Research funding specialist with leadership skills for the role of Program Manager / Working lead for domain Industry at TU/e – EAISI

Introduction

The Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute (EAISI) was established in the summer of 2019 as a cross-departmental institute. EAISI aims to develop AI-technology for real-time autonomous decision-making, which has a direct impact on the real world; focusing on the application areas of health, mobility and high tech industry. Using our traditional strengths in systems engineering and our close ties to industry, TU/e is developing a next generation machine-data driven intelligence, which is intimately connected to the open world through: 1) data and algorithms, 2) humans and ethics, and 3) engineering systems. In other words: EAISI wants to make machines intelligent. EAISI is continuously improving the development of meaningful technical solutions to societal challenges, such as via high-tech systems and robotics. We believe that with EAISI and TU/e at large can significantly contribute to speed up the AI transition.

Visit the website for more information www.tue.nl/ai.

RSO is the central Research Support Office of TU/e and consists of a small, close-knit team of professionals who support the scientific staff in applying for European and national grants for research. The RSO team further consists of research funding advisors, grant program experts, corporate lawyers, and project managers.

As Institute Program Manager (IPM) EAISI you will be embedded in the RSO and from there be allocated to work for EAISI. You will become part of a team of Institute Program Managers as well as a member of the University wide Research Support Network. This allows knowledge exchange and team building with colleagues with a similar role, albeit for a different institute or department. At the same time, you will be integral part of the EAISI program board and will have a physical location (office space) mainly in the institute (located in Neuron). You’ll closely collaborate with the departmental Project Development Officers on both the administrative side and the impact side of the projects. And as Institute Program Manager, you’ll work with different researchers across the nine departments depending on the expertise you need. 

Job Description

Activities for the development of the domain Industry of the TU/e Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute:

• Identifying promising national and European calls in relation to our mission and TU/e’s strengths, forming consortia and managing the proposal writing process.
• Developing scientifically and industrially relevant AI research programs on a strategic level, together with TU/e researchers in the departments and industrial parties.
• Be an active member in relevant (NL and EU) networks (Public Private Partnerships, Associations and Thematic working groups), both to influence them, as well as to have an early view on upcoming possibilities.
• Initiate projects with industry and TU/e researchers and supervise acquisition projects.
• Initiate and (co-) organize Artificial Intelligence related symposia, workshops and master classes.
• Manage the proposal development process of (typically) complex, multi-disciplinary projects in good cooperation with departmental support.
• Consortium formation in the field of Artificial Intelligence, including financing from the business community and research subsidy programs.
• Exploring new research ideas and supporting researchers in clearly articulating problems, approaches, solutions and impact in project proposals or business contracts.

Job Requirements

We are searching for an experienced Institute Program Manager for the Industry area. You’re the expert on acquiring AI research funding and developing new strategic cross-department and cross-discipline projects and consortia and establish a connecting role towards (potential) partners in the broad field of the high-tech industry (with a focus on AI and Data). You know the rules and regulations imposed by the various funding organizations, you have built up (or are able to build) a network of relevant academic and non-academic contacts and you know how to collaborate with academics. You are familiar with the strategic roadmaps within AI and your expertise enables you to match interesting opportunities with innovative ideas. Together with the researchers, you explore new research ideas, and support them in clearly articulating problems, approach, solutions and impact in project proposals or business contracts.

The Institute Program Manager will initiate and organize the setup of new projects and consortia in the field of artificial intelligence in the EAISI application area INDUSTRY. You have excellent communication and social skills, and initiate/facilitate the dialogue between the different teams and stakeholders. You are well-versed in the scientific world and seek the interfaces of disciplines to extract and embed new innovative research topics in the research agenda. You know the (research & development) agendas of different parties in Industry (government, OEMs, Service providers, suppliers, etc.) as well as the relevant National and European roadmaps from the research framework program.

As working lead, you actively contribute to the daily operations of the program management team while guiding its tactical and operational direction. You combine hands-on involvement in funding processes with leadership responsibilities—overseeing planning, ensuring quality delivery, and supporting team development. You will take the lead in representing and aligning the institute with other support professionals in TU/e (e.g. other institutes, project development officers in departments, etc.). By bridging operational execution and coordination of the strategic execution, you empower the team to effectively support researchers in securing external funding and strengthening the institute’s position in the AI landscape.

We are looking for excellent candidates that meet the following requirements:

• A MSc or PhD degree level in a relevant field;
• >5 years of comparable work experience, e.g. in industry, a research institute or an academic organization; preferably in in data science/ AI;
• A proven track record in defining and attracting innovative research projects and funding in international consortia, for collaboration projects in national and European research funding programs;
• Knowledge of or at least affinity with academic research;
• Excellent communication & networking skills (written and oral);
• Excellent command of English and preferably also Dutch;
• Extensive external network in national and international innovation and research networks with various cultural backgrounds and ability to maintain and pro-actively develop further the external network;
• Ability to connect the academic world and international external network resulting in well balanced consortia for successful research proposals.

Conditions of employment

We offer a 1.0-0.8 FTE employment position with a gross month salary in the range of 6.603,- and 8.405,- (scale 14 VSNU) based on your education and experience. Besides that, we offer an annual holiday allowance of 8%, an annual end of the year bonus of 8,3%, a total of 41 days of paid holiday leave and a broad package of fringe benefits (including an excellent technical infrastructure, savings schemes, child care and excellent sports facilities).

Information and application

For more information about the content of this vacancy you can contact Euflex, Ceciel Gijsbers, cgijsbers@tue.nl, 06-51164692 or Linde Keverkamp, l.c.keverkamp.hoek@tue.nl, 040-2476303.

You can apply via this link: www.euflex.nl/vacatures/research-funding-specialist/

We look forward to receiving your application!