Program Manager, Alignment

OpenAI OpenAI · AI Frontier · San Francisco, CA · Research

Program Manager to support OpenAI's alignment and safety ecosystem work through program execution, relationship management, and operational ownership. This role will work closely with alignment leadership to run external-facing programs and partnerships, improve coordination across collaborators, and provide leverage on recurring operational needs in a fast-moving research environment.

What you'd actually do

  1. Own logistics and execution for alignment events, including coordination with researchers, external participants, and internal stakeholders.
  2. Support third-party collaborations as an operational counterparty, including program management, contracting coordination, follow-through, and cross-functional tracking.
  3. Help incubate and manage external collaborations with organizations in the alignment ecosystem, including workstreams such as misalignment-related research collaborations or shared infrastructure efforts.
  4. Provide informed recruiting support for alignment ecosystem hiring by helping source, map, and engage trusted candidates and communities.
  5. Serve as the RPM counterpart for the Alignment blog, helping drive publishing operations, editorial coordination, and drafting support where needed.

Skills

Required

  • 4+ years of experience in program management, operations, partnerships, recruiting, or related work in research, policy, or technical environments.
  • Can independently drive complex, multi-stakeholder workstreams with strong program management judgment.
  • Communicate clearly and write effectively.
  • Are comfortable with ambiguity, can maintain momentum, and know how to close operational gaps without heavy oversight.

Nice to have

  • Have experience supporting fellowships, research communities, or external partnerships

What the JD emphasized

  • AI safety/alignment ecosystem
  • external collaborations
  • external researchers and organizations