OpenAI is giving $555,000 salary for a Head of Preparedness: Roles and requirement explained by Sam Altman
OpenAI has listed a senior opening for the post of Head of Preparedness in its Safety Systems team, based in San Francisco. The role focuses on identifying and managing risks linked to advanced AI models and comes with a compensation package of $555,000 plus equity.
New Delhi: OpenAI has announced a senior job opening for the post of Head of Preparedness in its Safety Systems team. The role will be based in San Francisco and comes as the company increases its focus on managing risks linked to powerful artificial intelligence models. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has said that preparedness is becoming more important as AI systems grow more advanced and are used more widely in the real world.
OpenAI expects the Head of Preparedness to manage a small but influential team and work closely with researchers, engineers, product teams, and policy staff. There may also be collaboration with outside organisations to make sure safety plans hold up in real-world use. Clear communication and strong judgment are considered essential, especially when decisions carry high stakes and limited certainty.
OpenAI’s approach to preparedness
OpenAI, "preparedness” refers to work aimed at identifying and handling risks that could cause serious harm if advanced AI systems are misused or behave in unexpected ways. The company says this effort looks at not just one model, but several future generations of AI. It involves testing what models can do, understanding where risks may appear, and putting safeguards in place before problems arise. The idea is to improve safety alongside technical progress, rather than responding only after systems are released.
Work of the Head of Preparedness
The person hired as Head of Preparedness will be responsible for running this programme from start to finish. This includes setting up tests to measure advanced AI capabilities, creating threat models to understand possible dangers, and making sure safeguards are actually applied. However, the purpose of these steps are for a working safety pipeline that can keep pace with fast-moving product development.
Another key part of the role is ensuring that safety evaluations influence real decisions. Test results are expected to play a direct role in deciding when and how AI models are launched, shaping internal policies, and supporting formal safety reviews. Since AI risks and public expectations can change quickly, the preparedness framework will need regular updates.
What are the requirements of the role?
The organisation is looking for candidates who have a strong background in technical areas such as machine learning, AI safety, security, or risk assessment. In terms of experience, having a niche in fields such as cybersecurity, biosecurity, threat modelling, or other high-risk domains is seen as an advantage. However, this position offers a compensation package of $555,000, along with equity, reflecting the senior nature of the role and its responsibility for overseeing AI safety and preparedness at the company.