Events Lead

We’re seeking an Events Lead to own our events and other live activities.

Applications are rolling.

Please do not include a cover letter, photograph, or headshot of yourself, or any personal information that is not relevant to the role for which you're applying.

About the role

We are looking for an Events Lead to own our events function and our live activities more broadly, from staff retreats to podcast recordings

Events are the core of the role. We hold three staff retreats per year, and our research teams run a growing number of their own events, such as expert symposiums and workshops. As Epoch grows, we expect the events calendar to grow as well and we want one person to own it: venues and vendors, budgets, travel, RSVPs and dietary needs, and on-site logistics. You would have real freedom in how you run the function, including when to bring in contractors or outsource pieces of it, though this stays a hands-on role: you would attend our events and do much of the work yourself. If the function grows, you would manage the people supporting it, most likely contractors. We also care about how events feel. The best ones leave people energized, productive, and full of good conversations, and designing for that is part of the job. Outside events, the role extends to our other live activities, such as arranging logistics for podcast recordings. We expect specific responsibilities to evolve as the organization does.

We are a primarily remote organization, but for this role we’re looking for candidates based in the Bay Area, and we would be especially excited about candidates who are open to working a hybrid or in-office schedule from our well-equipped office space in Berkeley. Some travel will be required.

We invite anyone who is interested to apply, regardless of background, experience, or credentials.

Key Responsibilities

• Staff retreats
• Own our three annual staff retreats end-to-end: venue search and negotiation, budgets, travel coordination, room assignments, dietary needs, session logistics, and on-site support.
• Other programmatic events
• Plan and run events for our research and benchmarking teams, such as expert symposiums and workshops, and invited speaker opportunities.
• Other live activities
• Arrange podcast recordings (scheduling, guests, venues, and recording logistics).
• Across all of these
• Decide how the events function runs: own budgets, build repeatable processes (checklists, timelines, templates) so each event is easier than the last, and choose what we do in-house versus outsource.
• Source and manage vendors and contractors, for example if we outsource venue sourcing or live support for some events.
• Design the experience, not just the logistics: agendas, spaces, and small details that make people comfortable, spark interesting conversations, and leave everyone energized and productive.

Please apply if you…

• Have organized events end-to-end , ideally including multi-day ones (retreats, conferences, workshops). You've negotiated with venues, held a budget, and fixed things on the ground when they broke.
• Have a feel for what makes a gathering work. You notice what shapes whether people connect and get things done, and you enjoy the creative side of designing for that.
• Are energized by complex challenges. You can own projects without a clear playbook, break new challenges down into manageable steps, and come up with creative solutions.
• Actively seek feedback and incorporate it quickly, and give clear, constructive feedback to others, even your supervisors.
• Are instinctively organized and conscientious. You don't have to work hard to stay on top of details; it comes naturally.
• Have two or more years of prior work experience in roles with many moving parts.
• Have great written and verbal communication skills, and comfort with direct and empathetic communication.
• Are comfortable with and excited about working in a startup-like, fast-moving environment. Time is our scarcest resource!
• Are motivated by Epoch’s work and our mission of improving humanity’s understanding of AI development.
• Can travel. While many of our events are held in the Bay Area, we frequently organize events elsewhere in the USA and internationally.
• It's a plus if you follow AI developments closely, but for this role it's a nice-to-have rather than a requirement.

If you don’t tick all these boxes but think you would be a great fit, please consider applying anyway!

Compensation & Benefits

• Annual salary between $122,829 and $141,254 USD, depending on seniority and prior experience.
• Remote/hybrid environment, including flexible work hours.
• Comprehensive health insurance program including supplemental health benefits, life insurance, and a 3% 401K match.
• Generous paid time off (PTO), including no specific annual limit, with 30 days PTO per year protected, unlimited personal and sick leave, and 4 months paid parental leave for permanent staff with at least 12 months of tenure (prorated parental leave if less than 12 months).
• A flexible and generous expense policy for you to spend on equipment and a large range of productivity tools or learning/development opportunities, including unlimited spending on AI tools, subject to regulations and manager approval.
• Paid work trips, including 3 staff retreats per year and relevant conferences.
• Full access to our very well-equipped offices in Berkeley, California, including paid meals, snacks, gym, and more.