Generalist Fellow

You make sure each fellowship cohort runs smoothly, from acceptance to the last day, so that fellows and Research Managers can focus on research.

• Salary: £68,250–£95,500 per year. We may be able to pay more for exceptional candidates.

• Location: London, at our office at LISA

• Hours: Full time

• Visa: We can sponsor a Skilled Worker visa, but approval isn't guaranteed.

Why work at Pivotal

Pivotal finds people who can work on the biggest risks from advanced AI and gets them working on them. Since 2024, 135 fellows have taken part in our fellowships, and alumni now work at METR, Apollo Research, UK AISI and GovAI. We have grown from 2 staff in 2024 to 10 today, and we plan to reach at least 16 in 2027. Read more about us at pivotal-research.org, and about what it is like to work here.

What you might own

There are many areas worth owning at Pivotal that shape how good and productive a fellow’s time with us is. In 2027 we expect about 170 fellows across our fellowships, often with multiple cohorts on site at the same time. You help each of them have an excellent experience.

Which areas you own depends on your strengths and interests. It might be the systems behind each cohort, our events, how we collect and act on fellow feedback, and sometimes new areas will arise. You’ll likely work on several projects and areas at the same time, and these will change as Pivotal grows.

• Fellow logistics. Onboarding, travel, letters for visas, desks and equipment, and stipend payments with our finance provider.

• Events. Socials, speaker events, retreats and closing weeks, including the room and AV setup.

• Fellow experience. Collect feedback during each cohort and fix problems quickly.

• Records and tools. Keep fellow records and fellowship tools up to date, and automate work that repeats every cohort.

• Other cohort needs. Take on whatever the cohort needs, with good judgement about what matters most.

Who does well in this role

• You are organised and reliable: things you own get done, and people know their status.

• You have run events or operations for a program, a team or an organisation.

• You understand why a task matters, and you suggest better ways to do it.

• You are friendly and calm with fellows, also under pressure.

• You use AI tools to automate repetitive work.

• You care about reducing catastrophic risks.

We don’t expect anyone to be strong in all of this. If the role excites you, please apply, even if you match only part of what we describe here.

How we hire

We review applications as they come in, so applying early helps. The process has these stages:

• Written application. A short form and your CV. It takes about 30 minutes.

• Automated video interview. About 10 minutes. You record short answers to a few questions, at a time that suits you.

• Work task. About 2 hours, based on real work in this role. We pay you for this time. You may use AI tools, as you would in the job. Tell us which ones you used and how.

• Personal interview. About 45 minutes. We discuss your work task and how you would approach the role. With your consent, we record it so that more of the team can review it.

• Work trial and references. Up to three paid days working with us at our office in London. We also speak to two referees, after asking you.

If you need an adjustment at any stage, such as extra time, tell us and we will arrange it. If you have questions, email [email protected].