Cambridge Boston Alignment Initiative (CBAI) is excited to announce the second iteration of our full-time, paid, in-person Spring Research Fellowship, held from February 2 to April 10 in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA. We’re selecting up to 15 fellows to participate in this intensive research and mentorship opportunity in AI Safety, supported by leading mentors and dedicated in-house research managers. Our inaugural fellowship cohort members have joined Goodfire and Constellation, established their own research group, been accepted into NeurIPS and ICLR, and presented their reports to policymakers in DC.

Note: You need to have a work permit (e.g., OPT/CPT) to participate in the program.

Why apply?

• Gain direct experience in technical and governance AI safety research.
• Build professional credentials by contributing to research papers, blog posts, or demonstrations.
• Expand your network and career opportunities within the AI Safety community.
• Receive intensive mentorship from researchers affiliated with institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Google DeepMind, the UK AI Security Institute, Institute for Progress, Center for a New American Study, and others. Visit the mentors page and click “More Information” under each mentor to view the qualifications they seek and the projects they’re interested in pursuing with fellows.

Fellowship details

• Mentorship (1–2 hours/week) from researchers at institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Google DeepMind, the UK AI Security Institute, Institute for Progress, Center for a New American Study, and others.
• Dedicated in-house research managers, including a Technical Research Manager and a Governance Research Manager.
• Stipend: $8,000 for ten weeks.
• Meals and refreshments: Free lunches and dinners are provided every weekday, along with coffee, beverages, and snacks in the office.
• Accommodation: We’ll provide housing for the entire program.
• Office space: 24/7 access to our Harvard Square office, conveniently located two minutes from the Harvard Square metro station and five minutes from Harvard Yard.
• Networking opportunities: Extensive collaboration with the AI Safety Student Team at Harvard and MIT AI Alignment, including shared workspace and guest speaker events and workshops. Additionally, we’ll organize social activities and outings in Boston and Cambridge, connecting you to the broader AI Safety community.
• Compute Support: We will provide compute support for up to $10,000 to each fellow in the form of API credits and on-demand GPUs.
• Extension Fellowship: For those interested in continuing their research, we offer an extension program up to 4 months. Approximately 50% of the fellows in our inaugural cycle have received extension funding for 1-4 months.

Fellows working with mentors in the Cambridge area are expected to use their mentors’ lab for at least one day a week. Application process
We will review applications on a rolling basis, so we strongly encourage applying as soon as possible.
The application deadline is Dec 14, 11:59 PM EST. The selection process involves:

1. General application form
2. Mentor-specific question, test task, or code screening (if applicable)
3. 15-minute interview with CBAI
4. An interview with the mentor

Also, refer a fellow to us and win $100 Amazon gift card! For more information, mentor profiles, project specifics, and FAQs, visit our fellowship website.