How to apply for Recruiter

About Kairos

Kairos is a nonprofit that accelerates talent into AI safety and policy. It has trained over 1,200 people in two years through programs like SPAR, the largest AI safety research fellowship, and the Pathfinder Fellowship, which supports nearly 100 university groups with $9.5M in funding. Working here means directly helping fill talent gaps in a field focused on reducing risks from advanced AI.

About the role

You will own hiring at Kairos and build a recruiting process that can keep up with rapid growth. The organization expects to double in size over the next six months and launch several new initiatives. This role is critical for finding and bringing in the people who will run and scale those programs.

A typical day

You might start by reviewing applications for an open role, then meet with program leads to understand their hiring needs. Later, you could refine interview processes, source candidates for a new initiative, or analyze recruiting metrics to improve the pipeline. The exact routine is not specified, so ask about daily workflows and team structure in interviews.

Who Kairos is looking for

• Has experience building or owning a recruiting process from scratch, ideally in a fast-growing organization.
• Can handle high-volume hiring across different roles, from researchers to operations staff.
• Understands or is eager to learn about AI safety, policy, and the talent needs in those fields.
• Is comfortable with ambiguity and can adapt as the role's scope and responsibilities evolve.

Tips for this application

• Read the full job description carefully, including the note that it is a first draft. Address your willingness to adapt in your application.
• Research Kairos's programs (SPAR, Generator Residency, Global Challenges Project, Pathfinder Fellowship) and mention how you would recruit for them.
• Since applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, apply as soon as possible.
• Highlight any experience you have recruiting in nonprofits, research, or mission-driven organizations.
• If you have worked in AI safety or a related field, emphasize that. If not, explain how you would quickly get up to speed.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your approach to building a recruiting process that scales with rapid growth.', 'Specific examples of how you have owned hiring end-to-end in a previous role.', "Your understanding of Kairos's mission and the talent gaps in AI safety.", 'How you handle evolving scope and responsibilities in a fast-changing environment.']

Research before applying

• Read the Kairos website, especially the pages for SPAR, Generator Residency, Global Challenges Project, and Pathfinder Fellowship.
• Look up the mentors and advisors listed for each program to understand the caliber of people involved.
• Search for recent news or posts about AI safety fieldbuilding to understand the broader context.
• Check Kairos's recent growth and any public announcements about new initiatives.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you would design a recruiting process for Kairos's expected doubling in size over six months.
• Your experience recruiting for technical or research roles, especially in AI or policy.
• How you would source candidates for programs like SPAR or the Pathfinder Fellowship.
• How you prioritize hiring needs when multiple new initiatives launch at once.
• Your familiarity with AI safety fieldbuilding and the organizations in that space.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Submitting a generic cover letter that does not mention Kairos or AI safety.
• Focusing only on your past recruiting experience without connecting it to Kairos's specific needs.
• Ignoring the note that the role description is a first draft and showing no flexibility about scope.