Academic Programs Lead

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.

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.

• 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.