Hackathons Program Manager
Apart Research
📍Remote (Global) 🕘 Full Time
💰$25-45 USD/hour 🔄 Rolling Applications
We're seeking a Hackathons Program Manager to own and scale Apart Research's flagship hackathon program. Our hackathons bring together 200-1000+ participants globally to produce actionable research on critical AI safety questions, from AI-enabled CBRN risks to defensive technologies against emerging threats.
Apart Research is a research lab founded in 2022 with 30+ peer-reviewed papers in AI Safety, an influential position in AI career and research development, and strong international representation. Our research has been used by Anthropic, OpenAI, and national security labs, received awards at major ML conferences, and contributed to international AI governance work.
This role is primarily focused on hackathon ownership (~80%) with additional support for broader operations work (~20%).
Core Responsibilities
Hackathon Planning & Design (25%)
Recruit speakers, judges, and mentors
Manage partnerships with co-hosting organizations
Operational Infrastructure & Systems (20%)
Run the day to day operations of the hackathons by following established SOPs and workflows
Maintain registration, communication, and tracking systems (Notion, Zapier, Framer, etc)
Improve templates, workflows, and documentation for repeatable processes
Iterate on tooling based on operational needs
Participant & Community Management (15%)
Handle participant communications before, during, and after events
Manage Discord communities during hackathons
Be available to answer participant questions, troubleshoot issues, maintain engagement during hackathon weekend
Live Event Execution (10%)
Run hackathon event operations during the hackathon weekend
Coordinate speakers, manage schedules, handle real-time problems
Ensure judging and submission processes run smoothly and on time
Post-Event & Impact Measurement (10%)
Develop and analyze participant surveys (pre & post event)
Write post-event reports and materials for funders and partners
Track research outputs and downstream impact
General Operations Support (20%)
Support team retreats and in-person gatherings
Contribute to ad hoc operational projects across the organization
Assist with organizational systems, process improvements, and distributed team coordination
Required Qualifications
Experience running large-scale online or hybrid programs or events
Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple concurrent projects
Comfortable building and iterating on operational systems (Notion, Zapier, or similar)
Clear written communication with attention to detail
Work well with ambiguity and can make judgment calls independently
Care about AI safety and understand the research landscape enough to shape relevant programming
Quick learner who can rapidly master new topics, tools and platforms
Preferred Experience
Research community building or academic event coordination
Familiarity with the AI safety ecosystem
Process automation and workflow optimization
Experience supporting distributed/remote teams
What Makes You Stand Out
Track record of running events that participants actually want to come back to
Ability to make judgment calls independently when things inevitably go sideways
Genuine interest in AI safety research
Experience in fast-paced, mission-driven organizations
You've built operational systems that outlasted your tenure
Structure & Flexibility
We offer flexible arrangements including full-time positions or part-time contractor roles. We're open to discussing arrangements based on candidate strengths and organizational needs.
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.
If you have any questions please email us at sprints@apartresearch.com
