Written by admin• August 13, 2026• 11:51 am• Opportunities for Women, Trending

Apply for AIAF Fellowship 2026 – Eight-Week Paid Research Fellowship for AI Alignment Researchers

Application Deadline: August 17, 2026

About the Fellowship

The AIAF Fellowship is a paid, full-time research fellowship for AI alignment researchers, run by the AI Alignment Foundation (AIAF) in partnership with AE Studio. The fellowship provides participants with an opportunity to work intensively on important AI alignment challenges while gaining practical research experience in a professional environment. During the programme, fellows work at the speed of an industry research team and experience an agile research methodology designed to accelerate progress. Participants are expected to contribute to projects focused on addressing real-world AI alignment problems and developing solutions that can help make advanced artificial intelligence systems safer and more reliable. The programme runs for eight weeks on a full-time basis and offers a $12,000 stipend for the entire programme. The 2026 programme is scheduled to begin on September 8, 2026. The fellowship is designed for researchers who want to develop their AI alignment research skills, work alongside an industry-style research team and contribute to practical efforts aimed at solving important AI alignment challenges.

Program Structure

Your Research Manager: Day-to-Day Support: A dedicated research manager works alongside your team every day. They help with weekly prioritization, experiment tracking, and notes, and keep things moving. They will be your closest point of contact throughout the program.
AE Researchers: Set the Vision: AE researchers act as visionaries for your research. You’ll discuss your progress with them, get project direction, and respond to their feedback.
Midpoint Check-In: Senior Mentorship: Halfway through, you’ll have a one-on-one with someone from leadership or our partner AE Studio’s alignment leadership, to give guidance on your research, your career prospects, and feedback on your work. Along the way, each team works toward a LessWrong post and, when the research supports it, a paper. The program closes with a Demo Day presentation.

Key details of the Fellowship

Stipend: $12,000 for the full 8-week program
Duration: 8 weeks, full-time (40 hours/week)
Format: Remote (work from anywhere)
Compute: Cloud GPU access and API credits provided per team
Demo Day: Hybrid event with in-person option in LA (travel and accommodation covered)
Selectivity: 6 spots, highly selective, reviewed individually
Program Starts: September 8, 2026

Research Focus

Fellows work on projects defined by AIAF, in collaboration with AE Studio’s research team. Specific assignments happen after selection, based on background fit and the cohort’s strengths. Reading about our current directions will give you a sense of the kind of research we do.

Who Should Apply

You’re a good fit if:

You have a strong ML background – you can run experiments, implement papers, and debug your own code
You’ve spent real time thinking about AI alignment, not just reading about it
You’ve done some form of independent research before a LessWrong post, a hackathon project, a thesis, a preprint anything that shows you can take initiative and produce something
You can work autonomously for a week and show meaningful progress at the end of it
Any career stage: recent PhDs, MSc students, self-taught researchers, or people transitioning into AI alignment from another field

This probably isn’t for you if:

You need significant hand-holding to get started on a new problem
You have never written code to run an experiment
You’re applying for the credential but aren’t genuinely interested in alignment long-term
You have a specific research agenda you want to pursue. We’re looking for people who are flexible and excited about exploring different directions
You want to work on policy or governance-focused alignment. This fellowship is for technical research

What You Get

$12,000 stipend for the full 8-week program, paid in installments
Compute budget – Cloud GPU access and API credits per team. No out-of-pocket costs for running experiments
A hybrid Demo Day – Attend in person in LA with all travel and expenses covered, or join remotely. We can’t sponsor visas, but if you can make it, we’ll handle the rest
Research infrastructure – Linear, GitHub, Google Drive, Slack, plus AIAF’s full research methodology and experiment standards
Output you can point to – Every team works toward a LessWrong post and reproducible work. We’ll work closely with your team on the opportunity to publish a paper too
Career support – AIAF is committed to helping fellows find their next step. We work with our partner organizations, including AE Studio, to connect strong fellows with opportunities that fit

How to Apply

Step 1: Submit Your Application
CV and a short questionnaire covering your background, what you’re currently working on, and links to any relevant work (GitHub, papers, LessWrong posts, projects). Plus a short video.

Step 2: Short Video (5 minutes max)
Recorded on whatever device you have, no production setup needed. Answer two questions:

Why does AI alignment matter to you?
After reading about our research, pick one direction that interests you. Briefly describe at least one critique you have of it, something you would extend, and what you think could be most promising to explore next.

Step 3: Technical Test (Shortlisted Candidates Only)
If we like your application, you’ll be invited to complete a short technical test.

Step 4: Interview (Finalists Only)
A conversation covering your research background, alignment thinking, and fit with the cohort.

Timeline