Description
Job Posting
Research Communications Manager
Location
San Francisco
Employment Type
Full time
Department
Communications
Compensation
$185K – $205K • Offers Equity
The base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. If the role is non-exempt, overtime pay will be provided consistent with applicable laws. In addition to the salary range listed above, total compensation also includes generous equity, performance-related bonus(es) for eligible employees, and the following benefits.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
- Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses (parking and transit)
- 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
- Paid parental leave (up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents), plus paid medical and caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks)
- Paid time off: flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
- 13+ paid company holidays, and multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year for focus and recharge, plus paid sick or safe time (1 hour per 30 hours worked, or more, as required by applicable state or local law)
- Mental health and wellness support
- Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
- Annual learning and development stipend to fuel your professional growth
- Daily meals in our offices, and meal delivery credits as eligible
- Relocation support for eligible employees
- Additional taxable fringe benefits, such as charitable donation matching and wellness stipends, may also be provided.
More details about our benefits are available to candidates during the hiring process.
This role is at-will and OpenAI reserves the right to modify base pay and other compensation components at any time based on individual performance, team or company results, or market conditions.
About the Team
OpenAI’s mission is to ensure that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity.
Our Communications team’s ethos is to support OpenAI's mission and goals by clearly and authentically explaining our technology, values, and approach to safely building powerful AI.
About the Role
OpenAI is seeking an experienced communications professional to join our Platform & Research Communications team. This role will work closely with the Research Communications Lead and in partnership with applied and engineering teams to shape how OpenAI’s scientific work is understood by researchers, journalists, policymakers, and the broader public.
This position is responsible for developing and executing external communications strategies around OpenAI’s research—from foundational model advances to applied science collaborations—ensuring accuracy, nuance, and alignment with OpenAI’s long-term goals. The ideal candidate brings strong science or technical fluency, excellent storytelling instincts, and experience navigating complex, high-stakes narratives.
You will partner closely with research leadership, individual researchers, policy, product, and cross-functional communications teams. This role requires both strategic judgment and hands-on execution in a fast-moving environment where research, product, and public discourse intersect.
This role is based in San Francisco, CA and follows a hybrid schedule (three days per week in office). Relocation assistance is available.
In this role you will:
Shape Research Narratives
- Develop clear, credible external narratives around OpenAI’s research roadmap, breakthroughs, and long-term scientific direction.
- Translate complex technical work into accessible stories without oversimplifying or overstating impact.
- Help define and reinforce OpenAI’s POV on key research topics (e.g., reasoning, alignment, interpretability, scientific discovery).
Lead Research-Focused Media Engagement
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with top-tier science, technology, and business journalists.
- Manage proactive and reactive media engagement related to research announcements, papers, collaborations, and emerging narratives.
- Prepare researchers and executives for interviews, briefings, and public appearances.
Support Research Launches & Publications
- Partner with research teams to plan communications for major papers, model releases, evaluations, and science initiatives.
- Collaborate with design, editorial, and social teams on blogs, explainers, visuals, and supporting materials.
- Ensure launches are grounded in evidence, aligned with policy and safety considerations, and appropriately scoped.
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Work closely with Product, Policy, Safety, Legal, and Marketing to align research communications with broader company goals.
- Serve as a communications thought partner to researchers—helping them anticipate questions, risks, and opportunities.
Risk Anticipation & Mitigation
- Identify potential reputational, scientific, or misinterpretation risks early.
- Develop mitigation strategies, Q&A, and guidance for sensitive or high-profile research topics.
- Help ensure OpenAI communicates responsibly about frontier capabilities and limitations.
You might thrive in this role if you have:
- 7+ years of experience in research, science, or technology communications
- Demonstrated experience working directly with scientists, engineers, or technical leaders.
- Strong understanding of AI, machine learning, or adjacent scientific domains
- Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the ability to adapt tone for expert and general audiences
- Proven judgment handling complex, ambiguous, or high-stakes narratives
- Experience managing multiple workstreams in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities