Zurich AI Safety is hiring a Director

By Erik Jentzen, mariuswenk, marcel.steimke, LukasFluri @ 2026-03-03T09:48 (+3)

Summary

Zurich AI Safety (ZAIS) is hiring a Director, with the goal of professionalizing AI Safety capacity building in Zurich and Switzerland. The Director will lead individualized career advising for promising talent, expand outreach to mid- and senior-level professionals, manage ZAIS's growing volunteer team, and explore AI Safety opportunities in the context of the 2027 AI Summit in Geneva. Funding has been secured for a full-time, 14-month position. Due to Swiss work permit regulations, we can only consider applicants who are citizens of Switzerland or an EU/EFTA member state (or who already hold a valid Swiss work permit). The deadline to apply is the 22nd of March.

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About Zurich AI Safety

ZAIS started as the Zurich AI Alignment (ZAIA) reading group and, since 2022, has started to organize speaker events, community gatherings, and educational programs for people interested in AI safety in the Zurich area. The current team consists of 7 volunteers. The activities include: the AI Futures Talk Series, the AI Safety Fundamentals course, co-working days at PEAKS, a paper reading group, social events, participation in international programmes, and individualized career support by EA Switzerland. The first Zurich AI Safety Day (September 27, 2025) was a major success, drawing over 350 applications, 200+ participants, and representatives from 20+ organizations, including UK AISI, Apollo Research, and FAR.AI. Zurich has particularly strong talent streams, with top universities such as ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich, and AI companies like Google and Microsoft. To sustain the building momentum, we are now aiming to transition from volunteer-led activities to professional AI safety capacity building in Zurich and Switzerland. With the announcement of the 2027 AI Summit in Geneva, a strengthened ecosystem of people focusing on safety feels more important now than ever before.

About the Role

• Location: Switzerland, In Person in Zurich (with flexible remote days)
  • Desk at PEAKS Coworking Space
• Title: Director
• Work hours: Full-Time, 40 hours per week.
• Start: May 2026
• Contract duration: 14 months (with the goal of securing follow-up funding)

Key Responsibilities

• Individualized Career Advising
  • Build and run ZAIS's 1-on-1 career advising program, supporting promising individuals with personalized guidance on transitioning into high-impact AI Safety roles
  • Advise both talented students at ETH and UZH as well as mid- to senior-level professionals at Zurich's major tech companies such as Google, IBM, or Microsoft
  • Connect advisees with relevant opportunities such as MATS, BlueDot Impact, ERA, and SPAR, and follow up to track progress
• Outreach to Mid- and Senior-Level Tech Talent
  • Develop and execute a targeted outreach strategy for professionals at Zurich's major tech companies, with a particular focus on Google and other AI-focused organizations
• Volunteer Management and Program Oversight & Support
  • Lead, support, and actively host events alongside ZAIS's volunteer team, guaranteeing continuity and quality across the AI Futures Talk Series, AI Safety Fundamentals Course, and Paper Reading Group.
  • Hold volunteers accountable for follow-through on events and documentation, and step in where needed to maintain momentum
• Ecosystem Building and Strategic Partnerships
  • Coordinate with partner organizations including EA Switzerland, Simon Institute, Pour Demain, and BlueDot Impact
  • Explore how ZAIS can contribute to Switzerland's role in the lead-up to the 2027 Global AI Summit in Geneva
  • Identify ETH professors and PhD researchers whose work is relevant to AI Safety and engage them in potential collaborations
  • Represent ZAIS externally at events, conferences, and in the broader Swiss and global AI Safety ecosystem
  • Organize the first ZAIS Retreat in Switzerland.
• Organizational Leadership and Operations
  • Execute day-to-day operational responsibilities, including budgeting, planning, and reporting to funders
  • Build the infrastructure needed for ZAIS to operate independently and demonstrate impact
  • Lead fundraising efforts to secure funding for ZAIS beyond the initial grant period

Qualifications

Required

• Due to Swiss work permit regulations, we can only consider applicants who hold citizenship of Switzerland or an EU/EFTA member state, or who already hold a valid Swiss work permit
• Based in Switzerland or willing to relocate
• Fluency in English
• Strong commitment to making AI development safe, with a solid understanding of the existential risk perspective and the broader AI Safety ecosystem.
• Strong executive capabilities: able to run and grow ZAIS largely independently, including strategy, operations, and stakeholder management.
• Exceptional communication skills — both in writing and in person — with the ability to explain AI Safety compellingly to new audiences.

Desired

• Several years of professional experience, with the credibility to engage and advise mid- to senior-level professionals at major tech companies.
• Proficiency in German.
• An established network in Switzerland, particularly within the tech sector, academia, or government.
• Experience in 1:1 advising, mentoring, or coaching.
• Well-connected within the global AI Safety ecosystem.

Please note that you do not need to meet 100% of the qualifications to be considered. We strongly encourage you to apply if this role excites you.

Compensation & benefits

We offer a gross salary of 75.000 CHF per year, along with a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• 25 days of paid leave
• Flexible working arrangements
• Professional development support and advising
• A dedicated desk at the PEAKS co-working space in Zurich, working alongside organizations like EA Switzerland and Apollo Research.

For exceptional candidates with significant relevant experience, we are open to discussing higher compensation.

Hiring Process

We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage early submissions. The deadline to apply is the 22nd of March.

• Initial Application (30-60 min)
• Asynchronous Video Interview (30 min)
• Paid Test Task (~3 hours)
• Structured Interview (1 hour)
• Reference Check - We will ask for references from previous employers or collaborators.
• Funder Call (1 hour) - A call with our main funder.

Apply here