Project Lead - Philosophy Research & Development Lab

ABOUT US

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners.

PHILOSOPY AND SOCIETY INITIATIVE

The Philosophy & Society Initiative is dedicated to reigniting a national tradition of public philosophy. Through publications, events, and original research we seek to stimulate the appetite for reflection about our largest and most haunting issues of societal purpose—What is justice? What is a good life? What is society for?

ABOUT THIS ROLE

The Aspen Institute’s Philosophy & Society Program seeks a Project Lead to lead our Philosophy R&D lab and related activities. The R&D lab is the primary incubating mechanism for Philosophy & Society’s activities. The person in this role is responsible for assisting the Director in leading our core intellectual activities and ensuring their implementation, including managing a team of research fellows and other junior staff. This position is about curating ideas and sharpening them for public debate. The successful candidate will combine intellectual judgment, editorial excellence, strong operational capacity, and the flexibility to support the program’s evolving needs.

The salary range for this role is $85,000 - $97,000. The Project Lead will report to the Director of the Philosophy & Society Program. Candidates must also have the ability to meet the regular attendance policy of the Aspen Institute and be based in Washington D.C.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• R&D Lab Management: Take delegated responsibility for R&D Lab and all associated Philosophy & Society outputs, including research and editorial publications, by leading a team of research fellows and other junior staff to implement P&S priorities.

• Operational Stewardship: Track grant deliverables, monitoring progress toward milestones, prepare reporting materials, and work closely with the Director on outcome measurement. Manage budgets associated with publications and related projects, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with institutional requirements.

• Intellectual Agenda-Setting: In coordination with the Director, develop vision to shape the program’s publications agenda, identifying themes, authors, and outputs that advance the public role of philosophy.

• Cross-Sector Collaboration: In partnership with the team, engage with philosophers, practitioners, policymakers, journalists, and civic leaders to produce work that resonates across audiences.

• Editorial Leadership: Serve as lead editor for the program’s portfolio of publications—including essays, policy papers, podcasts, books, and experimental formats. This entails not only ensuring clarity and precision but also making publishing decisions that foreground the most urgent and impactful questions. It involves primary accountability for the quality and detail of all outputs.

• Audience Development: Build pathways for our research and publications to reach beyond traditional readerships—developing strategies for placement, amplification, and media presence. This includes leading research fellows and junior staff to experiment with new channels and strengthen digital engagement to reach diverse audiences.

• Standards & Systems: Create and enforce research and publ