How to apply for Founder in Residence

About Convergent Research

Convergent Research builds large-scale science projects that fill a gap in today's R&D system. It focuses on fundamental research that needs unusual scale and coordination but is not quickly monetizable by industry. Atlas Ignota, its AI risk arm, designs interventions for society-scale AI risks that no existing institution is built to address.

About the role

This is a Founder in Residence role in Atlas Ignota's incubator. You will scope one potential intervention, validate it with domain experts and funders, then exit Atlas to lead it. The role is for career professionals with a decade or more in relevant security topics who want to direct their skills to AI risks.

A typical day

You will spend time researching a specific AI risk area, interviewing domain experts, and drafting a product requirements doc for a potential intervention. You will also meet with funders to validate the idea and plan how to recruit a team to own it. Travel to hubs or conferences may occur for offsites.

Who Convergent Research is looking for

• 10+ years executing on relevant security topics, such as national security, biosecurity, cybersecurity, or AI policy.
• Experience designing or scoping interventions for coordination or market failures, not just operating within existing institutions.
• Comfortable validating ideas with domain experts and funders, and recruiting a team to own the intervention.
• Willing to travel 5-20% for team offsites and conferences, and open to relocating to a hub in SF, DC, London, or Tel Aviv if interested.

Tips for this application

• State clearly which AI risk area you want to scope an intervention for and why existing institutions cannot address it.
• Provide concrete examples of past work where you designed, validated, or launched a new program or organization.
• Explain how you have worked with funders or domain experts to validate an idea, not just execute a pre-defined plan.
• Address your willingness to travel and relocate to a hub if relevant, since the role is remote but hubs are planned.
• Show you understand Atlas Ignota's model: design the intervention, validate it, then recruit and empower a career professional to own it.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your specific security domain expertise and how it maps to a society-scale AI risk.', 'A past example where you scoped an intervention that did not fit existing organizations.', 'How you have validated ideas with funders or domain experts, including outcomes.', 'Why you want to exit Atlas to lead an intervention, rather than stay in a traditional career path.']

Research before applying

• Read Convergent Research's website to understand their model of launching large-scale science projects.
• Research Atlas Ignota's focus on society-scale AI risks and their approach to designing interventions.
• Look into the hubs in SF, DC, London, and Tel Aviv to see if relocation support is relevant for you.
• Find examples of past Convergent Research projects or incubated founders to understand the exit path.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Which AI risk intervention you would scope first and why no existing institution is built to address it.
• How you would validate an intervention with domain experts and funders, including who you would talk to.
• Your experience recruiting and empowering a team to own a new project or organization.
• How you handle coordination failures or market failures in your current or past work.
• Your timeline and willingness to relocate to a hub or travel for offsites and conferences.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying without a clear idea of which AI risk intervention you want to scope.
• Focusing only on your operational experience without showing how you design or validate new interventions.
• Ignoring the incubator model and treating this as a standard research or policy role.