Program Manager, Emerging Talent Recruiting & Programs

About the Team

At OpenAI, we are dedicated to building safe artificial general intelligence (AGI) to benefit all of humanity. Our mission attracts the world’s top talent in science, engineering, and business to address one of the most ambitious challenges of our times. The Recruiting team is at the heart of this mission, tasked with identifying and hiring exceptional individuals who align with OpenAI's values and cultural ambitions. Our approach to recruitment aims to set the standard for excellence and innovation in the field, connecting outstanding candidates with opportunities to impact the future of AI.

The Emerging Talent (EmT) Recruiting & Programs team builds pathways for exceptional early-career talent to grow and thrive at OpenAI. We lead high-impact initiatives like the Research Residency and technical internships, focusing on individuals from diverse or unconventional backgrounds. By partnering closely with Research, Applied, and People teams, we design inclusive, rigorous programs that develop future leaders in AI and expand access to our mission.

About the Role
The OpenAI Research Residency is a high-impact program designed to identify and accelerate the development of talent from unconventional or early-career backgrounds into world-class AI researchers. As the Program Manager for this initiative, you will own and evolve every aspect of the Residency experience—from strategic planning and cohort design to day-to-day program operations and conversion support.

You’ll serve as the central node across Research, Recruiting, and People teams to deliver a thoughtful, inclusive, and developmentally rigorous experience that meets both participant and organizational goals. This includes managing programmatic feedback loops, ensuring strong mentorship structures, driving community-building efforts, and supporting high conversion outcomes into full-time roles.

Your Responsibilities

Program Ownership and Execution

• Lead all aspects of the Research Residency lifecycle: onboarding, learning curriculum, feedback loops, midterm reviews, offboarding, and conversion tracking.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for residents, mentors, and hiring managers.

• Oversee program communications, updates, and documentation across stakeholders.

Strategic Design & Iteration

• Refine program goals in partnership with Research leadership and Recruiting to meet evolving talent pipeline needs.

• Design and iterate on the curriculum and programming to foster technical growth, cultural alignment, and community-building.

• Track and analyze program outcomes and implement data-informed improvements.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Partner with recruiting to ensure a steady and strategic pipeline of incoming residents.

• Collaborate with mentors and team managers to scope impactful projects and support development plans.

• Coordinate with Compensation, HRBPs, and Legal to navigate hiring structures, offer processes, and policy changes.
  

Community & Culture Building

• Create a cohesive community across residents and alumni via regular check-ins, quarterly events, and peer mentorship.

• Maintain a strong alumni network and cultivate success stories for future candidate engagement.
  

We're Seeking:

• 8-10 years of experience in program management, ideally in early-career talent development, recruiting, or technical education.

• Strong project management skills, including the ability to coordinate across stakeholders, timelines, and tools.

• Analytical mindset—confident working with data to track program health and inform decisions.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Proven adaptability, resilience, and the ability to navigate ambiguity in fast-paced environments.
  

Nice to Have:

• Familiarity with technical hiring, especially in research or machine learning domains.

• Background in recruiting, education program design, or talent development.

• Experience supporting or building community-based programs.

• Project Management certification (e.g., PMP or equivalent).
  

Workplace & Location

This role is based in our San Francisco office and we aren’t considering remote applications at this time. We offer relocation support to new employees, and we use a hybrid work model: three days in the office per week with optional work from home on Thursdays and Fridays.

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