How to apply for Research Engineer / Research Scientist, Zero-Knowledge Verification

About SASH

SASH is a Singapore-based nonprofit that builds AI safety research capacity and governance expertise across Asia. Its Verification team prototypes tools to verify agreements about AI datacenters, working with policymakers and partners like the Future of Life Institute and University of Oxford. The technical team is led by Pascal Berrang, an Associate Professor at University of Birmingham, and brings experience from the Singapore Government.

About the role

This role sits on SASH's Verification team, which builds and tests tools to verify what is happening inside AI datacenters. You would prototype new verification mechanisms, contribute to international research collaborations, and help show policymakers what these tools can do. The work aims to make international AI agreements verifiable and to support trustworthy AI adoption in high-stakes industries.

A typical day

A typical day might involve prototyping a zero-knowledge verification mechanism, reviewing research with Pascal Berrang, and preparing a briefing for a policy partner on what the tool can and cannot verify. You would likely split time between technical implementation and written communication for international collaborators. Exact routines depend on the team's current projects, so ask about weekly rhythms and collaboration tools during the interview.

Who SASH is looking for

• Has hands-on experience with zero-knowledge proofs or related cryptographic verification methods, and can implement and test prototypes.
• Can work at the intersection of technical research and policy, translating verification mechanisms into tools that policymakers and international partners can understand and use.
• Is comfortable in a small, remote team and can collaborate with researchers and policy experts across time zones.
• Has a research background (PhD or equivalent experience) in cryptography, security, or a closely related field, with a track record of published or applied work.

Tips for this application

• Read SASH's public materials on AI verification and reference specific problems or mechanisms they discuss, such as verifying datacenter activity or international agreements.
• Name Pascal Berrang and the University of Birmingham in your materials if your work connects to his research area, and explain how your skills fit the team's technical direction.
• Show concrete examples of zero-knowledge verification prototypes or research you have built, including what you tested and what you learned.
• Explain how you would communicate technical verification results to policymakers, since the team works with international policy partners.
• Note that the role is remote and full-time, and state your availability and time zone clearly in your application.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your specific experience with zero-knowledge proofs or verification mechanisms, with details on what you built or researched.', 'Why verifying AI datacenter activity matters for international cooperation and sovereignty, showing you understand the policy context.', 'How you have worked with or communicated technical findings to non-technical audiences, such as policymakers or international collaborators.', 'Your fit for a small, remote team led by an academic and staffed with people from government and policy backgrounds.']

Research before applying

• SASH's Verification team page and any published work by Pascal Berrang on verification or cryptography.
• SASH's partnerships with the Future of Life Institute and the University of Oxford, and what those collaborations have produced.
• Recent developments in AI datacenter verification, including Anthropic's and OpenAI's third-party evaluator access announcements.
• Singapore's AI governance landscape and how SASH's nonprofit status shapes its research and policy work.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you would design a zero-knowledge verification mechanism for a specific claim about AI datacenter activity.
• Your past work on cryptographic verification and what technical trade-offs you made.
• How you would explain a verification tool's guarantees and limits to a policymaker or international partner.
• How you would prioritize research directions in a small team with both technical and policy goals.
• Your understanding of current AI verification efforts, such as third-party evaluator access at Anthropic or OpenAI.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating the role as a pure cryptography research position and ignoring the policy and international collaboration aspects.
• Applying with generic AI safety interest without showing specific knowledge of zero-knowledge verification or datacenter verification.
• Overlooking the remote, small-team structure and failing to explain how you work independently across time zones.