Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Accelerate your AI safety research in a dynamic environment with community support.
- Company: Meridian, a leading hub for AI safety research in Cambridge.
- Benefits: Workspace, networking opportunities, and dedicated research support.
- Why this job: Join a vibrant community and make impactful contributions to AI governance.
- Qualifications: Open to researchers with AI safety knowledge or those looking to pivot into this field.
- Other info: Engage with top experts and enhance your research portfolio.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 42000 £ per year.
Accelerate your AI safety and governance research in Cambridge. Apply by January 18th to join our spring cohort! The Meridian Visiting Researcher Programme brings talented researchers to Cambridge for 3-12 month residencies focused on AI safety and governance. We provide workspace, community, and research management for researchers working on technical alignment, governance, interpretability, forecasting, and other research ensuring AI benefits humanity.
Meridian provides an energetic and fast-paced environment for you to complete your research. Visitors report accomplishing more in a few months here than a year of working independently.
Cambridge has become a hotspot for AI safety work in Europe. Being here will give you the opportunity to engage with a large and welcoming community of researchers with a wide range of expertise.
With regular research management meetings, opportunities to present your work, and support towards publication, the programme provides enough structure to create momentum while providing plenty of space for deep independent research.
Discover colleagues with complementary skills. Connections made at Meridian often result in long-term projects. Receive advice and feedback from experienced researchers within our community, and dedicated research support to ensure your project remains on track.
We welcome applications from:
- Researchers looking to pivot into AI safety, security or governance
- Existing AI safety, security, or governance researchers looking to build their network and portfolio
- Graduates of programmes such as MATS, MARS, ARENA, ML4G, SPAR, and ERA with AI safety knowledge looking to transition to full-time research
- PhD candidates, recent graduates, or postdoctoral researchers exploring AI safety directions
- PIs interested in incorporating AI safety into their research agenda
- People based in Cambridge or willing/excited to work there and contribute to strengthening Cambridge as a hub for AI safety research
Research Areas:
Meridian's Visiting Researchers Programme welcomes researchers working across a broad range of AI safety, security, and governance topics. Our priority research areas include:
- Technical Safety Research
- Evaluating AI capabilities: Developing rigorous methods to assess the capabilities of advanced AI systems
- AI interpretability and transparency: Making AI systems more understandable to humans
- Model organisms of misaligned AI: Creating controlled examples of misalignment to study safety properties
- Information security for safety-critical AI systems: Securing AI systems against threats and vulnerabilities
- AI control and control evaluation: Designing and testing mechanisms for maintaining human control over AI
- Making AI systems adversarially robust: Ensuring AI systems remain reliable under adversarial conditions
- Scalable oversight: Developing methods to effectively supervise increasingly capable AI systems
- Understanding cooperation between AI systems: Studying multi-agent dynamics and cooperation mechanisms
- Forecasting and Modeling
- Economic modeling of AI impact: Analyzing how AI development will affect economic systems
- Forecasting AI capabilities and impacts: Predicting the trajectory and consequences of AI development
- Identifying concrete paths to AI takeover: Mapping potential failure modes and their mitigations
- Governance and Policy
- AI lab governance: Developing responsible practices for AI research organizations
- UK/US AI policy: Creating national frameworks for AI development and deployment
- International AI governance: Building coordination mechanisms across national boundaries
- Legal frameworks for AI: Addressing liability, regulation, and rights issues
- Developing technology for AI governance: Building tools to support effective AI governance
- Ethics and Values
- AI welfare: Considering the moral status of artificial systems and ethical obligations toward them
- Value alignment: Ensuring AI systems act in accordance with human values and intentions
- Societal impacts of transformative AI: Analyzing broader implications for society and human welfare
This list is not exhaustive, and we welcome applications from researchers working on related areas not explicitly listed above.
“The VRP helped me to connect with the AI safety community, grow my network, broaden my expertise in AI safety and socialize with people just like me.” — Igor Ivanov, Visiting Researcher, Autumn 2025 Cohort
“I highly recommend Meridian's Visiting Researcher Programme, especially for independent researchers. Beyond providing a research space, Meridian involved us in their frequent AI safety events, talks, and symposiums, and high-profile external researchers often drop by. Meridian also provided useful individualized support with grant writing, finding collaborators, and publication.” — Dan Wilhelm, Visiting Researcher, Autumn 2025 Cohort
Visiting Researcher in Cambridge employer: Meridian Cambridge
Contact Detail:
Meridian Cambridge Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Visiting Researcher in Cambridge
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Attend AI safety events and talks in Cambridge to meet fellow researchers. Engaging with the community can lead to collaborations and opportunities that you won't find on job boards.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your work! Prepare a short presentation about your research and share it during community meetings. This not only helps you get feedback but also puts you on the radar of potential collaborators and mentors.
✨Tip Number 3
Stay flexible! While structure is important, don’t be afraid to pivot your research focus based on the discussions you have with others. The dynamic environment at Meridian is perfect for exploring new ideas.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, you’ll be part of a vibrant community right from the start!
We think you need these skills to ace Visiting Researcher in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for AI Safety: When writing your application, let us see your enthusiasm for AI safety and governance. Share your experiences and what drives you to contribute to this field. We want to know why you're excited about the opportunity at Meridian!
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your research aligns with our focus areas. Mention specific projects or ideas you have that fit into our programme. This shows us that you've done your homework and are genuinely interested in joining our community.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language and avoid jargon where possible. We appreciate well-structured applications that make it easy for us to understand your background and research goals.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your materials and ensures you’re considered for the programme. Plus, it’s super easy to navigate!
How to prepare for a job interview at Meridian Cambridge
✨Know Your Research Inside Out
Make sure you can discuss your research in detail, especially how it relates to AI safety and governance. Be prepared to explain your methodologies, findings, and the implications of your work. This shows your passion and expertise, which is crucial for a role at Meridian.
✨Engage with the Community
Familiarise yourself with the Cambridge AI safety scene before the interview. Mention specific researchers or projects that inspire you, and express your eagerness to collaborate. This demonstrates your commitment to being an active part of the community.
✨Prepare Thoughtful Questions
Have a list of insightful questions ready about the programme, its structure, and potential collaborations. This not only shows your interest but also helps you gauge if the environment aligns with your research goals.
✨Show Flexibility and Initiative
Highlight your ability to adapt and take initiative in your research. Discuss how you plan to balance structured meetings with independent work, and share any ideas you have for potential projects or collaborations within the programme.
