Operations Lead
About METR
METR is a non-profit that conducts empirical research to determine whether frontier AI models pose a significant threat to humanity. It is robustly good for civilization to have a clear understanding of what types of danger AI systems pose, and know how high the risk is. You can learn more about our goals from our published talks (overall goals, recent update).
Some highlights of our work so far:
- Establishing autonomous replication evals: Thanks to our work, it’s now taken for granted that autonomous replication (the ability for a model to independently copy itself to different servers, obtain more GPUs, etc) should be tested for.
- Pre-release evaluations: We’ve worked with OpenAI and Anthropic to evaluate their models pre-release, and our research has been widely cited by policymakers, AI labs, and within government.
- Inspiring lab evaluation efforts: Multiple leading AI companies are building their own internal evaluation teams, inspired by our work.
- Early commitments from labs: The safety frameworks of Google DeepMind, OpenAI, and Anthropic all credit or endorse our work in developing responsible scaling policies
We have been mentioned by the UK government, Time Magazine, and others. We’re sufficiently connected to relevant parties (labs, governments, and academia) that any good work we do or insights we uncover can quickly be leveraged.
- Strategic Finance & Accounting - Manage financial processes and accountant team. Establish a month-end close and quarterly budget process that drives METR's spend decisions and fundraising plans.
- Accounts Payable - Implement policies and procedures that ensure spend is trackable, responsible, and a smooth experience for all involved.
- HR - Manage and ensure HR processes are smooth and compliant. Own payroll and benefits administration and manage our HRIS including selecting and transitioning to another HRIS if needed.
- Legal - Own the relationship with METR's outside counsel and ensure the organization is complying with all applicable legal & regulatory policies.
- Governance - Manage METR’s board meeting preparation process, ensuring governance best-practices are followed in an efficient manner. Finalize organizational policies and reporting as needed to facilitate an effective board meeting.
- Other - This role will likely evolve from week-to-week and include work outside of the above 6 functions. For instance: procuring and managing external contractors (e.g. cybersecurity, immigration lawyers), negotiating contracts with external parties, and responsive to staff questions regarding operations at METR.
- Care about assessing catastrophic risk from AI - METR is an organization dedicated to developing scientific methods to assess catastrophic risks stemming from AI systems’ autonomous capabilities and enable good decision-making about their development. Our employees have turned down roles at other organizations because they want to focus full-time on building evaluations that help maximize the probability of safe AI development.
- Have 5–8 years of BizOps experience and have worked at a start-up - METR is a ~25-person team, so many of our processes and systems are not figured out. The prospect of building them from scratch should energize you.
- Are comfortable in a part-IC, part-manager role - This is a role that spans both IC and management work. At times, you will manage and coach individuals. Other times, you will have to own projects end-to-end and figure out what works with minimal direction. The scope of your role will change over time and across projects.
- Are excited to build scalable processes - A lot will depend on you, so you'll want to create scalable, light-touch, and effective processes and generate staff buy-in for them. You'll do best if you love the satisfaction that comes from engineering processes that support the organization's growth and shifting priorities.
- Excel at detailed execution - This role requires meticulous attention to detail across critical business functions. You'll be our primary overseer on our financial transactions, governance materials, HR documentation, and legal agreements. You may do well if you have a track record of managing complex documentation with precision and take satisfaction in maintaining impeccable records. The ability to spot discrepancies, maintain accurate data, and ensure compliance across multiple workstreams is essential. You should be someone who naturally double-checks their work and has systems in place to maintain high accuracy even when juggling multiple priorities.
We encourage you to apply even if your background may not seem like the perfect fit! We would rather review a larger pool of applications than risk missing out on a promising candidate for the position. If you lack US work authorization and would like to work in-person (preferred), we can likely sponsor a cap-exempt H-1B visa for this role.We are committed to diversity and equal opportunity in all aspects of our hiring process. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We welcome and encourage all qualified candidates to apply for our open positions.
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As the Operations Lead at METR, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our mission to assess the risks posed by frontier AI models. Located in the beautiful city of Berkeley, you'll be part of a passionate team dedicated to conducting empirical research that seeks to safeguard humanity from potential dangers of AI. Your responsibilities will cover a wide range of operational functions—from overseeing financial processes to managing compliance with legal standards. You will implement efficient accounting procedures and drive our budget processes that inform METR's crucial funding decisions. Additionally, the role involves overseeing HR processes to ensure a smooth experience for our team members, managing board meeting preparations to uphold governance best practices, and even engaging with external contractors as needed. With your 5–8 years of business operations experience and knack for creating scalable processes, you’ll thrive in our dynamic environment where each day can bring new challenges. Your exceptional attention to detail will be essential as you navigate complex documentation and foster an efficient workflow that truly supports our organization’s growth. Excited to contribute to a safer future with AI while enjoying a collaborative and innovative work culture? We encourage you to apply and explore what you can bring to the table at METR.
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