OpenAI is a trailblazing AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose AI benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of what AI systems can achieve and responsibly bring these advancements to the world through our products like ChatGPT, GPT-4, and DALL-E.

As a Product Manager at OpenAI, you will play a crucial role in shaping and scaling our product offerings. This role requires extensive experience in the payments space, strong technical collaboration, and a passion for deploying cutting-edge AI technologies responsibly. Joining us offers the unique opportunity to contribute to products used by billions globally, all while ensuring these tools are developed with safety and ethical considerations at their core.

In this guide, we'll navigate you through the interview process, key questions, and essential tips to help you secure a Product Manager position at OpenAI. Let's get started!

Submitting Your Application

The first step is to submit a compelling application that reflects your technical skills and interest in joining OpenAI as a Product Manager. Whether you were contacted by an OpenAI recruiter or have taken the initiative yourself, carefully review the job description and tailor your CV according to the prerequisites.

Tailoring your CV may include identifying specific keywords that the hiring manager might use to filter resumes and crafting a targeted cover letter. Furthermore, don’t forget to highlight relevant skills and mention your work experiences.

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your CV happens to be among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the OpenAI Talent Acquisition Team will make contact and verify key details like your experiences and skill level. Behavioral questions may also be a part of the screening process.

In some cases, the OpenAI Product Manager hiring manager might join the screening round to answer your queries about the role and the company itself. They may also indulge in surface-level technical and behavioral discussions.

The whole recruiter call should take about 30 minutes.

Initial Technical & Coding Interviews

Successfully navigating the recruiter round will present you with an invitation for the initial technical screening round. Technical screening for the OpenAI Product Manager role usually is conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. This involves coding interviews that require knowledge of machine learning, infrastructure, and general software engineering.

In the case of product management roles, coding tasks or other related test assignments may be utilized. Your proficiency against hypothesis testing, probability distributions, and machine learning fundamentals may also be assessed during this stage.

Onsite Interview Rounds

Followed by a second recruiter call outlining the next stage, you’ll be invited to attend the onsite interview loop, though this may be conducted virtually. Multiple interview rounds, varying with the role, will be conducted. These interviews can include coding, machine learning theory, systems design, and statistics.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, a presentation round may also be included during the onsite interview for the OpenAI Product Manager role.

Quick Tips For OpenAI Product Manager Interviews

You should plan to brush up on any technical and product management skills and try as many practice interview questions and mock interviews as possible. A few tips for acing your OpenAI interview include:

• Understand AI Products: OpenAI questions often focus on their products and their applications. Study OpenAI’s suite of products like ChatGPT, GPT-4, the Assistants API, and DALL-E to understand how you would personally improve or test them.
• Be Data Driven: OpenAI’s interviews assess how well you can provide business-driving insights with data. Brush up on your knowledge of statistics and probability, given these questions can be some of the hardest to solve.
• Embody the Spirit of Innovation and Safety: OpenAI values innovation and the safe deployment of AI tools. Practice responding to behavioral questions with answers that touch on these core values.

Typically, interviews at OpenAI vary by role and team, but commonly Product Manager interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

• How would you measure the effectiveness of giving extra pay to delivery drivers during peak hours? You work at a food delivery company and need to assess the impact of offering extra pay to delivery drivers during peak hours. How would you measure whether this incentive effectively meets consumer demand?

• Create a function rain_days to calculate the probability of rain on the nth day after today. The probability that it will rain tomorrow depends on whether it rained today and yesterday. If it rained both days, there's a 20% chance it will rain tomorrow. If it rained one of the days, there's a 60% chance. If it rained neither day, there's a 20% chance. Given it rained today and yesterday, write a function to calculate the probability it will rain on the nth day after today.

• What are the assumptions of linear regression? List and explain the key assumptions that must be met for linear regression analysis to be valid.

What is the average salary for a Product Manager at OpenAI?

Q: What is the interview process at OpenAI like?

The interview process at OpenAI is comprehensive and can extend over 3-4 months. It includes multiple stages such as a recruiter call, coding assessments, ML theory, and statistics interviews. Applicants might also be required to complete and discuss a test task. Expect 5 rounds including a combination of technical and general interviews.

Q: What kind of roles does the Product Manager position at OpenAI involve?

OpenAI seeks experienced Product Managers for diverse roles — from scaling financial systems and introducing new AI capabilities to enhancing API experiences. These roles typically require close collaboration with multiple teams such as research, engineering, finance, operations, and design.

Q: What skills are crucial for a Product Manager at OpenAI?

Candidates should have over 6 years of product management experience, a strong technical background, and excellent communication and leadership skills. Experience in the payments space, US Federal Government projects, or SaaS companies is valued, depending on the specific role.

Q: What is the team culture like at OpenAI?

OpenAI’s team culture emphasizes safety, responsible AI use, and collaboration. They bring advanced AI models like ChatGPT, GPT-4, and DALL-E to market through products aimed at benefiting humanity while prioritizing safety over growth.

Q: How can I prepare for an interview at OpenAI?

To prepare, research the company thoroughly and practice coding, ML, and problem-solving questions. Utilize resources like Interview Query to practice common interview questions and review your technical skills. Be ready to discuss your past experiences and how they relate to the role.

The interview process at OpenAI for the Product Manager position is robust and comprehensive, consisting of multiple rounds ranging from coding and ML theory to general and broader topic discussions. While challenging, it offers a deep dive into the skills and expertise required to thrive at a pioneering AI company. OpenAI places a premium on safety and responsible deployment of their advanced AI models, which are key components of their mission. The role involves close collaboration across diverse teams, a strong commitment to user-centric product development, and the opportunity to influence trailblazing technology that meets both commercial and societal needs. For anyone preparing to navigate this rigorous process, resources like Interview Query can provide invaluable insights and guidance. If you want more insights about the company, check out our main OpenAI Interview Guide, where we have covered many interview questions that could be asked. We've also created interview guides for other roles, such as software engineer and data analyst, where you can learn more about OpenAI’s interview process for different positions. At Interview Query, we empower you to unlock your interview prowess with a comprehensive toolkit, equipping you with the knowledge, confidence, and strategic guidance to conquer every OpenAI challenge. You can check out all our company interview guides for better preparation, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Good luck with your interview!