Application Guide
How to Apply for Intern
at Pax Sapiens
🏢 About Pax Sapiens
Pax Sapiens is a remote-first organization dedicated to reducing existential risks from advanced AI. The company focuses on AI safety and governance, working at the intersection of technical research and policy. Joining Pax Sapiens means contributing to one of the most critical challenges of our time: ensuring that AI development benefits humanity.
About This Role
As an intern, you will support the team in advancing AI safety and governance initiatives through research, analysis, and administrative tasks. This role offers hands-on experience in understanding and mitigating catastrophic AI risks, working closely with experts in the field. Your contributions will directly impact projects aimed at shaping the future of AI safety.
💡 A Day in the Life
Your day might start with a team stand-up over Slack to discuss priorities. You could spend the morning conducting literature reviews on AI governance frameworks, then draft a summary for the team. After a break, you might analyze policy documents or assist with organizing a virtual workshop. Remote flexibility allows you to structure your day around deep work and collaboration.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Pax Sapiens Is Looking For
- Demonstrates a strong interest in AI safety and global catastrophic risks, with self-directed learning in these areas.
- Possesses excellent research and analytical skills, able to synthesize complex information from technical papers and policy documents.
- Is comfortable working independently in a remote environment, while also collaborating effectively with a distributed team.
- Shows initiative and proactive problem-solving, with a willingness to take on diverse tasks from research to project coordination.
📝 Tips for Applying to Pax Sapiens
Tailor your resume to highlight any relevant coursework, projects, or self-study in AI safety, ethics, or existential risk. Mention specific topics like alignment, governance, or catastrophic risk.
In your cover letter, explicitly state why you are passionate about reducing existential risks from AI and how your skills align with Pax Sapiens' mission.
Include examples of independent research or analysis you have conducted, such as blog posts, papers, or summaries on AI safety topics.
Demonstrate your ability to work remotely by mentioning any prior remote work or collaboration experience, and your familiarity with tools like Slack, Notion, or Zoom.
Research the company's recent publications or projects and reference them in your application to show genuine interest and initiative.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Express a deep commitment to AI safety and understanding of existential risks.', 'Highlight your research and analytical skills with specific examples (e.g., analyzing AI policy papers or technical alignment research).', 'Emphasize your ability to work independently and take ownership of tasks in a remote setting.', "Show how your background and interests align with Pax Sapiens' mission and ongoing projects."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Read Pax Sapiens' published research or blog posts on AI safety and governance.
- → Familiarize yourself with key concepts like AI alignment, value learning, and catastrophic risk.
- → Review the company's team members and their backgrounds to understand their expertise and approach.
- → Look for any recent news or interviews featuring Pax Sapiens to understand their current focus areas.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application without mentioning AI safety or existential risk.
- Focusing only on technical skills without showing an understanding of the broader ethical and societal implications.
- Failing to demonstrate self-motivation and ability to work independently, which is crucial for remote roles.
📅 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:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!