Head of Public Engagement / Communications

The Center for AI Safety (CAIS) is a leading research and advocacy organization focused on mitigating societal-scale risks from AI. We address AI’s toughest challenges through technical research, field-building initiatives, and policy engagement, along with our sister organization in DC, Center for AI Safety Action Fund.

Public awareness remains the single biggest bottleneck in AI safety. Fortunately, the public's interest in AI safety is growing extremely quickly. Videos, articles, and social posts about AI safety are now reaching millions, and public curiosity is compounding by the week. CAIS is building a public engagement team to harness this surge in public interest and maximize the amount of attention that AI safety receives.

We’re hiring a senior leader to own narrative, reputation, and distribution across all public channels. You’ll set strategy, build the team, manage budgets, and run rapid response. This is the DRI for public engagement—responsible for message discipline, speed, and quality at scale. You will report to the Executive Director.

What You’ll Do

• Define and execute the org-wide public engagement strategy
• Own narrative architecture and reputation risk management
• Lead rapid response during news cycles and critical moments
• Oversee social, video, editorial, and press functions
• Build and manage budgets, hiring, and vendor relationships
• Align closely with Research, Policy, and Publications
• Establish operating cadence, dashboards, and performance standards

What We’re Looking For

• 10+ years in senior communications, public affairs, or media
• Experience leading multi-channel teams in high-stakes environments
• Strong editorial judgment and crisis instincts
• Comfort translating technical work into public narratives
• Track record of scaling teams and processes

$140,000 - $240,000 a year

Benefits:

• Health insurance for you and your dependents
• 401K plan + 4% matching
• Unlimited PTO
• Lunch and dinner at the office
• Annual Professional Development Stipend
• Access to some of the top talent working on technical and conceptual research in AI safety

The Center for AI Safety is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. In alignment with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.​

If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact [email protected].​

We value diversity and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.