Application Guide

How to Apply for Backend Software Engineer (Research team)

at Apollo Research

🏢 About Apollo Research

Apollo Research is a specialized AI safety organization focused on preventing Loss of Control risks from advanced AI systems, particularly deceptive alignment and scheming behaviors. Unlike typical tech companies, they work directly with frontier AI labs to test models before deployment, making their work critical for AI safety. Their mission-driven approach and collaboration with leading AI companies make this a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful AI safety research.

About This Role

This Backend Software Engineer role supports Apollo Research's scientific investigations by building scalable systems that enable research on AI deception detection and mitigation. You'll work directly with research scientists to translate complex AI safety problems into robust backend infrastructure, making their findings more actionable and testable. Your work will directly impact how frontier AI models are evaluated for safety risks before deployment.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day involves collaborating with research scientists to understand their experimental needs, designing backend systems to support new deception detection tests, and optimizing existing infrastructure for scalability. You might review code from other engineers, troubleshoot issues with AI evaluation pipelines, and participate in discussions about how to technically implement new safety research methodologies.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Apollo Research Is Looking For

  • Has 3+ years experience building backend systems specifically for research or scientific applications, not just general web services
  • Demonstrates proficiency in both Java and Python, with experience integrating these languages in research pipelines
  • Has hands-on experience with AWS or GCP cloud platforms for deploying research infrastructure at scale
  • Shows understanding of how to design systems that support experimental research workflows with changing requirements

📝 Tips for Applying to Apollo Research

1

Highlight any experience building systems for research teams, ML pipelines, or scientific computing in your resume

2

Mention specific AWS/GCP services you've used for scalable backend systems (e.g., EC2, S3, Lambda, BigQuery)

3

Include examples of collaborating with researchers or scientists in previous roles

4

Demonstrate understanding of AI safety concepts by referencing Apollo's published work on deceptive alignment

5

Show how you've designed systems that handle experimental or rapidly changing requirements

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Explain why AI safety and specifically Loss of Control risks matter to you personally', 'Describe a specific backend project that supported research or scientific work', 'Highlight experience with both Java and Python in production systems', "Mention how you've collaborated with non-engineering teams (like researchers) in past roles"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read Apollo Research's publications on AI deception detection and scheming
  • → Understand their collaboration model with frontier AI companies (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.)
  • → Review their technical blog posts about research infrastructure challenges
  • → Learn about their team structure and how research scientists work with engineers

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Designing scalable systems for AI model evaluation and testing pipelines
2 Experience with cloud infrastructure for research workloads (cost optimization, scalability)
3 Collaboration examples with research scientists on technical implementations
4 Approaches to debugging complex distributed systems issues
5 Knowledge of AI safety concepts, particularly deceptive alignment
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on general backend development without research/scientific context
  • Not demonstrating understanding of why AI safety matters for this specific role
  • Presenting generic cloud experience without specifics about research workloads

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Apollo Research!

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