The OpenAI Residency 2026 is a six‑month program designed to identify, mentor, and develop exceptional individuals who have the potential to make groundbreaking contributions to frontier AI research. The Residency brings together unconventional thinkers, creative builders, self‑taught engineers, and researchers from diverse academic backgrounds—uniting them under one goal: to accelerate the future of safe, capable artificial intelligence.
Residents join OpenAI as full‑time employees, embedded directly within cutting-edge Research teams. They work under the mentorship of leading AI researchers and engineers, gaining hands-on exposure to the development of advanced AI systems and contributing to real research directions.
OpenAI views the Residency as a talent discovery engine, designed to find people with remarkable learning velocity, original thinking, and the technical creativity needed to become future leaders in AI.
Position Details
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Employment Type: Full-time
- Department: Research
- Compensation: $18.3K per month
About the Program
The OpenAI Residency blends structured mentorship with real research challenges. Over six months, Residents:
- Work on ambitious, frontier-level AI projects.
- Learn to design, run, and evaluate experiments.
- Receive direct mentorship from senior researchers and technical leaders.
- Contribute to genuine research outputs and internal tooling.
Residents are expected to ramp quickly and deliver meaningful contributions throughout the program. Exceptional Residents may be considered for full-time roles at the end of the Residency, depending on performance and team needs.
The program is based in San Francisco, California, following a hybrid in-person schedule. Relocation assistance is available for accepted candidates.
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Who OpenAI Is Looking For
OpenAI values trajectory over traditional credentials. The Residency is intentionally open to individuals from unconventional backgrounds. You may be a strong candidate if you are:
A Builder, Hacker, or Early-Stage Founder
Someone who turns ambitious ideas into real prototypes, tools, or products.
A Rapid Learner in Technical Fields
An engineer or researcher who thrives in open-ended environments and enjoys solving complex problems.
A Cross-Disciplinary Researcher
With experience in fields such as:
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Neuroscience
- Quantitative research
An Independent Thinker
Pursuing ideas through self-study, open-source work, or personal research projects outside traditional pathways.
A Competition or Olympiad Achiever
Proof of strong problem-solving ability through:
- Math or programming Olympiads
- Hackathons
- Technical competitions
- High-impact projects
Apply for the 2026 OHCHR Minority Fellowship Programme (MFP)
Core Requirements for All Residents
Applicants must:
- Be extremely proficient in programming and software development.
- Be comfortable with advanced mathematics, including linear algebra, calculus, probability, and statistics.
- Be able to independently design, build, or execute complex technical projects.
- Be open to consideration for full-time roles after the Residency.
Preferred Qualifications
While not required, strong applications may include:
- Recognised achievements in technical or creative fields (competitions, publications, open-source projects).
- Evidence of self-directed study in machine learning.
- Signs of technical originality, experimentation, and fast learning.
- Motivation to pursue breakthroughs that advance AI for the benefit of humanity.
Application & Interview Timeline
- Application Review Begins: January 2026
- Interview Process: Multiple technical assessments conducted over several weeks
- Start Dates: Flexible, based on team availability
Candidates should expect a rigorous interview process designed to evaluate technical ability, reasoning, and learning pace.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment organisation committed to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. The organisation advances frontier AI capabilities while building safety systems to guide responsible deployment.
OpenAI values diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity. Applicants are considered without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or legally protected characteristics.
Background checks are conducted in accordance with applicable laws, including Fair Chance regulations in California and Los Angeles County.
OpenAI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
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