Applications will be reviewed as they’re submitted, and we encourage early applications, as job offers will be sent out as soon as suitable candidates are found. Unless suitable candidates are found earlier, and this role is taken down, we will accept applications until February 15, 2023, at the end of the day in US/Eastern (EST) -5 time zone.

General Information About These Roles

• We invite anyone who is interested to apply, regardless of background, experience, or credentials. We will select candidates almost entirely based on their performance in our selection process, putting only minimal weight on resumes and references.
• We are a remote organization and welcome applicants from anywhere in the world. 
  • We expect to be legally able to hire in most countries. If you are unsure whether we can hire in the country you are based in please email specialprojects@rethinkpriorities.org.
  • Most of the ERA project staff are in the UK timezone (GMT). While we welcome candidates from outside of this timezone, we often have meetings during UK working hours that project staff are expected to attend. 

Open Roles

• Cause Area Lead - Nuclear Risk
• Cause Area Lead - AI Safety
• Cause Area Lead - Biosecurity
• Cause Area Lead - Miscellaneous & Meta
• Cause Area Lead - Climate Change

We are looking for at least one Cause Area Lead in each of the following five cause areas: Nuclear Risk, AI Safety, Biosecurity, Miscellaneous & Meta, and Climate Change, to take the lead on evaluating applicants for the 2023 ERA Cambridge summer research fellowship programme (previously known as the CERI Fellowship). They will also provide guidance, support, and networking opportunities to the fellows as they embark on impactful research projects in each of these cause areas. See below for the full list of responsibilities. You are welcome to apply for multiple roles. 

These roles are part-time, with an average of 10 hours per week from February – June 2023, then around 5 hours (for remote participation) or 15 hours (for in-person participation) per week during the 8-week summer fellowship programme happening 3rd July – 25th August in Cambridge, United Kingdom. If you are selected for multiple roles, then your hours would increase accordingly. Some Cause Area Leads may be asked to stay on after the fellowship to help with an impact evaluation of the programme. We are looking for people who can ideally start in February 2023. In-person participation in some or all of the 8-week summer fellowship programme in Cambridge is highly encouraged. All travel, visa costs, accommodation, and meal costs will be covered for in-person participation.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and evaluate applications to the summer 2023 research fellowship programme
• Match fellows with mentors who have relevant expertise and can provide guidance and support throughout the fellowship
• Help fellows find research projects that align with their interests and skills
• Provide guidance and support to fellows throughout the fellowship, including advice on project planning, research methods, data analysis and publishing the final research output
• Help organize workshops, seminars, and other events to support the professional development of fellows
• Maintain strong relationships with mentors, fellows, and other stakeholders in the cause area community
• Potentially take on a direct mentorship position for fellows whose previously agreed mentors become unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances
• Contribute to the development of future fellowship programmes and other initiatives related to the cause area and existential risks

Skills, Competencies, Knowledge and Experience

• A strong background in the cause area you're applying for, and a deep understanding of the research landscape in this area, and connections with others working in this field
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Commitment to supporting the development of early-career researchers
• Experience evaluating research proposals and/or grant applications
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

What We Offer

Compensation 

The hourly rate for this position is £25.00 / $30.86 / €28.53. We expect Cause Area Leads to work an average of 10 hours per week during February – June 2023, then around 5 hours (for remote participation) or 15 hours (for in-person participation) per week during the 8-week summer fellowship programme happening 3rd July – 25th August. In addition, for Cause Area Leads participating in-person in the 8-week summer fellowship programme, all travel, visa costs, accommodation, and meals will be covered. 

Other Benefits

• Comprehensive global benefits program, including supplemental benefits specific to a local country, as available and mandated by local law
• Generous paid time off (PTO), including vacation, sick leave, and local holidays, prorated for part-time employment
• Remote work environment and flexible working hours
• Opportunity to contribute to a high-impact project aimed at reducing existential risk to humanity
• A caring team that values respectful work relations and a healthy work-life balance
• Low administrative bureaucracy
• Opportunity to spend eight weeks in Cambridge, United Kingdom with all travel, accommodation, and meal costs covered

About ERA

The Existential Risk Alliance (ERA) is a non-profit project working to mitigate existential risk by equipping the community of young researchers and entrepreneurs with the skills and the knowledge necessary to tackle existential risks via our summer research fellowship programme.

We believe that one of the key ways to reduce existential risk lies in fostering a community of dedicated and knowledgeable x-risk researchers. Through our summer research fellowship programme, we aim to identify and support aspiring researchers in this field, providing them with the resources and mentorship needed to succeed.

How to apply

To apply for this role, please submit your CV and your responses to the prompts listed on the application form. Your application will be assessed primarily on your prompt answers, so please ensure they represent your fit for the role well. We ask that you spend no more than one (1) hour preparing your responses.

Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed as they’re submitted, and we encourage early applications, as job offers will be sent out as soon as suitable candidates are found. Unless suitable candidates are found earlier, and this role is taken down, we will accept applications until February 15, 2023, at the end of the day in US/Eastern (EST) -5 time zone.

Note Before Applying: We invite anyone who is interested to apply. Please do not include a cover letter, photograph, or headshot of yourself, or any personal information that is not relevant to the role for which you’re applying (including marital status, age, identity traits, etc.). Additionally, please do not ask our staff members involved in the hiring process to meet with you – to ensure fairness, we try to minimize these interactions, and requests for meetings with the hiring committee members during the process will be declined.

Contact: Please email specialprojects@rethinkpriorities.org if you have any questions.