Operational Director - Integrated Computing Platform (ICP

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 institutions: education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working environment at the heart of a community of more than 18,500 people, including over 14,000 students and 4,000 researchers from more than 120 different countries

As Operational Director, you will lead the implementation of EPFL’s strategy on operations, user-centric service delivery, and continuous development of EPFL’s integrated computing services. Working closely with the Academic Directors, Scientific Steering Committee, Schools, Research Affairs, DSI, and the broader EPFL ecosystem, you will ensure that researchers have access to reliable, scalable, and innovative computing resources that enable world-class research

Run ICP as a responsive, service-driven platform that gives researchers rapid, reliable access to state-of-the‑art computing. Oversee delivery across all scientific computing services, including HPC, AI/ML, storage, and sensitive data environments, along with the full infrastructure lifecycle. Develop the service portfolio in line with EPFL's research, teaching, and innovation priorities. Own service quality, user satisfaction, and continuous improvement

Lead multidisciplinary teams (currently today more than 40 members on the existing computing platforms of EPFL) covering operations, research support, systems engineering, AI enablement, user onboarding, and service management, and enable a collaborative work environment

• Act as the primary point of contact for faculty, labs, schools, centers, and platforms. Foster synergies across EPFL, engage industrial and technology partners on strategic initiatives, and represent EPFL in national and international HPC, AI, and research‑computing initiatives
• Drive the implementation of EPFL's computing strategy and roadmap, as defined by the Academic Co‑Directors and Scientific Steering Committee
• Manage budgets, financial planning, cost allocation, billing, and vendor relationships. Coordinate reporting, annual reviews, and strategic updates when required

• Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant discipline (e.g., Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Data Science, Information Technology, etc.)
• Strong expertise (more than 10 years in IT industry or academic environments) in managing large‑scale computing infrastructures and digital research platforms, such as HPC, AI/ML platforms, cloud technologies, storage systems, and scientific computing environments
• Proven experience leading large technical teams in complex, multidisciplinary environments, with accountability for both operations and transformation initiatives
• Ability to drive change while fostering team engagement and rally cross‑functional teams around a shared vision
• Experience in budget management, procurement, service operations, and vendor negotiations
• Strong service orientation, organizational skills, stakeholder management, agility, and strategic vision
• Experience in a research‑intensive or higher‑education environment is highly desirable, as is first‑hand experience with high‑impact scientific projects in computational and data science
• Outstanding communication skills in English and French are highly desirable

A unique opportunity to shape the future of advanced computing and AI infrastructure at EPFL, one of Europe’s leading science and technology institutions. You will work with outstanding team members and researchers, cutting‑edge technologies, and a highly collaborative ecosystem supporting innovation at scale