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OpenAI is hiring a People Research Scientist in San Francisco, California, with a salary of $198,000–$220,000 per year plus equity. This full-time OpenAI job is an excellent opportunity for experienced researchers, people scientists, data scientists, organizational psychologists, and quantitative researchers interested in working at one of the world’s leading artificial intelligence companies.
The OpenAI People Research Scientist job focuses on research design, experimentation, measurement, causal inference, statistical modeling, people analytics, and applied data science. The successful candidate will help OpenAI make evidence-based decisions around recruiting, organizational health, manager effectiveness, employee experience, and talent outcomes.
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OpenAI People Research Scientist Job Overview
| Job Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Organization | OpenAI |
| Job Title | People Research Scientist |
| Department | People |
| Job Type | Full-time |
| Location | San Francisco, California / Mountain View, California |
| Work Arrangement | Primarily based in San Francisco or Mountain View |
| Salary | $198,000–$220,000 per year |
| Additional Compensation | Equity |
| Field | People Research, People Analytics, Data Science |
| Experience Level | Experienced Researcher |
| Application | OpenAI Careers |
About the OpenAI People Research Scientist Job
The OpenAI People Research Scientist position is part of OpenAI’s People team, which works to attract, engage, and retain talented professionals who contribute to the company’s mission.
Within the People team, the People Analytics function helps leaders make better, evidence-based talent decisions.
As a People Research Scientist at OpenAI, you will use advanced research methods and data science techniques to answer complex questions about people, organizations, and workplace systems.
This is a high-ownership individual contributor position. The role combines hands-on research, methodological leadership, experimentation, measurement, and the development of scalable people science capabilities.
The successful OpenAI People Research Scientist will be expected to transform ambiguous People-related questions into rigorous research designs, validated findings, and practical recommendations.
What Will the OpenAI People Research Scientist Do?
The People Research Scientist at OpenAI will have a broad range of responsibilities, including:
1. Design Research and Evaluation Strategies
You will design rigorous research and evaluation strategies covering areas such as:
- Recruiting
- Organizational health
- Manager effectiveness
- Employee experience
- Talent outcomes
- People programs
- Organizational systems
The research will help OpenAI understand what works, measure organizational outcomes, and improve its People programs.
2. Apply Advanced Statistical and Research Methods
The People Research Scientist will apply advanced statistical modeling, machine learning, experimentation, and research methodologies.
You will evaluate programs, inform program design, quantify business impact, and generate reliable evidence for organizational decision-making.
3. Work With People and Data Teams
The successful candidate will partner with People Operations, data engineering, and people systems teams.
Responsibilities include defining data requirements, improving data quality, establishing documentation standards, and ensuring that research datasets are reproducible, properly governed, and privacy-preserving.
4. Build People Science Infrastructure
The OpenAI People Research Scientist job also involves developing scalable people science infrastructure.
This may include:
- Self-service agentic tools
- Automated validation workflows
- Reusable research datasets
- Analytical pipelines
- Data products
- Research frameworks
- Governed analytical workflows
5. Develop Research Playbooks
The People Research Scientist will create research playbooks that establish rigorous standards for:
- Study design
- Measurement
- Validation
- Documentation
- Research quality
- Repeatability
- Scalability
These playbooks will help teams conduct high-quality research consistently across OpenAI.
6. Communicate Research Findings
The successful candidate must be able to communicate complex research findings clearly.
You will develop concise, executive-ready narratives that explain research results, methodologies, implications, and recommendations to senior leaders and other stakeholders.
OpenAI People Research Scientist Requirements
Applicants for the OpenAI People Research Scientist position should demonstrate strong experience in research, experimentation, measurement, statistical analysis, and applied data science.
OpenAI is looking for candidates with:
- Deep curiosity and strong attention to detail.
- A passion for solving ambiguous and complex problems.
- Strong research design and experimentation skills.
- Expertise in measurement and causal inference.
- Strong statistical modeling experience.
- Hands-on experience with psychometrics.
- Experience with survey methodology.
- Knowledge of structural equation modeling.
- Experience with multilevel modeling.
- Experience conducting randomized controlled experiments.
- Experience with A/B testing.
- Knowledge of quasi-experimental design.
- Experience with validation studies.
- Experience with machine learning evaluation.
- High proficiency in R or Python.
- Strong SQL skills.
- Experience working with complex and messy datasets.
- Experience building measurement systems and research programs.
