Researcher, AI Cognition Initiative (Economics Focus)

Application Deadline: 12 June 2026

Department: Worldview Investigations

Employment Type: Flexible

Location: Remote

Compensation: $75,900 - $125,400 / year

Description

Projects you will be working on include:

• Market projections: Developing structured estimates of the incorporation of social engagement aspects into AI interfaces. Drawing on social media data, loneliness trends, cultural attitudes toward AI relationships, and analogous markets like online gaming and parasocial media. The aim is constructing a range of credible scenarios, not a single projection.
• Adoption and market structure: Mapping the economic, cultural, and regulatory factors that will determine how companion AI spreads — how price-sensitive adoption is, whether network effects favor incumbents, and what different market structures imply for the incentives companies face when deciding how human-like to make their products.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise:

• Strong analytical thinking with the ability to produce credible, well-reasoned estimates from incomplete and ambiguous data
• Comfort with speculative but disciplined forward-looking analysis
• Intellectual curiosity and open-mindedness — willingness to bring together very different kinds of information into a bigger picture
• Strong written communication skills and ability to make ideas accessible to different audiences without sacrificing rigor
• Initiative and ownership over long-horizon projects with limited supervision
• Comfort with remote work and asynchronous collaboration using technologies like G Suite (we're a remote-first organization with staff in multiple time zones)
• Resourcefulness and ability to problem-solving

• Interest or experience in one or more of the following areas: AI technology, economics, tech market research, venture capital, or product strategy
• Quality of thinking and ability to communicate it clearly to non-specialist audiences
• Familiarity with the AI industry — its business models, fundraising constraints, and competitive dynamics — is a plus, but not required

Benefits

• We offer annual salary between the following ranges for a full-time position, prorated for part-time work:
  • $75,900 USD (entry level) - $125,400 USD (senior level) pre-tax
• The exact salary will be based on the candidate’s prior relevant experience and corresponding title level, and calculated using RP’s salary algorithm. 
• Compensation is not restricted to the currencies listed above. 
• To ensure fairness across the entire organization, RP does not negotiate salaries.

• Remote-first environment, including flexible work hours and schedule
• Comprehensive global benefits program, including statutory benefits, as required by local law, and supplemental benefits specific to a local country, as available (varies country by country)
• Generous paid time off (PTO) and unpaid leave including:
  • Unlimited vacation with a minimum number of required statutory days off
  • “Mandated” 3-weeks total mid- and end-year organization-wide breaks
  • Unlimited (within reason) personal and sick paid and unpaid leave
  • Parental leave - up to 4-9 months of a combination of paid and unpaid parental leave that can be taken prior and/or during the first 2 years after a child’s birth or adoption
  • Other paid and unpaid leave (e.g., bereavement)
• Technology stipend of the equivalent of $2000 USD every 3 years that can be used to cover costs of purchasing work and office equipment
• AI tools budget of the equivalent of $40 USD monthly
• Learning opportunities, including workshops / training sessions and 10% of work time dedicated to professional and personal development 
• Paid work trips, including one annual all staff Mega Team Retreat and relevant conferences
• Virtual co-working spaces, including private Rethink Priorities Focusmate group
• RP Peer Support Program for New Employees
• Other benefits as allowed on discretion of the RP Leadership

• Work Environment and Visa Sponsorship: This role is fully remote and we are able to legally hire in many countries. In certain cases, we may be able to provide visa sponsorship to the US or UK and help candidates relocate. If you have questions about whether we can hire or provide visa sponsorship in another country and if this will influence your decision about applying, please contact [email protected] before submitting your application.
• Time Zones and Working Hours: While we welcome applicants from all time zones, you may be expected to attend meetings during working hours between UTC-8 and UTC+3 time zones, where most of our staff are based. Depending on your personal timezone, this might mean early morning or evening calls; however, you would not be required to attend calls outside of waking hours. 
• Travel: Travel is not an essential requirement for this position. However, a majority of our staff travel a few times per year for conferences, team and all-staff retreats, and other work-related purposes. In most cases, travel is not mandatory, but encouraged. If, for any reason, you would prefer not to travel for work, please do not be discouraged from applying. Depending on the event, we can likely make accommodations, such as allowing virtual participation when possible.
• Language: Professional level of English language is required for all roles at Rethink Priorities. 

• Extension requests: We will try to accommodate extension requests that are made before the deadline and are up to three (3) days. We generally cannot accommodate extension requests made after the application deadline, or are longer than 3 days, and cannot accept late submissions to ensure fairness to other applicants.
• Application materials: All application materials must be submitted in English language; otherwise, we will not be able to evaluate your candidacy.
• Inclusivity and fairness:  RP is committed to building an inclusive, equitable, and supportive community for you to thrive and do your best work. Please don’t hesitate to apply for a role regardless of your age, gender identity/expression, political identity, personal preferences, physical abilities, veteran status, neurodiversity or any other background. We provide reasonable accommodations and benefits, including, for example, flexible work schedules and locations, mental health coverage through medical benefits (as available), as well as  technology budgets and professional development time that can be used, for example, to purchase assistive technology or engage in job coaching. 
• Accessibility: We’re committed to running an inclusive and accessible hiring process. We warmly invite you to reach out to [email protected] with any questions or accessibility requests such as chat box use during interviews.
• Hiring Software: We use Pinpoint for our recruitment and hiring processes and all of the email correspondence is done via Pinpoint. We encourage you to add Pinpoint domain (@pinpoint.email) to your trusted contacts and/or check your 'spam', 'promotions' and ‘updates’ folders, if you don’t hear from us within the expected timeframe.
• Other: Visit our Career webpage if you’d like to know more about our hiring process, culture, and what working at RP is like.

1. A consultancy doing commissioned work in response to demands from organizations doing high-impact work 
2. A research institute driven by research agendas we set according to our own priorities.
3. A think tank aiming to inform public policy to improve the world.
4. An accelerator, incubator, and base for priority projects.

• Bringing attention to neglected issues, such as lead exposure, fungal diseases, and shrimp welfare. 
• Increasing the collective impact of advocates across each field in which we work through strategic coordination.
• Investigating potential interventions and identifying the most cost-effective options. In 2025, our research influenced tens of millions of dollars in foundation grants. 
• Creating practical tools for philanthropists to compare resource allocations across different species and cause areas and to build giving portfolios despite uncertainties.
• Providing organizations with data to inform their decisions. For example, we have conducted surveys on perceptions of existential risks, AI, effective giving, and other topics. 
• Providing fiscal sponsorship and operational support to ensure that high-impact initiatives in areas like AI safety and animal welfare can launch and grow effectively.