Head of Causal Research (Expression of Interest)

Expression of Interest · Inquire First

We are meeting senior leaders for this planned function as we fundraise. This is an exploratory conversation, not an immediately funded salaried vacancy or a guaranteed start date. No cash salary is available today; any equity arrangement must be agreed separately. You are not being asked to begin work by expressing interest.

Use the Apply form below to introduce yourself and indicate your interest. We can discuss mutual fit, scope, funding, compensation, and timing before either side makes a commitment.

New York City or San Francisco · In person · Full time · Functional leadership

Define what we can learn from interventions in simulated markets, and what evidence is needed before those findings inform real decisions. Set the research agenda for Subconscious’s causal experimentation methods.

Why Subconscious

Subconscious is building the intelligence to run the economy. We start with a simulator for business decisions, using causal experiments on simulated markets to test products, pricing, messaging, and go-to-market choices before capital is committed. The long-term ambition is to help businesses discover unmet demand and build around what people actually need.

The function you will build

Own the causal research agenda, methodological review, scientific standards, and research hiring priorities. Work with applied science on customer questions, evaluation on independent measurement, and simulation engineering on faithful implementation.

This is a hands-on leadership role. Set the functional roadmap and propose staffing and spending priorities with the founding team. Hiring and budget commitments depend on approved resources; an established team or funded budget is not assumed.

Proposed first 90 days after joining

Use these as an initial agenda, refined with the founders against the product, customer needs, and resources at your start.

• Specify the estimands, identification assumptions, population definitions, and decision contexts for priority use cases.

• Design validation studies against appropriate human evidence, including negative results and tests of transportability.

• Establish methods for uncertainty, sensitivity analysis, and failure diagnosis that match the decisions customers are making.

• Prioritize a research roadmap with explicit hypotheses, expected evidence, and criteria for continuing or stopping an approach.

How we will judge progress

Important methodological claims have reproducible evidence and clearly stated limits. Research produces usable methods, informative failures, and better decisions about which questions the product can address. Review progress against predefined study criteria rather than attractive demonstrations.

What you bring

• You have led rigorous work in causal inference, econometrics, experimental design, discrete choice, or a closely related field.

• You can demonstrate original contributions through papers, deployed methods, or independently reviewable research, and explain where your conclusions fail.

• You can lead scientists, collaborate with engineers, and stay hands-on with study design, statistical analysis, and methodological review.

We are looking for evidence of judgment, execution, and leadership. A particular company pedigree or previous executive title is not a substitute for that evidence.

Compensation and funding

We are actively fundraising. Only equity-based compensation is currently available; no cash salary is available today. The equity grant and its terms have not been set for this role and must be agreed before joining. Any future salary, incentive plan, benefits, hiring budget, or paid start date depends on financing and written agreement. Funding and its timing are not guaranteed.

Before deciding to join, discuss the grant structure, fully diluted ownership basis, vesting, dilution, applicable exercise terms, company funding position, and working arrangement. A company valuation is not the cash value of an equity grant.

How we work

New York City or San Francisco · In person. The planned role is full time; timing is to be agreed. Expect direct collaboration with the founders, work across scientific and commercial boundaries, and responsibility for doing the early work yourself. The current role does not include visa sponsorship. Confirm practical collaboration hours and any travel expectations during the initial conversation.

Start with work you already own

Share an existing research contribution you led. Explain the causal question, identifying assumptions, validation strategy, and a result that would have changed your conclusion.

Please do not share confidential employer or customer materials. Bring your questions about our product, evidence, team, finances, and the authority attached to the role. Mutual diligence matters for a decision of this size.