diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b4af57c..ce92899 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -24,8 +24,11 @@ __pycache__/
 job_scout/.venv/
 job_scout/reports/
 job_scout/state/*
-# ...but track the decision log (job application history), not the churny seen-state
+# ...but track the durable application records, not the churny seen-state:
+#   decisions.json         — per-posting decision log (applied/skip/shortlist/closed)
+#   application_cohort.json — cohort slot tracker (core/adjacent/stretch mix)
 !job_scout/state/decisions.json
+!job_scout/state/application_cohort.json
 
 # One-off job-board data pulls (debug artifacts)
 *_jd.json
diff --git a/job_scout/state/application_cohort.json b/job_scout/state/application_cohort.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b0f9e9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/job_scout/state/application_cohort.json
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+{
+  "cohort_id": "evidence-first-2026-01",
+  "status": "active",
+  "started": "2026-07-27",
+  "target_mix": {
+    "core": 7,
+    "adjacent": 2,
+    "stretch": 1
+  },
+  "definitions": {
+    "core": "Evidence Fit 75+ and no hard-gate failure",
+    "adjacent": "Evidence Fit 60-74, no required Gap, normally at most one serious preferred gap",
+    "stretch": "Evidence Fit below 60 or a defining responsibility is only Adjacent"
+  },
+  "applications": [
+    {
+      "company": "Google",
+      "role": "Software Engineer III, Business Home",
+      "application_date": "2026-07-27",
+      "fit_class": "core",
+      "evidence_fit": 89.0,
+      "hard_gate": "pass",
+      "channel": "weak",
+      "outcome": "rejected_no_interview"
+    },
+    {
+      "company": "Aker BP ASA",
+      "role": "Data Product Architect - AI-ready Data Products",
+      "application_date": "2026-07-29",
+      "fit_class": "adjacent",
+      "evidence_fit": 79.0,
+      "hard_gate": "pass",
+      "channel": "weak",
+      "outcome": "applied",
+      "submitted": "2026-07-29"
+    },
+    {
+      "company": "SBB",
+      "role": "Data Engineer (m/w/d), Asset Management Infrastrukturanlagen, Bern",
+      "job_id": "103755",
+      "application_date": "2026-08-25",
+      "fit_class": "core",
+      "evidence_fit": 79.0,
+      "hard_gate": "pass",
+      "channel": "warm_contact_published",
+      "outcome": "applied",
+      "submitted": "2026-08-25",
+      "open_risk": "Anforderungsniveau K is a capped GAV band, figures not public; seat may read lateral or below current Staff + Component Owner scope."
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file