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Apply for the Governance AI Research Fellow 2026. Earn £84,000–£103,500 in London or $134,500–$170,000 in Washington, with UK visa sponsorship available. Deadline: August 16, 2026.
Duration
Two years, full-time and fixed-term
The contract may be renewed.
Location
London, United Kingdom
Washington, DC, United States
Candidates based elsewhere may still be considered. Certain policy-focused or project-management work may require proximity to a relevant government or GovAI office.
Salary
London
£84,000–£103,500 per year
Washington, DC
$134,500–$170,000 per year
GovAI states that compensation depends on experience and location. Additional compensation may be available in particularly high-cost locations such as the San Francisco Bay Area.
Visa Sponsorship
United Kingdom
Confirmed available
GovAI explicitly states that it can sponsor visas in the United Kingdom.
United States
Not generally guaranteed
US visa sponsorship is available only in exceptional cases, and GovAI warns that it will often be unable to support a US visa petition. Applicants who require US sponsorship should not assume it will be provided.
Who Can Apply
GovAI welcomes candidates from diverse academic and professional backgrounds.
There are no strict formal educational requirements, but applicants generally need substantial relevant experience.
Benefits
For US employees, some benefits may be provided through an equivalent salary uplift rather than the listed UK budget structure.
Main Research Areas
Responsibilities
Eligibility
Required Documents
The official vacancy page confirms that applicants must complete a written application and develop a compelling research proposal. Candidates reaching the paid work-test stage will also be asked to prepare a detailed two-year research agenda.
The complete upload list is not displayed on the public vacancy page, and the Airtable form does not expose all fields through its publicly readable page.
I cannot confirm the complete document list.
Applicants should be prepared to provide information commonly required for a research application, but TripDoc should not present the following as officially confirmed uploads unless the live form requests them:
Application Steps
GovAI’s page describes written application, assessment, paid work tests, interviews and reference checks. Although the page says “three stages,” it numerically presents four components. Applicants should follow the actual instructions they receive from recruitment.
Selection Process
Important Warnings
1. It is not an entry-level opportunity
The absence of a strict degree requirement does not mean experience is unnecessary. GovAI expects demonstrated expertise and high-quality research capability.
2. US sponsorship is highly restricted
Applicants requiring US work authorization should not treat the Washington role as a reliable sponsorship route.
3. UK sponsorship is confirmed, but selection comes first
Visa sponsorship does not lower the experience requirements and does not guarantee an offer.
4. Location flexibility is conditional
“Open to candidates based elsewhere” does not mean the position is automatically remote from every country.
5. Research Scholar and Research Fellow are different levels
Less-experienced applicants may be assessed for the one-year research scholar position through the shared application.
6. Avoid fake agents
Apply only through the official form linked from Governance AI’s website. No application fee is stated on the official opportunity page.
