Application Guide

How to Apply for Volunteer, Grant Prospecting Researcher

at PauseAI

🏢 About PauseAI

PauseAI is a grassroots organization dedicated to preventing catastrophic risks from superhuman AI by advocating for a global pause on advanced AI development. What makes them unique is their urgent, mission-driven focus at the intersection of AI safety, technology policy, and civic action, offering volunteers a chance to directly influence one of the most critical issues of our time.

About This Role

As a Grant Prospecting Researcher, you will identify and evaluate funding opportunities from foundations and philanthropists that align with PauseAI's mission. Your research will directly enable the organization to secure resources needed for advocacy, public outreach, and policy work, making you a vital part of their operational backbone.

💡 A Day in the Life

You might start by checking a grant database for new AI safety opportunities, then update the shared tracker with deadlines and eligibility notes. Later, you could research a promising foundation's past grants, summarize their priorities in a brief report, and flag a high-potential opportunity to the team with a recommended next step.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who PauseAI Is Looking For

  • A detail-oriented researcher with experience scanning grant databases (e.g., Foundation Directory Online, GrantStation) and assessing funder fit based on mission, eligibility, and grant size.
  • Someone passionate about AI safety or technology policy, with a basic understanding of the AI risk landscape and the global debate around AI regulation.
  • An organized individual who can maintain a shared tracker (e.g., Airtable, Google Sheets) with deadlines, summaries, and priority flags without missing critical dates.
  • A clear writer who can distill funder priorities into concise, actionable summaries for the fundraising team.

📝 Tips for Applying to PauseAI

1

In your resume or cover letter, explicitly mention any experience with grant research or prospect databases, even if from a different sector (e.g., nonprofit, academic, corporate).

2

Demonstrate your familiarity with AI safety by referencing key organizations (e.g., MIRI, FLI, OpenAI) or concepts (e.g., alignment, AGI, compute governance) to show you understand PauseAI's context.

3

Highlight your organizational skills by describing a specific system you've used to track deadlines or projects (e.g., Trello, Notion, or a custom spreadsheet).

4

If you have experience in advocacy, policy, or civic tech, mention it explicitly as it relates to PauseAI's work.

5

Tailor your cover letter to emphasize your motivation for supporting a pause on advanced AI development, not just your research skills.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your personal motivation for advocating for a pause on superhuman AI and alignment with PauseAI's mission.", "Specific examples of grant research or prospect identification you've done, including tools used and outcomes (e.g., number of grants identified, success rate).", 'Your ability to synthesize complex funder criteria into clear recommendations for a non-research audience.', "Your commitment to a volunteer role and how you'll manage your time to meet deadlines consistently."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read PauseAI's website (pauseai.info) thoroughly, especially their 'About' page, current campaigns, and any public statements on AI risk.
  • → Familiarize yourself with the concept of 'AI safety' and the key arguments for and against a pause, including the 2023 open letter from the Future of Life Institute.
  • → Look into major AI safety funders like Open Philanthropy, Effective Altruism Funds, and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation to understand the funding landscape.
  • → Review PauseAI's recent blog posts or press mentions to understand their current priorities and messaging.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through how you would research a new foundation to assess if they're a good fit for PauseAI.
2 What experience do you have with grant databases? Which ones have you used and how do you stay organized?
3 How do you prioritize multiple grant opportunities with overlapping deadlines?
4 What do you know about the current landscape of AI safety funding? Are there any major funders you're aware of?
5 Why do you think a pause on advanced AI development is important, and how does grant research support that goal?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic application without mentioning AI safety or PauseAI's specific mission.
  • Overlooking the volunteer nature of the role and not demonstrating a clear plan for consistent availability.
  • Focusing too much on your own research interests rather than how your skills directly enable PauseAI's fundraising goals.

📅 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 PauseAI!

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