advances work.
Excellent communication skills, including explaining complex concepts clearly and giving constructive feedback effectively.
Proactive communication when unsure or noticing potential problems.
Genuine empathy, active listening skills, and a servant leadership approach.
Enjoy helping others succeed and take pride in their accomplishments.
Skilled at managing stakeholders and coordinating between multiple parties (researchers, advisors, administrators).
Mission-motivated with strong alignment to CBAI's mission, familiarity with AGI safety and catastrophic AI risks.
Passion for contributing meaningfully to reducing AI catastrophic risks.
Organized and conscientious, able to keep complex projects on track, follow through reliably, and maintain clear communication.
Receptive to feedback and continuously improving approach.
Curious and adaptable, excited to learn about diverse research agendas and work with researchers from varied backgrounds.
Actively seek out tools and approaches to improve fellowship effectiveness.
Bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Public Policy, Political Science, or a related field.
Research experience demonstrating strong methodological knowledge.
Genuine interest in building a career in AI safety research.
U.S. work authorization required (OPT accepted).

Nice To Haves

Previous involvement in AI safety/alignment programs or similar field-building initiatives.
Published research in interpretability, AI control, or adjacent agendas.
Experience managing research programs or academic initiatives.

Responsibilities

Conduct frequent 1-1s with fellows, providing feedback on research progress, coaching through challenges (e.g., debugging, literature scaffolds, data collection & analysis, methodology development), and supporting experiment/hypothesis testing.
Provide feedback on fellows' research to foster a rigorous approach.
Connect fellows with relevant resources, literature, and opportunities.
Communicate with fellows' mentors to define clear research objectives and support research progression.
Contribute to the fellow selection process by reviewing and interviewing candidates.
Design reading group curriculum components and workshop programs.
Curate a speaker event series based on fellow profiles and recent studies.
Support special projects aligned with strengths (e.g., applicant selection, evaluation frameworks, mentor onboarding).
Meet weekly with program leadership to enhance feedback loops and improve the program.
Stay current on technical AI alignment or governance developments relevant to fellows' work.
Prepare weekly briefs on recent field developments for fellows.