How to apply for Senior Researcher, MIT AI Risk Initiative

About Massachusetts Institute of Technology, FutureTech

FutureTech at MIT is an interdisciplinary group uniquely positioned at the intersection of academic research and real-world technological impact, focusing on the economic and technical foundations of computing progress. Working here offers the MIT brand's prestige combined with the flexibility of remote work from Australia, allowing you to contribute to cutting-edge AI risk research that directly informs policy and industry practices.

About the role

This Senior Researcher role involves leading applied research within MIT's AI Risk Initiative to systematically understand and mitigate AI risks through evidence synthesis and stakeholder collaboration. You'll be responsible for developing practical tools and research outputs that bridge academic rigor with real-world application, directly influencing how organizations manage AI risks across sectors.

A typical day

A typical day might involve leading a virtual team meeting to coordinate a systematic review on AI risk responses, analyzing survey data from industry stakeholders, and developing a decision-support framework for technical audiences. You'd likely collaborate with MIT colleagues across time zones while engaging Australian government contacts to ensure research relevance and impact.

Who Massachusetts Institute of Technology, FutureTech is looking for

• Has 5+ years of experience conducting applied research using rigorous methodologies (e.g., systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or large-scale surveys) in AI, technology policy, or related fields
• Demonstrates proven ability to engage diverse stakeholders including government agencies, industry leaders, and academic researchers to inform research design and dissemination
• Shows portfolio of developing decision-support tools or research outputs tailored for technical audiences (e.g., frameworks, toolkits, or interactive dashboards)
• Has experience managing complex research projects end-to-end with demonstrated leadership of interdisciplinary teams and timeline management

Tips for this application

• Highlight specific examples of systematic reviews or surveys you've designed in AI/tech policy contexts, quantifying their impact or stakeholder reach
• Showcase your ability to translate academic research into practical tools by including links to or descriptions of decision-support tools you've developed
• Demonstrate your understanding of MIT's interdisciplinary approach by mentioning how you've collaborated across economics, computer science, and policy in past work
• Tailor your project management examples to research contexts, emphasizing how you've managed scoping, timelines, and team leadership in academic or applied research settings
• Reference specific FutureTech publications or initiatives (like their work on computing foundations) to show genuine interest in their unique interdisciplinary focus

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your experience designing and executing systematic reviews or surveys specifically related to AI risks or organizational responses', "Examples of how you've engaged stakeholders across government, industry, and research sectors to inform and disseminate research", 'Demonstrated ability to develop practical research outputs or decision-support tools for technical audiences', 'Your approach to managing complex research projects from scoping through completion with interdisciplinary teams']

Research before applying

• Review FutureTech's recent publications on computing foundations and economic aspects of technology progress
• Study MIT's AI Risk Initiative existing projects and publications to understand their current focus areas
• Research how MIT engages with Australian institutions and stakeholders in technology policy
• Explore FutureTech's interdisciplinary team composition and how they collaborate across departments

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk us through how you would design a systematic review on organizational AI risk responses, including your methodology and stakeholder engagement plan
• Describe a time you developed a decision-support tool for technical audiences and how you validated its usefulness
• How would you approach engaging Australian government stakeholders on AI risk research while working remotely?
• Discuss your experience managing research project timelines and team dynamics in interdisciplinary settings
• What specific AI risk areas do you think FutureTech should prioritize based on their focus on computing foundations?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on theoretical AI research without demonstrating applied, stakeholder-engaged work
• Presenting generic project management experience without research-specific examples of scoping and timeline management
• Failing to show understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of FutureTech's work across economics, computer science, and policy