Alignment Research Manager
AE Studio is a bootstrapped AI company that combines frontier AI alignment research with applied AI consulting and production software development.
About AE Studio
Founded in 2016, AE Studio operates as a bootstrapped product and technology studio with two connected divisions: frontier AI alignment research and applied AI services. Its applied work includes AI-native products, custom machine learning, agentic automation, knowledge graphs, AI platforms, evaluation, red-teaming, observability, and AI transformation. The company embeds senior technical and product teams with clients to build and operate production systems. Its published work covers airline revenue optimization, education technology, healthcare and neurotechnology, manufacturing automation, financial services, gaming, blockchain, and enterprise software. AE Studio states that it is self-funded, has no outside investors, and reinvests consulting profits into alignment research.
Skills
Candidate Availability
Required and preferred rules are kept separate and reflect the wording in the original posting.
About the Role
You will run the research acceleration model by owning projects end to end, translating abstract research ideas into roadmaps, unblocking technical teams, tracking milestones, and keeping leadership, collaborators, and funders informed. The work spans AI alignment research, grants, research partners, and potentially new research tracks or internal products.
Requirements
- Working knowledge of AI and ML systems
- Experience managing complex technical projects, including research
- Ability to structure execution across ambiguous, high-stakes efforts
- Ability to translate fluently between engineers, researchers, clients, and funders
- Initiative and end-to-end ownership
- Care about AI alignment and belief that meaningful progress is possible
- Eagerness to use AI tools and automate work
- Comfort in a fast-paced, startup-like environment
Responsibilities
- Own research projects end to end
- Turn abstract research ideas into clear roadmaps
- Keep technical teams unblocked and moving fast
- Report progress to leadership, collaborators, and funders
- Break down ambiguity and define milestones
- Focus the team on what matters
- Test, validate, or unblock work as needed
- Identify dead ends early
- Keep work pointed at the highest-upside directions
- Potentially lead a Skunkworks spinout, new research track, or internal product
Benefits
- Remote-first with flexible schedules
- Health insurance
- Free lunches at the office
- Weekly knowledge-sharing talks
- Annual team retreat
- Regular performance-based raises
- Diversified employee equity program
