The ETH AI Center is one of the largest AI centers in Europe with over 120 Professors from all 16 departments of ETH Zurich and over 1500 associated PhD students & post‑docs. Our mission is to foster interdisciplinary AI research and pave the way from science to society.
Project background
The Academic Programs Lead will lead a small, high‑impact unit responsible for academic community‑building, research acceleration, education programs, and impact dissemination at the ETH AI Center. Reporting to the Executive Director, this is a hands‑on leadership role: you will set the strategic direction for the unit while personally driving key programs forward.
You will own the Center's research accelerator portfolio – including GPU grants, university partnerships (e.g., the Stanford exchange program), and grant writing support for flagship proposals. You will also shape education offerings in collaboration with faculty, manage relationships with ELLIS and partner institutions, and ensure the unit delivers measurable impact across all its activity areas (e.g., scaling grant programs or supporting high‑value research proposals).
This role is ideal for someone who thrives as a player‑coach: equally comfortable drafting a grant proposal, negotiating a partnership agreement, and aligning a team around priorities.
Job description
* Run the Swiss National AI Institute's GPU starting grants program end‑to‑end: promote calls, screen eligibility, coordinate reviewer panels with faculty, manage decisions, and handle applicant communications.
* Establish and manage strategic partnerships with peer institutions (e.g. Stanford exchange program), including negotiating agreements, managing logistics, and maintaining relationships.
* Provide hands‑on grant‑writing support for Center flagship proposals, coordinating inputs from faculty and research groups.
* Drive education program development in collaboration with faculty leads, including large‑scale AI engineering and entrepreneurship courses.
* Manage the ELLIS relationship and coordinate the Center's engagement with the ELLIS network.
* Set priorities, workplans, and budget for the Academic Programs unit; run a lightweight coordination rhythm with the team.
* Represent the unit to ETH AI Center leadership, the faculty steering committee, and external stakeholders.
* Step in as backup across the unit's activities when needed, ensuring continuity and quality.
Profile
Qualifications
* Strong interpersonal and communication skills – able to build trust with faculty, negotiate with external partners, and align diverse stakeholders.
* Proven ability to manage complex programs and portfolios with multiple parallel workstreams and deadlines.
* Experience in grant writing or research funding processes, ideally in a European academic context.
* Strategic thinker who is equally comfortable with hands‑on execution.
* Proactive, structured, and solutions‑oriented – you drive things to completion without waiting for direction.
* Strong written communication skills, including the ability to draft compelling proposals, agreements, and presentations.
Requirements
* A master's degree or PhD in a relevant field such as computer science, engineering, science policy, technology management, or a related discipline.
* At least 3‑5 years of experience in academic research, research management, science program management, academic administration, or a comparable role in a tech or research environment.
* Demonstrated experience managing grants, partnerships, or institutional collaborations.
* A strong understanding of the AI research landscape and academic ecosystem.
* Fluency in English; German is a plus.
We offer
If you are a highly motivated individual with a passion for AI and a desire to make a significant impact in a rapidly evolving field, we would love to hear from you. Join the ETH AI Center and work at the forefront of AI research in Europe, collaborating with leading faculty, global partners, and a rapidly growing ecosystem in Zurich. The position is limited to a duration of 1 year with the intention to extend.
We value diversity and sustainability
In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Sustainability is a core value for us – we are consistently working towards a climate‑neutral future.
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