Imagine a world in which the positive benefits of science and technology help everyone to enjoy better lives. This is the vision of Schmidt Futures. We advance society through technology, inspire scientific breakthroughs, and promote shared prosperity. As a venture facility for public benefit, we provide early risk capital to the most clever ideas and most exceptional people across disciplines.
A part of Schmidt Futures, the Challenges Project harnesses the power of technology and science to solve the biggest challenges facing humanity. We identify challenges where we believe that advances in technology and science, such as breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, can have a transformational positive impact over the next 20 years. We catalyze progress against those challenges by fostering partnerships and coalitions, supplying resources (research, expertise, ideas), building awareness, and investing both early-stage capital and human capital. Then we measure that progress and iterate our approach.
The Challenges Project is now accepting applications for the initial cohort of its Associate Product Manager (APM) program. The Challenges Project APM acts as the CEO of a given Challenge, assessing the best work going on in the field and shepherding Schmidt Futures’ resources to accelerate that work and drive the greatest impact. APMs are given a high level of ownership, supported by mentorship from Schmidt Futures and external experts, training in key skills, and a cohort (first class: 5 – 10 people) of similarly talented APMs.
Examples of the types of Challenges on which the APMs will work:
- True vs. Fake. Create tools and techniques to help the general public differentiate between true and fake content. Promote truth, discourage fake.
- Carbon footprint. Double our capacity to use renewable or other forms of zero-carbon energy without compromising reliability of the grid.
- Healthcare effectiveness. Substantially improve healthcare outcomes in the US without raising costs.
Responsibilities of the APM include:
- Select or be assigned to serve as CEO or co-CEO a project to make traction on one of the Schmidt Futures Challenges.
- Conduct field research to discover the most interesting and potentially impactful scientific, technical, academic, and industrial work going on related to your Challenge. Through this research you become one of the world’s leading experts on the “state of the art” of that Challenge and work being done to address it.
- Identify and advance projects and people where Schmidt Futures investment (people, capital, ideas) can have a transformational impact using advanced computing techniques like AI and machine learning.
- Form partnerships and coalitions and oversee development of platforms and tools by third parties.
- Establish and monitor metrics to monitor 20 year progress against the Challenge. Develop a dashboard to measure progress in real-time. Establish the metrics as the accepted standard across industries and partners.
- Regularly report on progress to Schmidt Futures leads in product review sessions and other forums.
The APM program entails a two-year, full-time commitment, during which the APM will be based in New York or Silicon Valley. At the conclusion of the two years, the APM will exit the Challenges Project, with many options at their disposal including to continue work on the selected Challenge in a commercial or academic context, often with Schmidt Futures support.
The APM model was first developed at Google as a way to give new computer science graduates unusual freedom and leeway to create high impact projects. Graduates of Google’s program have led teams on products such as Gmail and Maps, and graduates have gone on to be senior executives at Google and other tech companies.
How to Apply
Fill out an initial application form. Applications are due no later than Wednesday, October 31, 2018, though we are accepting applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply sooner. Fields include:
- Name, contact info
- School, major
- Resume
- Written answers to the following questions:
- What have you built and what are most proud of? Why?
- When did you fail? What have you learned from this experience?
- A 2-minute video in which you answer the question:
- What is the most urgent challenge facing humanity and how do you think we can solve it?
- A faculty reference
Schmidt Futures Challenges Project will be conducting interviews during the month of November 2018, and we expect to extend offers by the end of that month.
If you have any additional questions, please reach out to us at challengesinfo@schmidtfutures.com.
Qualifications
- Have already graduated or graduating Winter / Spring 2019 with degree (or equivalent level of training and expertise) in Computer Science at the BS, MS, or Ph.D. level.
- Coding experience in C++, Java, Python, or similar. Experience (coursework or projects) in data structures and algorithms.
- Deep knowledge of Artificial Intelligence, and hands-on experience in applying AI technology to solve “real-world” problems in non-Computer Science fields.
- Demonstrated abilities in driving successful outcomes in highly ambiguous situations.
- Emotional intelligence with the ability to listen, build relationships, and draw out expertise and support from colleagues, advisors and partners.
- Curious, loves to learn new things, and always digging deeper to get to the answer.
- Driven by principles and values, not merely personal gains.