Second Look Program Lead

Department
PSD Enrico Fermi Institute: X Lab

About the Department
The Existential Risk Laboratory (XLab) is an initiative based within the Physical Sciences Division at the University of Chicago. The Lab aims to catalyze novel research activity by serving as a convening locus at the University as well as supporting research groups for the interdisciplinary field of existential risk studies. XLab additionally supports outreach and education for undergraduates through its summer research fellowship, educational events, and curricular development efforts.

Second Look is a new XLab research program dedicated to producing replications and verifications of influential AI safety research. Second Look's 2026 pilot is a 10-week summer program (June 15-August 22, 2026) hosting seven in-person research fellows at the University of Chicago, with the goal of replicating and publicly reporting on 10-15 high-profile AI safety papers. The program is co-led by XLab and its Second Look Program Leads and is funded through external research grants.

Job Summary
The Second Look Program Lead co-founds and co-leads Second Look, a new XLab research program dedicated to producing replications and verifications of influential AI safety research. Working alongside the existing founding Program Lead, this role shares responsibility for the research agenda, the fellowship cohort, the quality of published replications, and the program's external reputation. The Program Lead is expected to take technical ownership over a subset of replications, mentor fellows, set and enforce quality standards for publications, and represent the program publicly to the AI safety research community. Because Second Look is new, the Program Lead will also help shape the program's long-term direction, including co-owning fundraising and evaluation efforts that will determine whether Second Look continues as a permanent XLab team after the pilot. This position is expected to last approximately 12 months, but may be extended based on grant funding.

Responsibilities

• Manages the replication selection process, working with XLab leadership, the other Program Lead(s), and the broader AI safety community to identify high-priority papers using Second Look's published criteria (narrative influence, research dependence, vulnerability, difficulty, and recency).
• Co-leads the Summer 2026 Fellowship cohort, including fellow supervision, weekly check-ins, and quality review of draft replications and write-ups.
• Takes direct technical ownership for a subset of replications, contributing to experimental design, implementation review, and publishable write-ups.
• Sets and enforces publication standards for Second Look outputs - including the website, LessWrong crosspostings, code and artifact releases, and communications with original paper authors - consistent with Second Look's commitment to fair, balanced, and accurate replications.
• Represents Second Look externally at conferences, in online research forums, and in direct conversations with senior researchers in the AI safety community.
• Responsible for fundraising and sustainability planning, including drafting grant proposals, briefing funders, and building the case for a permanent team after the pilot.
• Partners with the Second Look Operations Manager on program logistics and with the XLab administrative team on broader XLab operations.
• Helps recruit and vet future full-time staff, research engineers, and fellows for Second Look.
• Applies research principles and relevant subject matter knowledge relevant to administer a research project. With a moderate level of direction, manages lab and/or research-related duties and tasks. Helps develop, design and conduct research projects according to plan.
• Supports data collection and analytical needs of research projects. Conducts literature reviews and helps write reports and manuscripts. Ensures project compliance with different policies, procedures, directives, and mandates.
• Takes responsibility for the following non-laboratory duties: transcribing and coding data; developing data collection instruments; presenting research; and recruiting and scheduling research subjects. Acquires higher-level skills and knowledge in the process.
• Perform other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in computer science, machine learning, statistics, or a related quantitative field.

Experience:

• Prior research experience in AI safety, machine learning, or a closely related technical field - published work, fellowships (e.g., MATS, SERI MATS, ARENA, SPAR), or industry research experience.
• Experience managing or mentoring junior researchers.
• Experience writing for technical audiences - papers, LessWrong/Alignment Forum posts, research blog posts, or similar.
• Demonstrated familiarity with the AI safety research ecosystem and its institutional landscape (frontier labs, independent research organizations, academic groups, funders).
• Experience contributing to or leading an open-source research project.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong research taste: the ability to judge which claims in a paper are load-bearing and which are secondary.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, especially the ability to present technical critiques fairly and constructively.
• Comfortable working with a research community that has strong opinions and limited patience for sloppy work.
• Proficiency with Python, PyTorch, and common ML tooling; familiarity with evaluation frameworks and/or interpretability tooling is a plus.
• Comfort with Git, GitHub, and standard research engineering workflows.
• Judgment about when to publish, when to share findings with original authors first, and how to balance speed with rigor.

Working Conditions

• In-person preferred; primarily based at the University of Chicago.
• May work occasional evenings and weekends, particularly around publication deadlines and external engagements.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover letter (required)
• Links to representative technical writing, code, or prior research (preferred)
• References (preferred)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
Research

Role Impact
Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5

Drug Test Required
No

Health Screen Required
No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
No

Pay Rate Type
Salary

FLSA Status
Exempt

Pay Range
$72,000.00 - $85,000.00
The included pay rate or range represents the University's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible
Yes
The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call View phone number on click.appcast.io or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.