Chief of Staff

About Active Site

Active Site is a nonprofit researching the intersection of AI and biosecurity. AI models are rapidly becoming more capable in biology, amplifying the risk of accidental or intentional misuse. We conduct uplift studies, observing participants in real-world wet labs to measure how AI augments human performance in biological experimentation. We use our findings to advance the science of risk assessment and implement concrete mitigations that safeguard the future of AIxBio.

The Role

Active Site is hiring its first Chief of Staff. This is a senior generalist role that owns the operational, organizational, and coordination infrastructure of a fast-moving research nonprofit. You’ll help run complex in-person studies, grow our team, manage projects, and build internal systems to scale our impact. You will primarily build and implement things that do not yet exist at Active Site. You will proactively identify what is broken before anyone asks you to and fix it. This is a role that thrives in ambiguity, and the best candidates will excel at operating under uncertainty.

What You Will Own

• Strategy and execution: Run planning and coordination cadence, translate priorities into owners, timelines, and follow-through, remove blockers.
• Cross-functional projects: Own initiatives that do not fit a single function including new study launches, program buildouts, tooling rollouts, process overhauls.
• Study operations: Partner with researchers, own logistics of in-person uplift studies including recruitment and screening, build repeatable systems.
• People and HR: Build and run people function including onboarding, offboarding, employment documentation, benefits administration, hiring coordination, and policies.
• Finance: Own project-level budgeting, coordinate with external bookkeepers, accountants, and legal partners to ensure accuracy and timeliness.
• Internal systems: Build and implement operational infrastructure including documentation, workflows, knowledge management, and tooling using AI and automation.

What Success Looks Like

Within 3 to 6 months, establish consistent project tracking and updates system, lead full operations plan for one in-person study, organize vendor relationships, financial planning, and HR infrastructure. Within the first year, run a full planning cycle with clear tracking and follow-through, manage multiple parallel studies without strain, and be trusted to independently own high-stakes decisions.

Competencies and Qualifications

Required

• 3+ years in fast-paced, high-ownership environment.
• Strong fluency with AI tools, automation, modern project management and productivity tooling.
• Experience across operational domains including HR, finance, or project operations.
• Exceptional judgment making good decisions with limited information and knowing when to escalate.
• Experience working closely with senior leadership or founders.
• Experience designing automated operational solutions.
• Comfortable operating under ambiguity.

Preferred

• Background in research or scientific environment.
• Familiarity with human subject studies.
• Exposure to nonprofit finance, grant management, or compliance.
• Enthusiasm about or experience in biosecurity and AI safety.

Who We Are Looking For

Strong candidates close loops and flag problems early, balance speed and quality, are comfortable with the 80/20 principle, can handle high volume operations, make good judgment calls independently, and find ambiguous novel problems interesting.

Work Environment

This is an in-person role based in Cambridge, MA office. During in-person studies, expected on-site five days per week 9 AM-5 PM. During periods without active studies, hybrid schedule and increased flexibility to work from home.

Salary and benefits

Full-time role reporting to Executive Director. Starting salary range $135,000 to $175,000 per year based on experience.

Benefits

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage: Medical 100% employer-paid premiums via UnitedHealthCare; Dental & Vision 75% employer-paid via BlueCross BlueShield and Guardian.
• 4 weeks PTO.
• 12 weeks fully paid parental leave (4 additional weeks for birthing parent).
• 401(k) with 4% match.
• Annual professional development budget.
• Relocation support and office setup.

Work Authorization

Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and individuals authorized to work in the U.S. Visa sponsorship limited to Change of Status or Transfer petitions; no consular processing sponsorship.

Referral Bonus

Referral bonus up to $2,500 based on successful candidate referral milestones.