Head of Communications

FAR.AI is seeking an experienced communications leader to develop and execute a communications strategy to inform key stakeholders on AI capabilities, risks and solutions, and advocate for responsible development and deployment. In this role, you will take full ownership of the communications function at FAR.AI, shaping our content and messaging; reaching our audience through both social and traditional media; and directly engaging key decision makers in government and industry. You’ll be instrumental in growing our existing communications work, leading a team of two communications specialists, and launching a bold new communications strategy. We plan to allocate a budget of >$1mn/year to this division. If you thrive on variety, love solving challenges, and are excited to help shape the future of a mission driven organization, please apply.

About Us

FAR.AI is a non-profit AI research institute dedicated to ensuring advanced AI is safe and beneficial for everyone. Our mission is to facilitate breakthrough AI safety research, advance global understanding of AI risks and solutions, and foster a coordinated global response.

Since our founding in July 2022, we've grown quickly to 20+ staff, producing 30 influential academic papers, and established the leading AI Safety events for research, and international cooperation. Our work is recognized globally, with publications at premier venues such as NeurIPS, ICML, and ICLR, and features in the Financial Times, Nature News, and MIT Technology Review.

We drive practical change through red-teaming with frontier model developers and government institutes. Additionally, we help steer and grow the AI safety field through developing research roadmaps with renowned researchers such as Yoshua Bengio. We also operate FAR.Labs, an AI safety-focused co-working space in Berkeley housing 40 members, and support the community through targeted grants to technical researchers.

About the role

FAR.AI is seeking a Head of Communications to lead and scale our strategic communications efforts, working closely with our research and events teams to effectively communicate complex ideas about AI safety to key decision-makers and stakeholders. In this role, you will have complete ownership of our communications strategy, from content creation and messaging; reach through traditional and social media; to building relationships with key policymakers, industry leaders, and journalists. As our communications leader, you’ll be pivotal in executing our new, ambitious communications strategy, guiding our work to engage key decision-makers in government and industry, and steer the narrative on AI safety. You will also take charge of managing the communications team, overseeing media relations, and ensuring FAR.AI’s voice remains trusted and authoritative in the field.

This is a unique opportunity to join a fast-growing, mission-driven organization and take FAR.AI’s communications strategy to the next level. We would love to hear from you if you’re excited about this role and our mission, even if your experience doesn’t perfectly match every qualification!

Key responsibilities

• Develop & Lead Communications Strategy
  • Create and implement a comprehensive communications strategy aimed at engaging key decision-makers (policymakers, AI researchers, & industry leaders) and shaping public understanding of AI safety.
  • Ensure messaging is clear, impactful, and consistent across all channels and initiatives.
  • Oversee the development of content, including policy-focused technical content and social media strategies.
• Media Relations & Public Engagement
  • Leverage your relationships with key journalists and media outlets to secure high-impact coverage, op-eds, and expert commentary.
  • Lead rapid response communications to address misconceptions surrounding AI safety and ensure the organization's narrative remains accurate and credible.
  • Drive placements in influential policy and technical outlets (e.g. New York Times, Financial Times, MIT Technology Review, Foreign Affairs).
  • Oversee the creation of a media kit and ensure FAR.AI remains an attractive source for journalists.
• Team Leadership & Coordination
  • Lead, mentor, and expand the communications team, including content specialists and social media experts.
  • Coordinate with internal teams, including research and policy, to ensure messaging aligns with FAR.AI’s mission and research focus.
  • Select, brief and manage with external firms (PR, socials etc.) to boost visibility and media reach.
• Content Strategy & Execution
  • Oversee the creation of accessible summaries and interactive content to explain complex AI safety research.
  • Ensure content resonates with diverse audiences, including technical researchers, policymakers, and the general public.
  • Lead the social media strategy, including organic posts and paid campaigns, to grow FAR.AI’s reach and influence.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Brand Building
  • Represent FAR.AI at industry events and conferences, building our reputation as a trusted AI safety authority.
  • Collaborate with other AI safety organizations to amplify our collective impact and drive key AI safety initiatives forward.
  • Crisis Communications & Reputation Management, establishing and maintaining clear protocols for responding to potential controversies or misinformation, safeguarding FAR.AI’s credibility and ensuring consistent messaging across all public channels.

