Application Guide

How to Apply for Corrigibility Research Fund

at Lightcone Infrastructure

🏢 About Lightcone Infrastructure

Lightcone Infrastructure is a unique organization dedicated to building community infrastructure to safeguard humanity's long-term future. They focus on practical, high-impact projects like funding research on AI corrigibility, which is a niche but crucial area for ensuring AI systems remain safe and aligned with human values. Working here offers a chance to contribute directly to the long-term safety of AI development.

About This Role

This is not a traditional employment role but a research funding opportunity. As a grant recipient, you will be funded to conduct research that advances the understanding of AI corrigibility—the property of AI systems being able to be corrected or controlled. Your work is expected to influence real-world AI systems without significantly accelerating AI capabilities, making it a high-impact, intellectually stimulating role.

💡 A Day in the Life

As a grant recipient, your day-to-day would involve conducting your research, whether that's theoretical analysis, coding, or writing. You'd likely spend time reading literature, collaborating with other researchers, and iterating on your ideas. You'd also be expected to produce regular updates and a final report to Lightcone Infrastructure, and possibly present your findings to the community.

🚀 Application Tools

Generate Cover Letter

AI-powered, tailored for Lightcone Infrastructure

Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Lightcone Infrastructure Is Looking For

  • A researcher with a strong background in AI safety, machine learning, or a related field, and a deep understanding of corrigibility and its challenges.
  • Someone who can propose and execute a concrete research project that directly addresses corrigibility, with clear methodologies and realistic timelines.
  • An individual whose work is likely to influence the development of actual AI systems, not just theoretical papers, and who is mindful of not accelerating AI capabilities.
  • A person who is aware of the potential risks and downsides of corrigibility research and is committed to engaging with them thoughtfully.

📝 Tips for Applying to Lightcone Infrastructure

1

Submit a well-defined research proposal that clearly states the problem, your approach, expected outcomes, and how it will impact real AI systems.

2

Highlight any previous work or publications related to corrigibility, AI safety, or aligned AI, and explain how your new project builds on that.

3

Emphasize your commitment to not accelerating AI capabilities in expectation, and detail how you plan to mitigate any potential capability externalities.

4

Engage with the risks and downsides of corrigibility in your proposal—show that you've thought about the broader implications and potential failure modes.

5

Reach out to the Lightcone team with any questions before applying to ensure your proposal aligns with their goals and to get feedback on your initial ideas.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your passion for AI safety and corrigibility, and why this specific research is critical for the future.', 'Your unique qualifications and experience that make you well-suited to conduct this research.', 'A clear explanation of how your research will influence real AI systems without accelerating capabilities.', 'Your awareness of the risks and downsides of corrigibility and your plan to address them in your work.']

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read the key papers on corrigibility, such as those by Paul Christiano, and understand the current state of the field.
  • → Explore Lightcone Infrastructure's website and any public materials to understand their mission, past projects, and funding priorities.
  • → Look into other research funded by similar organizations (e.g., Open Philanthropy, FLI) to see the types of projects they support.
  • → Familiarize yourself with the broader AI safety community and ongoing debates about corrigibility and alignment.
Visit Lightcone Infrastructure's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Explain your research proposal in detail: what is the core question, methodology, and expected contributions?
2 How do you define corrigibility, and what are the key challenges or open problems in this area?
3 How will your research influence AI systems that are actually built, and what are the potential pathways for impact?
4 What are the potential risks of your research, and how do you plan to mitigate them?
5 How do you ensure that your work does not, in expectation, accelerate AI capabilities?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a vague or overly broad proposal without a clear, focused research question and plan.
  • Ignoring the explicit requirement to not accelerate AI capabilities—make sure your proposal addresses this directly.
  • Failing to engage with the risks and downsides of corrigibility, which could signal a lack of depth in your thinking.

📅 Application Timeline

⏰ Deadline: October 31, 2026

We recommend applying at least a few days early to avoid last-minute technical issues.

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 Lightcone Infrastructure!

← Back to Job Listing Apply Now →