Technical Grant Writer

About AIAF

The AI Alignment Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that does hands-on technical AI alignment research and funds neglected approaches that larger labs and funders overlook. We work closely with AE Studio, government partners, and the AI safety community. Very little genuine alignment research happens anywhere. We are trying to change that, and we need to scale our funding to maximize our impact.

The role

We are looking for an exceptional writer to help turn promising AI alignment research ideas into compelling, fundable proposals.

This role is primarily focused on writing and proposal development, rather than fundraising relationships or business development. You'll work from research papers, conversations, rough project concepts, and funder requirements to independently develop clear, rigorous, persuasive grant proposals.

What you'll do

• Draft and refine grant proposals, concept notes, LOIs, and related funder materials.
• Turn early-stage or ambiguous research ideas into coherent proposals with clear objectives, methods, milestones, and rationale.
• Translate technical AI alignment research into language that is accurate, accessible, and compelling to funders.
• Tailor proposals to specific funder priorities and requirements.
• Work with researchers and internal stakeholders while minimizing the amount of researcher time required.
• Use AI tools effectively in the writing process while maintaining a very high bar for accuracy, judgment, and final quality.

What we’re looking for

• Exceptional writer and editor with unusually high standards for their own work.
• Has enough technical fluency to read AI/ML research papers and understand the core ideas, even if they could not conduct the research themselves.
• Can take incomplete or ambiguous information and independently create structure and clarity.
• Has strong judgment about what can reasonably be claimed and how to communicate uncertainty without weakening a proposal.
• Comfortable iterating quickly and incorporating feedback.
• Nice to have: has experience with grant writing, technical writing, research, AI safety, or related fields.

You do not need to be an AI researcher or someone who has done grant writing in the past. We're more interested in someone who combines excellent writing, intellectual rigor, technical comprehension, and the ability to turn rough ideas into polished proposals.

This role is fully remote, with the option to work from our LA or Berkeley offices if desired.

Role structure & compensation

We are open to either a full-time or part-time arrangement, depending on the candidate. 

• Full-time: $110,000–$150,000 annual salary, depending on experience and location.
• Part-time employee: Compensation prorated based on the full-time salary range and expected hours.
• Contractor: Approximately $65–$100/hour, depending on experience and level of independence.

For an exceptional candidate with particularly strong technical or proposal-writing experience, we may consider compensation above these ranges.