EA - Rethink Priorities is looking for a (Co-)Founder for a New Project: Field Building in Universities for AI Policy Careers in the US by KevinN

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Rethink Priorities is looking for a (Co-)Founder for a New Project: Field Building in Universities for AI Policy Careers in the US, published by KevinN on August 28, 2023 on The Effective Altruism Forum.SummaryWe are currently seeking a founder, or founding team, for a project focusing on field building in universities for AI policy careers in the US.RP commits to supporting this project through at least an initial pilot (e.g. an on-campus policy competition event planned within the first three months of the project), including guaranteeing initial seed funding and providing research and operational support. (Note this role is not within RP.)Our team of researchers is particularly excited about this project, following hundreds of hours of research identifying the most promising project ideas to reduce existential risk, and working from an initial list of hundreds of ideas.Depending on the results of the pilot and founder preferences, RP may remain involved in a supporting role or the project may spin off independently.Our aim is for this project to scale over time and eventually become a large-scale initiative with a significant impact on reducing extreme risks from AI.Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.Application Deadline: September 25, 2023 at the end of the day (11:59 PM) in US/Eastern (EST) time zone.Apply hereAbout the ProjectIn the last 5 years, solid professional tracks have emerged for technical AI safety research and, increasingly, AI governance research, with programs that provide a relatively clear roadmap of opportunities and next steps. Less effort has gone into developing a similar track for working directly on AI policy in the US. This is important because policymakers are increasingly asked to tackle the risks and challenges associated with this technology, but often lack access to the expertise needed to navigate this effectively. Bringing more qualified talent to work as congressional staffers, within a relevant executive agency, or in an influential DC think tank could mean directly supporting effective decision-making around AI regulation that promotes the public interest.The idea for this project is to start a program that dramatically increases the number of talented AI-risk-minded students planning to enter a US policy career by helping them understand arguments about catastrophic risk from AI, how these career tracks can be impactful, and how to navigate related career decisions successfully. This program can also ensure a well-developed pipeline for encouraging students already interested in AI risk management careers to consider US policy roles.This program could:Run events such as policy competitions or retreats that find and develop talented individuals who might be especially well-suited for US policy careersConnect students with relevant information, mentors, and peers around AI risk management and US policyHelp establish an early career track around AI risk management policy, especially from a catastrophic risk lens, within universitiesDo even more ambitious work that we have not considered yet!About the RoleWe expect the Founder(s) of this initiative to collaborate with the Rethink Priorities team and significantly shape the direction of this project. We think the first step for this project should be to run a low-cost pilot for the Founder(s) to gather more information about the target audience, the approaches that tend to work, and their fit for running the project. This pilot can also provide a proof of concept for future grant applications, which the Founder(s) will be responsible for.RP will be able to offer support in a variety of ways based on the needs of the project, including research support, operations support, providing feedback, mentorship, and providing ...