ABOUT US:

Common Sense is dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users worldwide and 1.3 million educators every year. Learn more at commonsense.org.

Age assurance in digital spaces has long been a complex challenge for kids’ online safety. Given recent advancements in technology and policy priorities, Common Sense sees an opportunity to take a leadership role in the defining future of age assurance, a critical component of overall digital trust and safety.

Bandio, founded in 2023, is an early-stage Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) dedicated to establishing a privacy-first standard in age assurance. It is a joint venture between Common Sense and the Aleo Foundation, a leader in developing privacy-first technology. In its first year, Bandio developed a platform agnostic beta product that leverages zero-knowledge proofs to protect user privacy while verifying age.

JOB OVERVIEW:

As the Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR), you will lead two complementary areas of responsibility. First, you will lead Bandio’s transition from proof of concept product to commercialization, marshal executive leadership around AI objectives, and secure the capital required to advance privacy-focused age assurance tools. This role requires a visionary with a strong ethical compass who is capable of aligning business strategy with AI technical innovations and building a sustainable governance framework. Second, you will lead Common Sense’s age assurance consortium initiative, in which Bandio will play a part. This initiative will be a partnership that involves key external stakeholders and will involve establishing a new nonprofit, open-source consortium. Common Sense EIRs receive full benefits and competitive salaries, enabling them to focus on high-impact projects aligned with our vision and mission.

LOCATION: Flexible within the United States, with occasional travel as needed

REPORTS TO: Bandio Board of Directors

TYPE: Full-time, exempt

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Trust and Safety Expert: Be the subject matter expert on digital trust and safety practices for age assurance at Common Sense, including knowledge of various technical approaches currently used, an awareness of relevant policy developments, and an understanding of how both affect the digital consumer marketplace for kids.
• Advocacy and Public Engagement: Act as a public voice for ethical and private digital safety tools, advancing the mission in forums, media, and with partners, to spread awareness, acceptance, and adoption of age assurance and increase public trust in Bandio and the consortium.

For Bandio:

• Executive Leadership and Vision: Drive Bandio’s continued progress, and determine its role and the role of zero knowledge proofs within the consortium’s mission to create an interoperable open-source age assurance tool.
• Technology and Product Oversight: Guide the development of zero-knowledge proof-based age assurance tools, balancing privacy, security, and user experience, to meet industry needs.
• Commercialization: Identify and implement the most viable go-to-market strategies in order establish a proof-of-concept business model and begin commercialization.
• Capital Resourcing: Identify and secure financing that will enable the organization to scale effectively and ultimately be self-sustaining.

For the age assurance consortium:

• Stakeholder development: Build a cross-sector, nonprofit consortium of key technical and platform partners, inclusive of Bandio, who are focused on providing true privacy and digital safety.
• Industry collaboration: Establish organizational structures that can serve as a foundation for alignment and collaboration with stakeholders as well as thought leaders, regulators, and other civic organizations.
• Governance: Lead the establishment of a governance framework that upholds ethical principles, fostering trust and accountability among consortium members.
• Sustainable Growth and Funding: Develop a sustainable funding strategy, including grants, partnerships, and consortium memberships, to ensure long-term support and growth.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience: Proven track record in senior leadership or founder roles in technology or nonprofit sectors, with experience building or scaling ethical technology solutions and frameworks.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Skilled in executive-level collaboration, with a proven ability to align diverse stakeholders around a shared mission.
• Technical Expertise: Deep understanding of AI ethics and privacy technologies; age assurance, especially as relates to child safety in the digital world; familiarity with zero-knowledge proofs is a strong advantage.
• Familiarity with Age Assurance Space: Understanding of the legislative and regulatory landscape regarding kids in digital spaces globally, how age assurance factors in, and how technology companies are impacted by and dealing with age.
• Capital Strategy: Experienced in securing capital or sustainable funding for technology initiatives.
• Communication Skills: Clear and compelling communicator, capable of inspiring trust and commitment from a diverse set of global stakeholders.
• Start-up Mentality: Self-starter orientation and a comfort with the ambiguity that comes with having to pave one’s own path forward.
• Mission Alignment: a firm belief in making the online world safer for kids. OUR

BENEFITS:

• The chance to work with talented, passionate professionals.
• A great health and welfare benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, and a matching 401(k).
• An organization that offers work/life balance.
• The opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of kids and families!

Common Sense values the diversity of its employees and is an equal opportunity employer. For more information on our values, please visit our statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Common Sense will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. However, job offers are made on the condition that the applicant subsequently passes a criminal background check. If the background check indicates a prior criminal conviction, we will conduct an individualized assessment to determine whether the conviction should result in denial of employment. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider employment for qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.