Scientific Director

About FirstPrinciples:
FirstPrinciples is a non-profit foundation dedicated to advancing our understanding of the universe's fundamental principles. Our mission is to drive scientific breakthroughs that have a lasting, global impact by harnessing technological innovation, data-driven strategies, powerful communication, and strategic research funding. We envision a future where deep scientific knowledge catalyzes transformative progress for humanity.

Job Description:
The Scientific Director at FirstPrinciples will serve as the backbone of the organization’s scientific expertise by providing oversight, guidance, and validation across all initiatives. This role spans multiple functions, including product development (e.g., Research Hub, AI Physicist, Analytics and Insights), media efforts (e.g., articles, dynamic content, Media Hub), and educational resources, ensuring that all outputs meet the highest scientific standards. Acting as the foundation’s “scientific voice,” the Scientific Director will ensure the accuracy, rigor, and relevance of FirstPrinciples’ activities while fostering meaningful engagement with physicists, science communicators, and the broader public.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Guidance and Quality Assurance:

• Serve as the scientific quality gatekeeper for all FirstPrinciples initiatives, ensuring outputs are scientifically accurate, rigorous, and valuable to physicists.
• Provide feedback and review articles, media, and other content through a “scientific lens” to maintain high standards and credibility.

Product Development and Innovation:

• Act as a scientific consultant for product development, ensuring tools (Research Hub, AI Physicist, and Analytics and Insights modules) align with the needs of the research community and drive innovation in physics research.
• Collaborate with technology teams to integrate advanced scientific methodologies and AI-driven tools into FirstPrinciples' products.
• Provide insights on emerging trends and challenges in fundamental physics to shape the future product development pipeline.

Media and Communication:

• Advise on content strategy for the Media Hub, static and dynamic media, and educational materials to ensure scientific depth and accessibility.
• Review and validate media assets (e.g., animations, videos, articles) to ensure they communicate complex ideas with scientific accuracy.
• Serve as an internal resource to bridge the gap between scientific communication and technical rigor.
• Collaborate with science writers, the editorial team, and the dynamic content team to generate impactful and engaging content.

Engagement and Outreach: 

• Build and maintain relationships with physicists, research institutions, and other stakeholders to foster collaboration and align FirstPrinciples with global research priorities.
• Act as a representative of FirstPrinciples in scientific forums, conferences, and outreach efforts.
• Contribute thought leadership through blogs, articles, or presentations to enhance FirstPrinciples’ presence and credibility in the scientific community.

Scientific Leadership:

• Provide strategic advice to leadership on current developments in physics and their potential impact on FirstPrinciples’ initiatives.
• Help shape the overall vision of FirstPrinciples by aligning products, media, and outreach with scientific breakthroughs and challenges.
• Advocate for the importance of rigorous science in public discourse and policy through informed messaging.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in theoretical physics or a related field, with a strong academic or research track record.
• Extensive knowledge of current trends and challenges in theoretical and experimental physics.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex scientific ideas effectively to diverse audiences, from technical researchers to the general public.
• Experience in guiding or advising cross-functional teams, ideally in a research, product, or media context.
• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with scientific stakeholders and organizations.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with a commitment to scientific rigor and innovation.
• Passion for making scientific knowledge accessible and impactful.

Application Process:

• Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume, a cover letter detailing their qualifications and vision for the role, and references. Please include "Scientific Director" in the cover letter.

Join us at FirstPrinciples and be a part of a transformative journey where science drives progress and unlocks the potential of humanity.