Executive Director - AI Center

EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, is one of the most dynamic university campuses in Europe and ranks among the top 20 universities worldwide. The EPFL employs more than 6,500 people supporting the three main missions of the institution: education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working environment at the heart of a community of more than 17,000 people, including over 12,500 students and 4,000 researchers from more than 120 different countries.

The EPFL AI Center focuses on advancing research, education and innovation in AI at EPFL and beyond. It is at the core of a vibrant EPFL community and dynamic external ecosystem that includes a large number of partners and stakeholders in AI, including academia, industry, government, and international organisations.

To complement and lead our team, we seek a dynamic Executive Director with a can‑do mindset. The Executive Director supports and executes the strategic vision of the EPFL AI Center: development, management and coordination of the activities of the EPFL AI Center, and promotion of the center's national and international visibility among the multiple stakeholders and the scientific, technological, economic and public audiences.

• Implementation of the strategy of the AI Center, in collaboration with the academic direction and EPFL management
• Management and coordination of projects, programs and initiatives developed by the Center, development and implementation of a broad and diverse fundraising strategy
• Support of the translational nature of the projects of the Center
• Coordination and collaboration with national and international educational institutions
• Coordination and relationship management with partner organizations (companies, governmental agencies, NGOs, ...)
• Development and coordination of industry partnership programs
• Development and coordination of innovation and technology transfer programs
• Organization of events, especially with institutional and industrial partners. Coordination of public events and public relationships
• Supervision of the operational management of the unit (including budget management and reporting)

• PhD degree in AI related discipline
• At least 5 years of experience in AI or tech industry
• Good understanding of the Swiss higher education system, possibly involvements in different educational settings (higher education, vocational training, lifelong learning, etc.)
• Experience in team and program management, ideally in dynamic and fluid environements
• Experience in fundraising (public and/or private funding)
• Strong sense of organization and responsibility, strong entrepreneurial spirit
• Fluency in English and good control of French. German and Italian are pluses

• A stimulating, dynamic, interdisciplinary and international working environment,
• An internationally visible and rising academic institution in Research, Education and Innovation,
• A privileged contact with state‑of‑the‑art technological developments.

Contract Start Date :
To be agreed upon

Activity Rate : 100,00

Contract Type: CDD

Reference: 1950