National Security Associate, Global Affairs

About the Team

OpenAI’s mission is to ensure that artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We believe that achieving our goal requires effective engagement with policymakers in the national security community. Accordingly, our Global Affairs team builds authentic, collaborative relationships in these domains. We ensure that insights from policymakers and stakeholders inform our work and collaborate with them to support regulation, industry standards, and safe and beneficial development of AI tools. The U.S. Policy and Partnerships team is part of the broader Global Affairs team and is tasked with establishing and developing strong, trusted, and authentic relationships with government officials, lawmakers, and other external stakeholders. The team seeks to engage all parts of the U.S. AI policymaking community and to provide technical and policy expertise. We also work closely with the broader Global Affairs team to build collaborative relationships with the public sector and other organizations that could benefit from using our tools.  

About the Role

We’re seeking to hire an exceptional national security generalist to join our nimble, high-impact team to expand our efforts to connect with, educate, and partner with national security and law enforcement officials across the U.S. government.  OpenAI recognizes the importance of longstanding, established relationships with government stakeholders, so this position would be an integral part of building that network of relationships from the ground up.

Reporting to the National Security Lead, the National Security Associate will help develop policy and drive and manage our relationships with key stakeholders in the national security community. This role requires close collaboration with other colleagues on the Global Affairs Team, as well as coordination and collaboration with other parts of the company (e.g. legal, safety, communications).  The ability to move fast and collaboratively on complex issues in a changing environment is critical.

OpenAI is constantly evolving as we release industry-leading research and tools, and you'll face new challenges as the needs of the organization evolve. Day-to-day work may encompass anything from communicating with U.S. government representatives, representing OpenAI at convenings and events, developing and implementing an engagement strategy on a pressing policy issue, or preparing company leaders to represent OpenAI at events.   

We are looking for a self-directed and creative individual with experience building and cultivating relationships with national security stakeholders, plus an understanding of how technology-related policy gets made. Experience working in government, understanding technology-related regulation, and technical skills relating to generative AI models are highly desirable.

This role is based in Washington, DC and may require frequent travel to meet with key stakeholders. We offer relocation assistance to new employees. 

You should thrive in this role if you:

• Are well versed in the issues around national security and emerging AI technologies.

• Are an enthusiastic and effective coalition builder who enjoys working independently, but also thrives as a member of a high performing, peer-led global team.

• Enjoy coordinating and facilitating complex collaborative projects among many stakeholders, but are also an accountable individual contributor.

• Are passionate about the promise of technology and the future of artificial intelligence but thoughtful about its potential risks.

We're looking for a blend of:

• Established network and credibility with national security stakeholders

• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of federal government rules, institutions and processes, and of the key policy issues and debates related to AI at these levels

• Significant experience in technology policy is a plus

• Proven skills coordinating and facilitating multi-stakeholder collaboration

• Sound judgment and outstanding personal integrity

• Ability to execute in fast and flexible environments through rapid cycles of analysis, decision, and action

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to convey complex technical and policy concepts to diverse audiences

• Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and project management skills

• Track record of effectively working with cross-functional teams and aligning a diverse range of internal and external partners

• Genuine care and knowledge about the impact of technology on society

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity. 

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. 

For US Based Candidates: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link.

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At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.