Head of 'Smart Farming & Digital Technologies' Research Group

Ettenhausen, Switzerland (and working from home) | 100-100% |

• Leading a diverse, motivated team and organising the research activities of the Digital Production Group in line with Agroscope strategy
• Tapping into the potential of digital technologies and using them to develop added-value solutions for field, barn and farm management
• Implementing research projects with partners from science, agricultural practice and the Federal Administration (inter alia at Agroscope's experimental stations)
• Cultivating scientific partnerships at national and internation level; acquiring projects
• Continual refining of the Research Group's digital methodological competence (e.g. algorithms for Computer Vision, IoT, AI)
• Ensuring the quality of research and publishing results in a target-group-appropriate manner, from specialist scientific journals through to factsheets and reports for practitioners and the Federal Administration

• Completed dissertation relating to digitalisation and data sciences, ideally in the agriculture and food sector
• Good-to-very-good understanding of digitalisation for the assessment of technical approaches and conceptualisation of decision support tools
• Experience in implementing digital technologies, e.g. in the spheres of data-based modelling, Computer Vision and the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Enthusiasm for developing research projects together with partners from science, practice and the Federal Administration
• Leadership experience, strong problem-solving skills, creativity and impressive communication skills
• Knowledge of two official Swiss languages and English

This post combines scientific methodological competence with the aim of making digital technologies effective in agricultural practice, not limited to a single technology, but with a view to genuine added value for farm management. We are looking for an individual combining scientific expertise in digitalisation and data sciences, an understanding of agricultural issues, and leadership and project experience. You are motivated, creative, enjoy solving problems, and with a mind open to new ideas, work with others to develop viable solutions.

• Working for Switzerland We are committed to the successful Swiss model and work for the public good.
• Embracing diversity Thanks to equal opportunities, we draw on our expertise and contribute different perspectives.
• Staying healthy at work We support and advise our employees in the area of physical and mental health.

Agroscope is the Swiss federal centre of excellence for research in the agriculture and food sector. Its researchers work at a number of sites in Switzerland. Headquartered in Bern-Liebefeld (as of 2026: Posieux), Agroscope is attached to the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER.

The 'Digital Production' Research Group makes use of information and communication technologies to solve a wide variety of challenges in the agricultural sector. The Group develops new data-based solutions for improving the efficiency and sustainability of production systems. In addition to the understanding of agricultural production processes, our core competencies lie in computer vision, demanding data analyses and modelling.

Nadja El Benni Head of 'Sustainability Assessment and Agricultural Management' Research Group +41 58 46 61769

Raphaël Brandt Recruiting Team Leader +41 58 46 37782