MATS Residency 2027 Winter Intake for AI Safety Research
The MATS Residency 2027 Winter Intake is open to applicants internationally who want to pursue substantial AI safety research. Applicants can indicate a preference for London, Berkeley, or Washington, DC. The programme uses a hybrid structure, with Residents expected to spend at least one-third of their Residency working in person. The current application window closes on October 31, 2026 (AoE, Anywhere on Earth).
Quick Overview
Programme: MATS Residency – 2027 Winter Intake
Opportunity Type: Research Residency
Organization: MATS
Locations: London, Berkeley, or Washington, DC
Programme Format: Hybrid
Application Window: August 25 to October 31, 2026
Deadline: October 31, 2026 (AoE, Anywhere on Earth)
Eligibility: Open to applicants internationally
About the MATS Residency 2027 Winter Intake
The MATS Residency seeks individuals capable of producing strong AI safety research. The selection process focuses on the quality and seriousness of an applicant’s work rather than formal titles or credentials.
Applicants do not need:
• A PhD
• A job title containing “researcher”
• An extensive publication record
• Previous experience in AI safety
MATS states that strong applicants may have produced their best work in confidential, unpublished, or non-traditional research settings.
Research Areas
Applicants submit a brief plan describing the work they intend to pursue during the Residency. Depending on the track, this can be a research plan, a plan for safety-relevant work to build or test, or a business plan for Incubation.
The Residency currently highlights research directions including:
• Safe automation of alignment research
• Safety cases and evaluations
• AI strategy
• AI assurance
• Technical AI governance
• Agentic and multi-agent AI safety and alignment
Applicants may also propose other work they believe can contribute to AI alignment and reducing catastrophic risk from AI. They should explain the theory of change behind the proposed work.
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Residency Tracks
Applicants select a preferred track and provide a short explanation of why it fits their goals.
The application page lists three tracks:
• Bridge
• Anchor
• Incubation
Each track has additional application requirements based on the type of research or project the applicant intends to pursue.
Location and Working Format
Applicants indicate their preferred office in:
• London
• Berkeley
• Washington, DC
The Residency is hybrid. Residents are expected to spend at least one-third of their Residency working in person from these offices.
There is no formal base-office assignment. Residents can spend their in-person time at different MATS offices during the programme.
The Residency is open to applicants internationally. MATS also provides visa support for applicants relocating from abroad.
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Application Requirements
All applicants must submit the required materials through the online application.
• Contact details
• Current affiliation
• CV of no more than two pages
• Preferred office
• Availability for the intake
• Work-authorization status
• Highest degree
• Information about previous MATS involvement
• Preferred track and a two-to-three-sentence explanation of why it fits
• Two references who can speak directly to the quality of the applicant’s work
• One representative work sample
• Two short written responses
• A brief counterfactual response explaining what the applicant would do without a Residency offer
A representative work sample may include a paper, repository, technical report, evaluation, policy analysis, or another substantial research output.
Track-Specific Requirements
Bridge
Bridge applicants must submit:
• A brief research plan and its theory of change
• A statement explaining why the Bridge track is appropriate at this stage
• An explanation of previous research experience and potential future contribution to AI safety
Anchor
Anchor applicants must submit:
• A brief research plan and its theory of change
• Two references from people who directly supervised or evaluated their work
• An explanation of why a two-year staff researcher path is appropriate
• Evidence of the ability to independently take ownership of an open-ended problem
Applicants do not need peer-reviewed publications or previous AI safety experience.
Incubation
Incubation applicants must submit:
• A project plan and theory of change
• An explanation of the proposed project’s novelty and why the Incubation track is appropriate
• A 90-day plan describing initial goals and conditions that could lead to revision, pausing, or stopping the project
• A governance and publication plan where relevant
• Information about the team and resources needed to pursue the project
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Selection Process
Applications are reviewed by the MATS Residency team, with input from programme advisors where appropriate.
The stated process includes:
• Applicants are expected to hear about their application outcome by the end of November 2026
• Shortlisted applicants are invited to an interview or paid work test in the first week of December 2026, depending on their track and research area
• Selected Residents are informed by the end of 2026
• Selected Residents are expected to start in early 2027
Use of AI Tools in the Application
Applicants may use AI tools when preparing their application. However, they must briefly disclose whether and how they used them and confirm agreement with the programme’s AI-use policy.
The application should reflect the applicant’s own reasoning and judgment. Applicants whose first language is not English may also use AI tools to improve the clarity of their writing.
Application Deadline
The 2027 Winter intake application window runs from August 25 to October 31, 2026.
Applications close on October 31, 2026 (AoE, Anywhere on Earth).
Official Link
Submit your application through the official application link below.
