Application Guide
How to Apply for Manager (Technical Governance Team)
at Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI)
🏢 About Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI)
The Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI) is a unique nonprofit research organization singularly focused on ensuring that smarter-than-human artificial intelligence systems have a positive impact. Unlike mainstream AI labs, MIRI specializes in long-term, foundational technical AI safety research, particularly in areas like agent foundations and scalable alignment. Working here means contributing directly to reducing existential risks from advanced AI, alongside researchers who prioritize this mission above commercial or academic incentives.
About This Role
This Manager role on the Technical Governance Team sits at the intersection of research, policy, and operations, requiring you to bridge external stakeholder relationships (with policymakers and AI companies) with internal project and people management. You'll ensure MIRI's technical governance research is coherent, impactful, and aligned with its mission to mitigate existential AI risks. The role is impactful because it directly shapes how governance insights are generated, communicated, and integrated into real-world policy and safety practices.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve morning check-ins with your technical governance team to track research progress and deadlines, followed by drafting communications for policymakers or AI company stakeholders on governance insights. In the afternoon, you could review fellowship applications or hiring materials, then contribute to object-level research discussions, focusing on how solutions scale to smarter-than-human intelligence. The role blends internal coordination with external engagement, all centered on MIRI's mission-driven work.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI) Is Looking For
- Has hands-on experience in AI safety, specifically in compute governance, AI policy, or as a generalist, with a demonstrated ability to translate technical research into governance frameworks.
- Exhibits high agency and generative thinking—proactively identifies problems and designs scalable solutions for smarter-than-human AI governance, rather than waiting for direction.
- Is deeply aligned with MIRI's mission of reducing existential AI risks and can articulate how their values and past work connect to MIRI's long-term, non-mainstream research approach.
- Possesses strong communication and stakeholder management skills, capable of engaging both technical researchers and policy audiences while motivating a team toward deadlines.
📝 Tips for Applying to Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI)
Explicitly link your past AI safety experience to MIRI's focus on existential risks and scalable alignment—avoid generic AI or policy experience without this connection.
Highlight specific instances where you demonstrated 'agency' and 'generative thinking' in AI safety or governance contexts, such as self-directed projects or innovative problem-solving.
Tailor your application to MIRI's research culture: emphasize your ability to learn quickly on the job in a niche field and your comfort with uncertainty in long-term safety work.
Demonstrate your understanding of technical governance by referencing MIRI's publications or related work (e.g., compute governance, agent foundations) in your materials.
Show how you've managed stakeholders or teams in alignment-focused environments, as MIRI values cohesion with its mission over generic management experience.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your specific background in AI safety (compute governance, policy, or generalist work) and how it prepares you for MIRI's technical governance challenges.", 'Examples of your agency and generative thinking, such as projects you initiated or solutions you designed for AI safety problems.', "Your alignment with MIRI's mission and values, including why reducing existential AI risks matters to you personally and professionally.", 'How you would approach managing a team at MIRI, balancing research contributions with stakeholder management and project deadlines.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Read MIRI's research agenda and recent publications (e.g., on agent foundations or scalable alignment) to understand their technical focus.
- → Explore MIRI's blog and public communications to grasp their organizational values, culture, and stance on AI risk timelines.
- → Review MIRI's past work on governance topics, such as compute governance or policy engagement, to see how this role fits into existing efforts.
- → Understand MIRI's history and how it differs from other AI safety organizations (e.g., focus on long-term, non-mainstream research).
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing on general AI or policy experience without tying it to existential risk reduction or MIRI's specific technical governance interests.
- Presenting as a passive candidate—failing to showcase agency, generative thinking, or comfort with self-directed learning in AI safety.
- Misaligning with MIRI's values (e.g., emphasizing commercial AI development or short-term safety over existential risk mitigation).
📅 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!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI)!