Where can I find mentorship and advice for becoming a researcher?
There are multiple programs you can apply to if you want to try becoming a researcher. If accepted to these programs, you will get funding and mentorship. aisafety.training provides an up-to-date list of which programs have open applications, with an option to subscribe to updates. Some examples of these programs are: SERI summer research fellowship, CERI summer research fellowship, SERI ML Alignment Theory Program, and more. A lot of these programs run during specific times of the year (specifically during the summer). Check here for opportunities that are most appropriate for you.
Other examples of things you can do are: join the next iteration of the AI Safety Fundamentals program or the Redwood Research MLAB, if you're thinking of a career as a researcher working on AI safety questions you can get 1-1 career advice from AI Safety Support or 80,000 Hours, you can apply to attend an EAGx or EAG conference where you can meet in-person with researchers working on these questions so you can directly ask them for advice. If you are already a researcher in natural or social studies, consider applying to PIBBS.
One way to find mentors is to simply write to known researchers with specific questions. Not everyone has the time to reply, but they can often point you in the right direction.
Some of these resources might be helpful: https://www.aisafetysupport.org/resources/lots-of-links