Research Manager, AIxBio

About this role

ABOUT CAMBRIDGE BOSTON ALIGNMENT INITIATIVE

The Cambridge Boston Alignment Initiative http://cbai.ai (CBAI) is a nonprofit research organization working to advance research and education directed towards ensuring that society navigates a safe and beneficial transition to advanced AI systems. Our work takes the form of producing original research efforts and accelerating AI safety research through fellowship programs.

After a successful 2025 launch of our AI Safety Research Fellowship — whose inaugural cohort published a spotlight paper at the Mechanistic Interpretability Workshop at NeurIPS, placed papers at ICLR, and produced fellows now at Goodfire and Redwood Research — we're rapidly scaling in 2026. As part of this growth, we are launching the inaugural AIxBio Research Fellowship, bringing the same high-touch, mentor-driven research model to the intersection of AI and biosecurity.

Refer us candidates https://airtable.com/app4zWdbexhJgyBwp/pagLKlt1Zh0RV163y/form, and receive $5,000 if we hire them.

THE ROLE

You'll work closely with fellows and their mentors, biosecurity researchers, AI safety researchers, and domain experts from academia and industry, to support cutting-edge work at the intersection of AI and biosecurity. This might include capability evaluations on biological systems, regulatory frameworks for mitigating dual-use research risks, or other research agendas at the frontier of AI-enabled biosecurity threats. We are open to hiring Research Managers with technical research experience or policy and governance research experience. For the right fit, we are open to adjusting the scope and compensation of this role.

RESEARCH MANAGEMENT (0.7 FTE)

- Conduct frequent 1-1s with your fellows, providing feedback on research progress and helping them overcome obstacles, including debugging research designs, preparing literature scaffolds, and supporting data collection, analysis, and methodology development

- Provide substantive feedback on fellow research and help CBAI create an environment that nudges fellows toward rigor and clarity

- Connect fellows with resources, literature, and opportunities relevant to AI x biosecurity during and after the fellowship

- Communicate with fellows' mentors to define clear research objectives and support fellows' research progression

- Contribute to fellow selection by reviewing and interviewing candidates to ensure the cohort has strong epistemics and a relevant background

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT (0.3 FTE)

- Contribute to the design of reading groups, workshops, and supplementary programming for the AIxBio cohort

- Support special projects aligned with your strengths, such as applicant selection, evaluation frameworks, or mentor onboarding

- Meet weekly with program leadership to enhance feedback loops and continuously improve the program

- Stay current on developments at the intersection of AI and biosecurity relevant to your fellows' work

- Prepare periodic briefs on recent developments in the field for fellows

ABOUT YOU

We expect you to be characterized by most of the qualities listed below.

Experience supporting complex intellectual work. You have helped others execute complex analytical or research projects — through teaching, managing technical teams, conducting your own research, consulting, or coordinating academic programs.

You understand the research process from the inside. You've done substantial analytical work yourself, whether in academia, policy analysis, consulting, or industry research. You can recognize when a research plan is solid vs. hand-wavy, identify blockers in someone's thinking, and suggest concrete next steps.

Familiarity with AI x biosecurity. You have meaningful exposure to biosecurity, AI safety, or the intersection of the two — through research, policy work, or adjacent professional experience. You don't need to be a specialist, but you need enough context to engage substantively with the research your fellows are doing.

Skilled at developmental feedback. You know how to give constructive criticism that moves work forward. You can help people strengthen their arguments, tighten their methodology, and present their findings clearly — even when the specific topic is outside your core expertise.

Excellent communicator. You explain complex concepts clearly and give constructive feedback effectively. You check in proactively when you're unsure about something or notice a potential problem.

Interpersonally excellent. You have genuine empathy, active listening skills, and a servant leadership approach. You enjoy helping others succeed and take pride in their accomplishments.

Mission-motivated. You are strongly aligned with CBAI's mission and care about the biosecurity risks posed by transformative AI systems. You want to contribute meaningfully to this space and are passionate about building the field.

Organized and conscientious. You keep complex projects on track, follow through reliably, and maintain clear communication. You're receptive to feedback and continuously improve your approach.

The ideal candidate will have a bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field, Computer Science, Biology, or related disciplines, combined with research or policy experience demonstrating strong methodological knowledge and a genuine interest in AI x biosecurity.

NICE TO HAVES

- Published research or policy work in biosecurity, AI safety, or adjacent areas

- Previous involvement in AI safety, biosecurity, or field-building programs

- Experience managing research programs or academic initiatives

However, there is no such thing as a "perfect" candidate. If you are on the fence about applying because you are unsure whether you are qualified, we strongly encourage you to apply.

WHY THIS ROLE MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT FIT

We want to be transparent about what this position entails so you can make an informed decision about whether it's right for you:

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