Work environment

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is one of Europe's top technological universities, situated at the heart of a most innovative high-tech region. Thanks to a wealth of collaborations with industry and academic institutes, TU/e's research has real-world impact. TU/e has around 3,000 employees and 2,300 PhD students (half of which international, representing about 70 nationalities).

Our university is at the heart of society: TU/e focuses in education and research on complex, societal challenges such as Energy, Health and Smart Mobility.

The Eindhoven Artificial Intelligent Systems Institute (EAISI) was established in the summer of 2019 as a cross-departmental institute to promote research in AI. It has a staff consisting of a program acquisition team, a team focusing on (inter)national positioning, and a scientific team. It builds on the strengths of AI research and collaborations among TU/e researchers.

AI is branching in many new directions and EAISI aims to develop AI-technology 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 with industry, TU/e is leading the shift towards 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 that are intelligent and provide a positive contribution to society and the economy. We believe that TU/e can significantly contribute to speed up the AI transition.

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

The activities include:

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

• Identifying promising national and European calls in relation to our mission and TU/e's strength, forming consortia and managing the proposal writing process
• Drawing up scientific and industrially relevant AI research programs, together with TU/e researchers and industrial parties.
• Organize research communities around themes where AI can lead to important scientific breakthroughs
• Initiate and (co-) organize Artificial Intelligence related symposia, workshops and master classes.

• Initiate projects with industry and TU/e researchers and supervise acquisition projects.
• Acquiring large external assignments or realising long-term cooperation agreements (> 5 years) with international partners.
• Consortium formation in the field of Artificial Intelligence, including financing from the business community and research subsidy programs

• Responsible for making a significant contribution to the formulation of the institution's strategic and long-term policies regarding the industry collaboration.

Job requirements

We are searching for an experienced senior AI Program Manager for the High-Tech Industry. At the heart of AI acceptance is trustworthy data.  Part of your responsibilities will include robust and explainable AI.  You're the expert on acquiring AI research funding and developing new projects and consortia and establish a connecting role towards Industry. You know the rules and regulations imposed by the various funding organizations, you have built up a network of relevant academic and business contacts and you know what researchers in multiple departments are looking for. 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 senior program manager will initiate and organise the setup of new projects and consortia in the field of artificial intelligence in the EAISI application areas. You have excellent communication and social skills, and initiates/facilitates the dialogue between the different teams and stakeholders at the interface between industry and science. You are well-versed in the scientific world and seek out the interfaces of different disciplines to extract and embed new innovative research topics in the research agenda. You know the industrial roadmaps of the relevant industries as well as the relevant European roadmaps from the research framework program.

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

• A MSc or PhD degree level;
• Over 10 years of comparable work experience, for example in industry, a research institute or an academic or applied science university;
• A proven track record in defining and attracting innovative research projects and funding in international consortia;
• Ability to partner-in and initiate consortium building  for collaboration projects in national and European research funding programs;
• Affinity with academic research;
• Experienced leadership in industrial innovation
• A technical engineering background (e.g. Electronics, IT)
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral);
• Excellent networking skills;
• Strong analytical, organizational and negotiation skills;
• Proficiency in Dutch and English;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, team player;
• Well-organized, autonomous, flexible, service- and result oriented, deadline-driven;
• Experience with innovations and new business development;
• 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;
• Affinity with Artificial Intelligence and up to date with the latest AI trends;
• Ability to connect the academic world and international external network resulting in well balanced consortia for successful research proposals.

The position is initially for 6 months and can be filled on either a contract or interim basis.