About the job
This role offers a unique opportunity to shape how AI systems handle sensitive chemical and explosives information. You'll work with leading AI safety researchers while tackling critical problems in preventing catastrophic misuse.
Responsibilities
Design and implement evaluation methodologies for assessing AI model capabilities relevant to chemical weapons, explosives synthesis, and energetic materials
Develop and execute strategies to identify and mitigate potential C/E misuse in model outputs
Create C/E threat models, including precursor identification, synthesis routes, and weaponization techniques
Review and analyze traffic to identify potential policy violations related to C/E content
Collaborate with software engineers to develop and refine detection systems and automated enforcement tools for C/E threats
Conduct rapid response to escalations involving dangerous C/E queries
Collaborate across teams to establish safety benchmarks and develop appropriate model guardrails
Translate C/E domain knowledge into actionable safety requirements
Develop approaches to assess C/E model knowledge boundaries for dual-use chemical information
Monitor emerging threats in the C/E landscape to inform policy development
Qualifications
Minimum
Have a Ph.D. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field with focus on energetic materials, explosives, and/or chemical weapons
Have 5-8+ years of experience in chemical weapons and/or explosives defense, with deep expertise in energetic materials, chemical weapon agents, or related areas
Have knowledge of high yield explosives application to radiological dispersal devices (dirty bombs) and related radiological weapons
Have a track record of translating specialized technical knowledge into actionable safety policies or guidelines
Are comfortable navigating ambiguity and developing solutions for novel safety challenges
Can work independently while maintaining strong collaboration with cross-functional teams including engineering, enforcement, and research
Thrive in a fast-paced environment where you balance rigorous scientific standards with rapid threat response
Are passionate about preventing misuse of dangerous technical knowledge while enabling beneficial applications
Preferred
Experience with both chemical weapons and high yield explosives defense
Experience working with defense, intelligence, or nonproliferation organizations (e.g., OPCW, IAEA, national labs, defense contractors)
Published research or practical experience in explosives characterization, chemical weapons detection, or related security applications
Knowledge of international chemical weapons conventions (CWC) and controlled substances regulations
Demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-specialist audiences
Experience with chemical databases (PubChem, Reaxys, SciFinder) and computational chemistry tools
Understanding of radiological materials and their interaction with explosive dispersal mechanisms
Familiarity with dual-use C/E research concerns and responsible disclosure practices