About You

You are an experienced communications leader with a deep interest in AI safety and a proven track record in shaping high-impact communications strategies. You combine strategic vision with hands-on execution, and thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. You are someone who can manage both long-term strategy and day-to-day operations, leading a team, collaborating with key stakeholders, and ensuring FAR.AI’s messaging is always clear, persuasive, and credible.

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in a high impact communications role in policy, science, or technical field (e.g., policy communication, science journalism, public relations). We are open to candidates with less traditional communication roles (e.g., product launches, entrepreneurial ventures), as long as they bring a strong entrepreneurial mindset and an ability to communicate effectively to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated track record of leading initiatives (preferably communications) end-to-end at a similar scale, including setting goals and strategy, managing cross-functional teams, implementing campaigns, iterating based on feedback, and measuring outcomes. This can include both formal team leadership (managing direct reports) and informal leadership (influencing without direct authority).
• Strong experience in media relations and securing high-impact placements in major outlets.
• A deep interest in AI safety and/or experience with AI technologies and policy. While direct AI safety experience is preferred, we are open to candidates with a strong interest in the field and a demonstrated ability to learn quickly and immerse themselves in complex technical subjects.
• Excellent strategic judgment and ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders simultaneously.

Nice to have:

• Entrepreneurial experience with a proven ability to launch new initiatives, develop innovative strategies, and build communications from the ground up.
• Proven experience in crafting clear, concise, and impactful content for a range of audiences (e.g., researchers, policymakers, the public).
• Ability to synthesize complex technical topics into easily digestible content for non-technical audiences.
• 2+ years of experience managing people and teams is preferred, but not required if you have a proven ability to lead initiatives, work independently, and guide teams without formal authority.
• Familiarity with the AI policy landscape and experience engaging with key stakeholders (governments, AI companies, policy think tanks).
• Background in advocacy or political communications (at an advocacy group or in Congress/the Administration), particularly in technology and innovation policy.
• Track record of building and scaling communications teams, particularly in early-stage, fast-growing organizations.
• Experience in digital grassroots and running social media campaigns.
• Productive and strong relationships with high profile/reach journalists in the tech and policy spaces.
• On-the-record experience.

We’re looking for someone who has significant communications expertise, but more importantly, a flexible mindset. We understand that the best candidate might not fit the traditional mold, and we’re open to those with a strong entrepreneurial bent. If you are deeply passionate about AI safety and have entrepreneurial experience (e.g., launching products, building campaigns), your ability to shape narratives and build relationships may be just as valuable as your formal communications background.

Why FAR.AI?

You will be a full-time employee of FAR.AI, a 501(c)(3) research non-profit.

• Make a lasting impact: Join a team at the forefront of AI safety and play a critical role in shaping global conversations about the future of AI.
• Work with the best: Collaborate with leading AI researchers, policymakers, and media experts on critical issues at the intersection of technology and society.
• Flexible Location: Hybrid – While we prefer applicants to be based in our Berkeley office, we are also open to candidates who can work remotely, provided they can approximately align with West Coast (Pacific Time) hours.
• Competitive Compensation: Base salary of $140,000 - $200,000 (Full-time 40 hours/week) plus benefits, with the potential for additional compensation for exceptional candidates. We will also cover work-related travel and equipment expenses. Catered lunch and dinner are provided at our Berkeley office.

Application process:

Our application process includes a screening call, a test task, interviews with our team, and a full-day assessment. For some candidates, we may offer a short work trial to assess mutual fit. We expect filling out the initial application form will take less than 15 minutes.

Please apply directly via the application form. All applications will be considered and reviewed equally. Since we are a small team and receive a high volume of applicants, we ask that you don't reach out to FAR.AI team members (email, LI, etc) in addition to your application as that will not sway the outcome of our review. Thank you!