- Experience developing data products and reusable analytics frameworks.
- Experience creating self-service research tools.
- Experience developing governed analytical workflows.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Strong judgment when working with sensitive employee information.
- Understanding of privacy, fairness, bias, and responsible research practices.
Preferred Qualifications for the OpenAI People Research Scientist Job
Additional qualifications that may strengthen an application include experience evaluating AI-assisted workflows, algorithmic systems, and human-AI decision-making processes in operational environments.
Familiarity with model evaluation methods is also preferred.
OpenAI also prefers candidates with an advanced degree in a relevant discipline, such as:
- Industrial-Organizational Psychology
- Organizational Behavior
- Quantitative Psychology
- Behavioral Economics
- Statistics
- Economics
- Data Science
- A related field
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OpenAI People Research Scientist Salary
The OpenAI People Research Scientist salary is $198,000–$220,000, according to the provided job posting.
In addition to the listed salary, the position offers equity, making this a potentially attractive opportunity for experienced researchers seeking a high-paying technology career.
The $198K–$220K OpenAI People Research Scientist salary reflects the advanced research, statistical, data science, and organizational expertise required for the position.
Where Is the OpenAI People Research Scientist Job Located?
The OpenAI People Research Scientist job is based in San Francisco, California, or Mountain View, California.
The position may require occasional travel to OpenAI’s San Francisco office.
Applicants should therefore consider the location and work requirements before applying for the OpenAI People Research Scientist position.
Why Apply for the OpenAI People Research Scientist Job?
The OpenAI People Research Scientist opportunity offers experienced researchers the chance to work at the intersection of:
- Artificial intelligence
- People analytics
- Organizational research
- Data science
- Behavioral science
- Statistical modeling
- Experimental research
- Human-AI decision-making
The position also provides an opportunity to influence how a rapidly developing AI organization understands employee experience, organizational effectiveness, talent systems, and workplace decision-making.
For researchers interested in AI and people science jobs, this OpenAI position offers an opportunity to contribute to a highly visible technology environment.
Who Should Apply for the OpenAI People Research Scientist Position?
The OpenAI People Research Scientist job may be suitable for professionals with backgrounds in:
- People research
- People analytics
- Organizational psychology
- Industrial-organizational psychology
- Quantitative psychology
- Behavioral economics
- Statistics
- Economics
- Data science
- Research science
- Applied research
- Machine learning
- Experimental design
Professionals who enjoy solving complex organizational problems using rigorous evidence, research methods, and data analysis may be particularly well suited to this position.
Skills Needed for the OpenAI People Research Scientist Job
Key skills for the OpenAI People Research Scientist position include:
Research Design: Ability to develop rigorous studies and evaluation strategies.
Statistical Modeling: Strong knowledge of statistical techniques and quantitative analysis.
Causal Inference: Ability to determine relationships and evaluate the effectiveness of People programs.
Experimentation: Experience with randomized controlled experiments, A/B testing, and quasi-experimental methods.
Data Science: Strong Python or R and SQL skills.
Measurement: Experience developing reliable measurement systems and validation approaches.
Machine Learning: Understanding of machine learning evaluation and applied data science.
Communication: Ability to translate complex research findings into clear recommendations.
Data Governance: Understanding of privacy, data quality, documentation, reproducibility, and responsible research.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research and deployment company focused on ensuring that artificial general intelligence benefits humanity.
The organization develops AI systems and products while emphasizing safety, human needs, and responsible deployment.
OpenAI states that it is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against applicants based on legally protected characteristics.
How to Apply for the OpenAI People Research Scientist Job
Qualified candidates interested in the OpenAI People Research Scientist job should review the complete vacancy details and submit their application through OpenAI’s official careers application system.
Applicants should carefully review the requirements before submitting their application and ensure that their CV/resume clearly demonstrates relevant research, statistical modeling, experimentation, data science, and people analytics experience.
Final Thoughts
The OpenAI People Research Scientist job 2026 is a high-level opportunity for experienced researchers who want to combine people science, advanced research methodology, statistical modeling, and artificial intelligence.
With a salary of $198,000–$220,000 per year plus equity, the OpenAI People Research Scientist position is particularly attractive to professionals with advanced expertise in research design, causal inference, experimentation, psychometrics, statistical modeling, machine learning evaluation, and organizational research.
If you have the required research and data science background, this OpenAI People Research Scientist job could provide an opportunity to contribute to evidence-based People programs while working within a leading AI organization.
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