Application Guide

How to Apply for Executive Assistant & Operations Generalist

at Iliad

🏢 About Iliad

Iliad is a nonprofit umbrella organization advancing applied mathematics research in AI alignment through conferences, research incubation, and fellowship programs. Working here means directly supporting the infrastructure that trains and connects the next generation of AI safety researchers, in a mission-driven, fast-paced environment.

About This Role

As Executive Assistant & Operations Generalist, you'll be the operational backbone for the Director of Education, managing everything from digital infrastructure and meeting agendas to hiring pipelines and accountability systems for a growing education team. You'll build the processes that allow rotating teachers and platform developers to focus on delivering high-quality AI alignment education, making your work a force multiplier for the entire program.

💡 A Day in the Life

You might start by triaging the Director's inbox and updating the education team's project tracker, then run a hiring sync to refine interview rubrics for incoming teachers. Later, you'd automate a scheduling workflow using AI tools, and end the day preparing an agenda for a team accountability check-in, ensuring everyone has clear next steps.

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🎯 Who Iliad Is Looking For

  • Proven experience in operations, executive assistance, or management support, ideally in a nonprofit or startup environment where you had to build systems from scratch.
  • Strong personal organization and reliability, with a track record of proactively identifying bottlenecks and solving them before they escalate.
  • Familiarity with the AI safety community and comfort using AI tools (e.g., automation platforms, LLMs) to streamline workflows and reduce manual effort.
  • Experience designing hiring or people-management processes, such as interview scheduling, onboarding, or performance tracking for contractors or rotating staff.

📝 Tips for Applying to Iliad

1

Highlight specific examples of systems you've built to manage hiring, onboarding, or team accountability—quantify the impact (e.g., 'reduced scheduling time by 30%').

2

Demonstrate familiarity with the AI alignment ecosystem by referencing key organizations, conferences, or research themes in your application.

3

Show how you've used AI tools to automate administrative work, such as using Zapier, Notion AI, or custom scripts to handle repetitive tasks.

4

Tailor your resume to emphasize remote work success and experience supporting senior leaders in fast-moving, ambiguous environments.

5

In your cover letter, explicitly connect your operational work to Iliad's mission of advancing AI alignment education—show you understand why this role matters.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

Emphasize your ability to build scalable operational systems from the ground up, your proactive problem-solving in fast-paced nonprofits, your familiarity with AI safety and comfort with AI automation tools, and your experience supporting senior leadership with a high degree of reliability and discretion.

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore Iliad's website and recent publications to understand their focus areas in applied mathematics and AI alignment.
  • → Research the Director of Education's background, past projects, and public talks to align your application with their priorities.
  • → Look into the AI alignment education landscape, including key organizations like AI Safety Camp, SERI MATS, and relevant conferences.
  • → Investigate common tools used in nonprofit operations (e.g., Airtable, Notion, Slack, Zoom) and AI automation platforms to speak fluently about potential improvements.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you design a hiring and onboarding process for rotating teachers and platform developers in a rapidly scaling education program?
2 Describe a time you streamlined digital infrastructure or automated a workflow to save time for a team. What tools did you use and what was the outcome?
3 How do you prioritize tasks when supporting a director who has multiple high-stakes deadlines and shifting priorities?
4 What experience do you have with the AI safety community, and how do you see this role contributing to the field?
5 Give an example of a system you built to hold team members accountable without micromanaging. How did you ensure adoption?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Being vague about your operational experience—avoid generic statements like 'I'm organized' without concrete examples of systems you've built.
  • Ignoring the AI safety context—applying without showing any understanding of the field suggests you're not aligned with the mission.
  • Overlooking the 'generalist' aspect—focusing only on executive assistance without demonstrating ability to handle hiring, people management, and digital infrastructure.

📅 Application Timeline

⏰ Deadline: September 20, 2026

We recommend applying at least a few days early to avoid last-minute technical issues.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Iliad!

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