Technical Program Manager

Technical Program ManagerBasis is a nonprofit applied AI research organization with two mutually reinforcing goals. The first is to understand and build intelligence. This means to establish the mathematical principles of what it means to reason, to learn, to make decisions, to understand, and to explain; and to construct software that implements these principles. The second is to advance society's ability to solve intractable problems. This means expanding the scale, complexity, and breadth of problems that we can solve today, and even more importantly, accelerating our ability to solve problems in the future. To achieve these goals, we're building both a new technological foundation that draws inspiration from how humans reason, and a new kind of collaborative organization that puts human values first.We're seeking a Technical Program Manager who is deeply passionate about program management to drive ambitious research projects forward. You'll work across several projects, serving as a linchpin between our researchers, engineering teams, leadership, and external collaborators, requiring both technical depth and project management expertise.Core ResponsibilitiesDevelop and maintain project roadmaps, translating long-term strategic goals into milestones and tasksRun regular team meetings, triaging issues, and ensuring research scientists and engineers stay on trackCoordinate between core technical and project teams, identifying and resolving dependenciesWrite and review technical design documents and project plansModel human, compute, and financial resources across projectsContribute technically when necessaryEngage with external project-partners, nurturing existing relationships and cultivating new collaborationsContinuously refine Basis' approach to project management in researchQualifications and Attributes4+ years managing technical (scientific/engineering) projects, with demonstrable impactPhD-level comprehension of AI/ML concepts (though a PhD itself isn't required)Proficiency with project management tools such as Linear, JIRA, or equivalentFamiliarity with version control systems (e.g., Git) and collaboration tools (e.g., Notion, GSuite)Exceptional writing skills, able to communicate complex ideas clearly and conciselyMore important than any specific qualification is your ability to navigate uncertainty and find clarity in complexity. The problems we're tackling don't have clear solutions—that's why we're tackling them.Our ideal candidate is someone who:Thinks from first principles, knowing when to adopt or discard standard practicesSimplifies complexity and sees unnecessary processes as problems to be solvedAutomates everything that should be automatedMakes tough calls on project direction and resource allocation, often with incomplete informationExcels at distilling nebulous research questions into concrete, actionable project plansUnderstands the human side of research, balances individual team-member needs with project progressWorks and acts quickly, maintaining team momentum at the right level of intensityRelentlessly reduces uncertainty and ambiguity—is persistent in getting clarityHas expertise in our core technical areas including statistics, causal reasoning, probabilistic machine learning, and/or programming languages, with an appetite to learn moreIs a fast learner, able to quickly build upon a solid mathematical foundation into the diverse technical areas that we work inObsesses over effective program management and continuously asks, "How can we do this better?"Role DetailsLocation: NYWork Mode: In-personEmployment Type: Full-timeSalary: $100,000 - $160,000Non-Discrimination Notice Basis Research Institute provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or genetics and prohibits discrimination based on all protected characteristics.Privacy NoticeBy submitting your application, you grant Basis permission to use your materials for both hiring evaluation and recruitment-related research and development purposes. Your information may be processed in different countries, including the US. You retain copyright while providing Basis a license to use these materials for the stated purposes.Read our full Global Data Privacy Notice here.