Jobs and Careers

Technical Research & Standards Lead

Washington, United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 6 Jun 2025

About the role

About the Role

Fathom is seeking a Director of Technical Research & Standards to spearhead the development of actionable, high-impact research and technical standards that underpin the Multi-Stakeholder Regulatory Organization (MRO) we are building. This is a founding technical leadership role with an unusual mandate: to not only shape the technical architecture of a first-of-its-kind AI governance institution, but also to ensure that the research work directly influences and supports real-world governance mechanisms.
This is an extraordinary opportunity for a mission-driven technical leader with deep research credibility and interdisciplinary orientation to define the foundational standards and evaluations ecosystem for AI safety and governance. You will lead core components of Fathom’s MRO initiative, work across civil society, policy, and industry, and lay the groundwork for a technical team that expands under your leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Research Leadership and Translation to Practice

Lead Fathom’s technical standards and research agenda for AI safety and governance.
Translate research insights (yours and others') into technical standards, evaluation protocols, and infrastructure that support enforceable governance mechanisms.
Serve as principal author or advisor on public-facing reports, legal-technical mappings, and internal guidance for gold standards of care for advanced AI systems.
Coordinate research and pilot projects validating these standards and their enforceability.

MRO Technical Design and Governance Infrastructure

Help design and operationalize the core technical architecture of the MRO, including:

Frameworks for gold standards in AI safety and evaluation.
Mechanisms to assess compliance with those standards.
“Audit the auditor” protocols and infrastructure for accountability.
Information boards and disclosure standards that form the foundation of third-party oversight.
Participate in forming an independent board of AI experts and technical leaders to define and oversee standards.

Stakeholder Engagement and Field-Building

Act as a strategic liaison to leading researchers, labs, policymakers, and evaluators across academia, civil society, and industry.
Represent Fathom and the MRO in public and private technical forums, advocating for the adoption of standards and robust evaluation practices.
Build and support a high-caliber network of collaborators and technical advisors who advance the MRO’s mission.
Help cultivate a technical field and evaluation marketplace necessary for sustained AI oversight.

Team Building and Strategic Growth

Recruit, mentor, and lead a growing technical team focused on evaluations, standards, and research-to-practice integration.
Shape internal culture around rigorous, mission-aligned technical work that translates into tangible governance and policy outcomes.
Help identify new research directions, funding opportunities, or institutional partnerships to expand the impact and durability of the MRO.

Qualifications

PhD or equivalent experience in AI, computer science, STS, or a related field with demonstrated work at the intersection of technical systems and societal impact.
Deep expertise in AI research, evaluation methodologies, or adjacent areas such as interpretability, safety, assurance, or fairness.
Proven track record of translating sociotechnical or interdisciplinary research into systems, frameworks, or practices with real-world impact.
Experience advising or collaborating with governments, industry, or regulatory bodies preferred.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to write clearly, persuade effectively, and engage interdisciplinary and non-technical stakeholders.
Entrepreneurial energy to lead in a startup-like environment and build new institutions and norms from scratch.

Preferred Attributes

Deep curiosity and concern for how AI systems impact society and how governance can meaningfully shape those outcomes.
Ability to thrive across domains — academic, policy, civil society, and private sector — and to speak the languages of each.
Comfort with ambiguity and the energy to help build something new, flexible, and durable under t