Co-Chief Operating Officer

Job Title: Co-Chief Operating Officer (Co-COO)

Organization: Mind Science Institute (MSI)

Location: Menlo Park, CA (Hybrid)

About the Mind Science Institute

The Mind Science Institute (MSI) is a new Bay Area nonprofit founded by Dr. Michael McCullough in direct partnership with BrainMind. We advance the scientific, technological, philosophical, and spiritual exploration of consciousness. We sit at the intersection of rigorous academic inquiry and transformative human experience.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Co-Chief Operating Officer (Co-COO) to join our leadership team during a critical phase of growth. In this role, you will enter a shared leadership structure, partnering directly with our founding Co-COO who has been with MSI since its inception.

While the founding Co-COO holds the institutional memory and foundational knowledge, the organization has reached a scale that requires a second high-level operator to expand its bandwidth. Together, you will lead the "engine room" of MSI—building the operational systems, managing complex programs, and ensuring the vision of Dr. McCullough and the BrainMind ecosystem is executed with precision. This role is ideal for a "multiplier" who thrives in a collaborative leadership model and enjoys the ambiguity of an early-stage organization.

Key Responsibilities

Collaborative Operations & Leadership

• Co-Leadership Partnership: Work in lockstep with the founding Co-COO to divide and conquer organizational needs, ensuring no balls are dropped as MSI scales.
• System Architecture: Build and maintain the next generation of operational systems (documentation, tech stacks, and workflows) to support a growing multidisciplinary team.
• Program Execution: Own the execution of research initiatives, high-level symposia, and community salons from concept to completion.
• Fast-Turnaround Support: Manage rapid-response needs, including visiting researchers, sudden project pivots, and residency logistics.

Strategy & Integration

• Vision Translation: Partner with leadership to translate high-level philosophical and scientific goals into executable, tracked plans.
• Organizational Sync: Serve as a bridge between research, programs, and partnerships to ensure the MSI ecosystem remains synchronized and transparent.
• Special Projects: Spearhead "special ops" initiatives, such as international research collaborations or new media launches.

People & Infrastructure

• Scaling the Team: Support hiring, onboarding, and internal coordination as we add researchers and staff.
• Institutional Memory: Work with the founding Co-COO to formalize documentation and "how we work" guides to preserve MSI’s culture as it grows.
• Cultural Architecture: Help shape internal norms that balance academic rigor with the flexibility and speed of a startup environment.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• The "Co-Pilot" Mindset: You excel in shared leadership environments. You are comfortable jumping into a moving vehicle, learning from the founding Co-COO, and adding immediate value through your unique operational strengths.
• Polymathic Curiosity: You should be able to hold your own in a room full of neuroscientists and philosophers. A genuine interest in the intersection of science and spirituality is non-negotiable.
• Radical Resourcefulness: You don’t wait for a manual; you write it. You are a "Swiss Army Knife" operator who can handle everything from legal contracts to technical troubleshooting.
• Low Ego, High Agency: You care more about the mission’s success than individual credit. You thrive on "getting it done" and bringing order to complex, high-level ideas.
• Experience: 7+ years in operations, ideally within venture-backed startups, high-growth nonprofits, or academic think tanks.
• Geographic Availability: This role is hybrid, with in-person presence in Menlo Park required.

Time Commitment & Compensation

• This full-time role occasionally requires evenings, weekends, or rapid travel.
• Compensation commensurate with experience starting at $100,000 per year 
• Opportunity for long-term growth and leadership responsibility

How to Apply

Please email recruiting@mindscienceinstitute.org with the subject line:
“Co-COO Application – [Your Name]”

Include the following:

1. Resume or CV
2. A short statement of purpose (1–2 pages max) responding to the prompts below:
   • Why MSI, and why this role now?
   • Describe a time you entered an organization mid-flight and added operational leverage.
   • How do you approach shared leadership and division of responsibility at a senior level?
3. Optional but encouraged:
   One example of an operational artifact you’ve created (e.g., SOP, systems map, project plan, internal memo, or documentation you’re proud of).

Our process:
Selected candidates will speak with MSI leadership, including the founding Co-COO and Dr. Michael McCullough. Finalists may be asked to walk through a real operational scenario.