Application Guide

How to Apply for Research Fund

at Paradigm 3

🏢 About Paradigm 3

Paradigm 3 is a unique research organisation and grantmaker that focuses on the science of AI evaluations and 'spiky processes'—unconventional, high-impact research. Working here means contributing to cutting-edge AI safety research with a mission to understand and shape AI's societal impacts.

About This Role

This role involves estimating AI externalities (e.g., time lost to authentication, cost savings), decomposing benchmark gains to identify genuine progress, and researching when slowing AI progress is desirable. Your work will directly influence how AI systems are evaluated and governed, making it highly impactful.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve analyzing benchmark results to separate true generalization from memorization, then collaborating with the team to design a centaur evaluation for a new AI tool. You'd also review recent papers on AI externalities and draft a research proposal for a grant on slowing AI progress.

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🎯 Who Paradigm 3 Is Looking For

  • Has hands-on experience in AI research, particularly in evaluating AI systems and understanding externalities like time or cost impacts.
  • Can decompose benchmark results into cheating, memorization, shallow vs. out-of-distribution generalization—ideally with published work or code.
  • Understands the technical and ethical dimensions of slowing AI progress and avoiding power concentration.
  • Strong analytical skills with a track record of designing and running centaur evaluations (human-AI collaboration) or similar user studies.

📝 Tips for Applying to Paradigm 3

1

Tailor your resume to highlight specific projects where you estimated AI externalities or decomposed benchmark gains—mention metrics and methods.

2

Include a brief note in your cover letter about your familiarity with 'spiky processes' and why that approach appeals to you.

3

Submit a short research proposal (1 page) on how you would approach one of the role's tasks, e.g., designing a centaur eval for user helpfulness.

4

Mention any experience with grantmaking or research funding—Paradigm 3 is a grantmaker, so understanding that context helps.

5

If you have open-source contributions or blog posts on AI evaluation, link them—this shows passion and transparency.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Emphasize your ability to decompose benchmark gains into meaningful components (cheating, generalization, etc.) with examples.', 'Explain why you care about AI externalities and slowing progress when necessary—align with their mission.', 'Highlight any experience with human-AI interaction models or guardian angel systems.', 'Show that you understand the balance between technical rigor and avoiding power concentration.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read Paradigm 3's published research and blog posts on 'spiky processes' and AI evaluation.
  • → Look into their grantmaking history—what projects have they funded? This shows their priorities.
  • → Familiarize yourself with the concept of 'centaur evaluations' (human-AI teams) and recent papers on the topic.
  • → Understand the broader AI safety landscape, including debates on AI progress speed and externalities.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you estimate the time lost to authentication across different AI systems? Walk through your methodology.
2 Describe a benchmark you've decomposed—what proportion was due to memorization vs. generalization?
3 Under what conditions is slowing AI progress desirable? What technical requirements would be needed?
4 Design a centaur evaluation for a specific user task (e.g., email drafting). How would you measure helpfulness?
5 How do you ensure your research avoids concentrating power in a few hands?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't submit a generic cover letter—this role is niche; show deep understanding of evaluation and externalities.
  • Avoid overclaiming without evidence—be specific about your contributions to benchmark decomposition or externalities.
  • Don't ignore the mission: if you don't care about AI safety or slowing progress when needed, this isn't the right fit.

📅 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:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Paradigm 3!

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