Entrepreneur-in-Residence

The Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) role is a one-year salaried position for people who want to start a new organization or project in AI governance and safety.

AI governance and safety need to be more ambitious. There is more important work to do than there are organizations to do it, and more funding is available for ambitious projects than ever before. Previous alumni of GovAI programs have launched organizations such as Trajectory Labs, which builds safety evaluations and RL environments for frontier AI labs, and the Safe AI Forum, which convenes international dialogues on AI safety. This role exists to start such new projects and organizations (for-profit and non-profit), particularly in areas where GovAI is well-placed to offer support. We offer a year of runway, $150k in seed funding via partner funders, and the support of GovAI’s team and network to figure out what to build. If we think your application could be a good fit, we’ll aim to respond within two weeks and reach a final decision within six weeks of our first conversation. Please note that we’re not able to respond to every expression of interest.

As an Entrepreneur-in-Residence, you will identify, test, and launch a new organization or an ambitious project within an existing organization. What we offer: Seed funding (~$150k) via partner funders to test and develop your idea. Thought partnership – regular sessions with senior members of the GovAI team, check-ins with our Research Manager, and feedback from our team through work-in-progress sessions. We’ll also help you find mentors and advisors outside GovAI. Introductions to funders, potential co-founders and early hires, and relevant people across the AI governance ecosystem. Credibility and a high-context environment – you'll sit within GovAI's research community and pressure-test your thinking with people who know the field. A 12-month salaried position at GovAI. Compensation is based on experience and location. Successful candidates based in London typically receive between £70,000 and £113,500 per year, and those based in Washington, DC typically earn $80,000–$180,000. Fiscal sponsorship – if you’re starting a non-profit, we can help arrange a fiscal sponsor to carry the operational overhead (payroll, accounting, legal compliance) while your organization gets set up. We’re working to offer similarly concrete support to for-profit founders. By the end of the residency, the aim is for you to have launched (or made a deliberate decision not to launch) an independent organization or a promising project within an existing organization, with introductions to funders to support the transition. For some candidates, the best option may not be to pursue their idea further. We expect and will encourage Entrepreneurs-in-Residence to pivot where it makes sense. If your organization or project is ready to launch before the year is up, we’ll help you spin out sooner. GovAI takes no equity or stake in the organizations that emerge from the program.

Qualifications and Selection Criteria We are open to candidates with diverse academic and professional backgrounds.

There are no educational requirements for this role. Essential Qualifications Successful candidates will demonstrate: A track record of getting things done and being entrepreneurial. You’ve built, led, or shipped something impressive. At least some context on AI governance and safety, and an ability to get up to speed quickly. Identifying what is worth building in this space will depend on a deep understanding of the field. Good judgment. You make good calls under uncertainty, prioritize well, and know how to solicit input when you don’t know something.

What We Value Successful candidates will also likely demonstrate: The ability to evaluate projects based on impact Intellectual honesty and rigor Receptiveness to feedback and commitment to self-improvement Strong communication and collaboration skills Strong candidates might include operators returning from government, frontier AI companies, or successful start-ups with some context in the field; practitioners or researchers in AI governance and safety who have built or led projects, teams, or organizations; and alumni of programs like our fellowship or MATS with an idea they want to pursue seriously.

Location We would prefer candidates to be based in a location that (i) is suitable for the project they are starting and/or (ii) is close to other GovAI staff. Our largest presence is in London and Washington, DC, but we also have staff in the Bay Area. Location is agreed case by case, depending on the project – some EIRs will get the most value from spending their first months with us in London, while for others it will matter more to be close to the networks they’re building for. We are unable to sponsor a visa for this role, as the position involves building your own organization. We can support candidates in exploring non-sponsored UK routes such as Global Talent or the High Potential Individual visa.

Salary Compensation is based on experience and location. Successful candidates based in London typically receive between £70,000 and £113,500 per year, and those based in Washington, DC typically earn $80,000–$180,000. We offer additional compensation for candidates in higher cost-of-living regions. There may be additional flexibility where salary considerations would prevent a candidate from accepting an offer. Other benefits of the role include: Health, dental, and vision insurance A £5,000 (~$6,500) annual wellbeing budget A £5,000 (~$6,500) annual professional development budget A ~$500/month coworking space budget for remote staff Flexible work hours Extended parental leave Ergonomic equipment A 10% employer pension contribution 33 days of paid vacation (including public holidays) Please contact [email removed - click apply for more details] if you have questions or concerns regarding compensation or benefits that might affect your decision to apply.

How to Apply and What to Expect Application Process The selection process has four stages: Expression of interest (a short written application) A pitch (max 2 pages excluding appendices) for what you’d build or explore building Reference checks One to two interviews Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis.

Special Circumstances Please contact [email removed - click apply for more details] if you: Need a decision communicated by a particular date Require assistance with the application due to a disability Have questions about the application process Addressing complex AI governance challenges requires many different skillsets and perspectives. We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds. If our mission excites you, we encourage you to apply, even if your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification listed. Your unique combination of experience and motivation might be exactly what we're looking for.