Frontier Lab Seeks Head of AI Safety to Write Memos That 'Inform but Do Not Block' Launches
SAN FRANCISCO— A major AI research laboratory is seeking a seasoned Head of AI Safety to join its team at what the company describes as "a critical moment in AI development," a phrase it has used in every job posting since 2021.
The role will be the company's most senior dedicated safety position, sitting one organizational level below the team responsible for shipping decisions and three levels below the team that determines what "safety" means for any given release cycle. The successful candidate will have direct access to an Executive Sponsor who has been described internally as "very committed to this hire."
Core responsibilities include producing internal memos that, per existing company policy, "inform but do not block" shipping timelines; representing the company's safety posture in external communications, including on weeks when the candidate has not been briefed on what shipped; and serving as a thought partner to the Capabilities team specifically during the thirty minutes before a demo.
The listing notes the candidate will attend a monthly All-Hands, where they will be introduced as "the conscience of the company" and seated, per tradition, next to the Chief Revenue Officer.
Qualified applicants will have seven or more years' experience in safety, alignment, or policy; comfort with being publicly thanked for raising concerns; and no current nondisclosure obligations stemming from a prior role that concluded following the submission of a memo.
Compensation is $380,000 to $490,000 base, plus equity in a company whose existential risks the successful candidate will be the first to document in writing.
"We believe deeply in safety," a spokesperson confirmed Monday. "That is why we are hiring for it."
The company asks that applicants not inquire about team size, decision-making authority, or reporting structure prior to accepting an offer. It is, separately, racing to build artificial general intelligence before the end of the fiscal year.