Job Description

Convergent Research is a nonprofit science studio best known for pioneering the Focused Research Organization (FRO): purpose-built, mission-driven orgs designed to solve technological bottlenecks, unlock whole new fields, and lead to scaled revolutions. We’ve proven our model works by building over 14 high-impact scientific organizations spanning AI, biotech, mathematics, climate science, and more.

AI capability is compounding faster than the world's ability to absorb it. Other technologies got decades to sort out their safety codes, their testing regimes, and the institutions that enforce them. We don't have decades. The defenses have to be built while the technology is still moving, and there's no budget line anywhere that says build the defenses now.

That's the gap this role exists to close. Not "how do we build another AI company" - plenty of people are doing that. This role is about building the missing institutions and technical infrastructure that make the world resilient to advanced AI: the defensive capabilities that won't be built by a startup, won't fit inside an academic lab, and are too important to leave to chance.

What you’ll do

Who you are

• You understand the AI landscape of 2026 in granular detail: who is building what, why, and on what timeline
• More importantly, you have a view on where that leaves the rest of the world exposed, and which of those exposures are tractable and through what clever ideas and technical methods they might be patchable, and who are the people developing those ideas
• You have ideas, or a credible plan to find ideas, for large-scale efforts that would measurably improve how the world weathers this transition
• You can argue passionately for a thesis about where philanthropic capital should go, and then argue the other side just as well
• You're technically fluent in frontier AI, enough to tell a real bottleneck from a fashionable one
• You have a deep network in the field and people pick up when you call
• You know how startups actually work, probably because you’ve worked at one, or at a venture firm, or built something yourself
• You’ve raised money, owned a budget, written technical roadmaps, and hired people
• You’ve assembled a group of people to do a hard technical thing, and it worked
• You’ve spent time around boards, governance, or nonprofit leadership
• You communicate clearly and you move fast

In 6 months you will have

• Written a clear thesis for Convergent’s AI resilience portfolio: the areas we should pursue, the bottlenecks we are uniquely positioned to unlock, and the kinds of founders we should be backing.
• Helped at least one promising founder or founding team move from early concept toward a fundable, technically credible organizational plan.
• Built a strong map of the AI resilience ecosystem, including researchers, funders, labs, nonprofits, policymakers, and technical experts whose work should inform our portfolio.
• Sourced and diligenced a serious pipeline of potential FROs or FRO-like projects, with several ready for deeper development
• Built trusted relationships with key funders and external advisors who can help us launch ambitious new AI resilience institutions.

What you’ll get

• A rare chance to build institutional architecture for frontier science alongside some of the sharpest people working across a dozen fields
• Competitive salary, with a range of $200,000 - $350,000.
• Up to a 6% 401k match because future-you deserves comfort
• Top-tier medical, dental, and vision insurance—majority of options are fully covered for you and your dependents. Stay healthy, my friend
• Company-paid life insurance, AD&D, long- and short-term disability insurance, as well as voluntary supplemental insurance options
• 19 holidays (including a full week off at the end of the year—yes, we enforce it)
• 3 weeks PTO with tenure increases, with separate allotments for sick and parental leave
• Generous fertility benefits and childcare reimbursement—because tiny humans are a big deal
• Education and professional development benefits
• Wellness allowance for fitness and wellness activities (treat yourself to climbing shoes or Calm.com—no judgment)
• 3x/year offsite team retreats and additional opportunities to meet your teammates in person

Convergent Research exists to fill a structural gap in the R&D system. We enable fundamental research that requires unusual levels of scale and coordination yet is not rapidly monetizable by industry. We’re bringing together top talent from academia, industry, and startups to build a new model for innovative R&D.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We believe in hiring individuals based on their unique talents—not on race, color, religion, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law or our company policies. We are more than a proud Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Our goal is to foster a healthy, safe, and respectful environment where all employees are valued and treated with dignity. Harassment of any kind is not tolerated here.

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