Research Lead, Policy Communications

OpenAI•San Francisco, CA

6d•$347,000 - $385,000•Hybrid

About The Position

As Research Lead, Policy Communications, you will build and lead a rigorous research program that helps OpenAI understand how people engage with complex AI policy issues. You will design qualitative and quantitative studies, develop durable research practices, and translate findings into clear recommendations for Policy, Communications, Product, and other partners. Your work will help teams communicate complex topics accurately, responsibly, and in ways that are useful to a broad range of audiences. This role can be based in San Francisco or Remote. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees.

Requirements

We’re looking for a senior mixed-methods research leader who combines deep quantitative and qualitative expertise with strong strategic judgment.
You should be able to independently turn an ambiguous policy communications question into a rigorous well-scoped research plan, a clear interpretation of the evidence, and practical recommendations that teams can use.
Bring substantial experience leading public-opinion, communications, policy, market, or behavioral research in a complex or fast-moving environment.
Have deep survey-methods expertise, including questionnaire design, sampling, weighting, panel and vendor quality, experimentation, statistical analysis, longitudinal research, and clear treatment of uncertainty.
Design and conduct or oversee strong qualitative research, including recruitment, interviewing or moderation, synthesis, and integration with quantitative findings.
Have experience designing research across varied populations and judging whether a sample can support the conclusions being drawn.
Translate research into clear communications, policy, and product recommendations, and influence senior cross-functional partners when evidence challenges a preferred direction.
Communicate complex methods and findings clearly; manage research vendors, budgets, timelines, privacy, and research ethics; and build durable systems that let organizational learning compound.

Responsibilities

Build and manage a mixed-methods research program from initial questions through study design, fieldwork, analysis, reporting, and documentation. Establish high standards for quality, consistency, and responsible research practice.
Design rigorous quantitative research, including surveys and longitudinal studies. Oversee questionnaire design, sampling, weighting, vendor quality, analysis, and clear communication of uncertainty and limitations.
Lead qualitative research, including interviews and focus groups, to understand how people interpret complex policy topics. Use these insights to improve the clarity, accuracy, and usefulness of policy communications.
Turn findings into executive-ready reports with practical recommendations for Policy, Communications, Product, Marketing, Data Science, Legal, Privacy, and other partners. Build reusable research tools, benchmarks, and knowledge that strengthen decision-making over time.