Director of the Idiap Research Institute, Martigny, Switzerland F/M

Role description

The Idiap Research Institute invites applications for the position of Institute Director. The successful candidate will also receive an academic affiliation at the EPFL School of Engineering.

The Idiap Research Institute ( www.idiap.ch ) is an independent, not-for-profit, research institute of national importance, academically affiliated with the Federal Institute of Technology at Lausanne (EPFL) and the University of Geneva. Accredited and funded by the Federal Government, the State of Valais, and the City of Martigny, Idiap has, for the last 35 years, been developing outstanding research, education, and technology transfer activities in multiple areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI). With an annual budget of 17 MCHF and approximately 170 researchers and collaborators, Idiap is today a key Swiss research institute in multiple AI fields, including machine learning (including deep learning, foundation models or agentic AI), human-centered AI (including social computing, multi-modal processing or robotics), digital security (including biometrics or trustworthy identity technologies), natural language processing, speech and audio processing, energy informatics (including efficiency and sustainability), health, medicine and genomics.

With a shared vision and a strong Idiap-EPFL strategic alliance, the two institutions are seeking to appoint a new Director, ready to take over the foreseen growth challenges, in collaboration with academic and industrial partners, a worldwide recognized permanent staff of senior researchers, and a strong administrative support staff.

The Director will serve as a member of a collegiate executive board which he/she will chair and coordinate. As such, the Director will:

• Ensure the realization of the Institute’s missions in research, education and technology transfer, while maintaining Idiap’s scientific reputation and strengthening its impact
• Elaborate and implement the Institute’s scientific strategy in the medium and long term, identifying emerging opportunities and addressing key scientific, technological and societal challenges
• Establish and support organizational structures and partnerships that reinforce the scientific foundations of the Institute, foster excellence across research domains, and prepare the next generation of scientific leadership
• Promote an environment that encourages outstanding potential, interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and responsible AI development
• Lead institutional development, including fundraising, strategic alliances with academic and industrial partners and engagement with public stakeholders
• Initiate and maintain an independent, creative and internationally visible research program aligned with Idiap’s core areas
• Contribute, in the context of the academic affiliation with the EPFL School of Engineering, to undergraduate and/or graduate teaching, supervision and mentoring.

The successful candidate will be based at Idiap in Martigny and will teach at the EPFL main campus, in Lausanne.

Start date: As soon as possible

Profile

Candidates, whose research program is well aligned with the scope of Idiap activities, are expected to have a proven record of R&D leadership in industry and/or academia. Candidates should be expected to demonstrate experience with participative management skills and fundraising abilities, a high degree of social competence and assertiveness, and excellent communication and negotiation skills, to be able to work in a multidisciplinary, multilingual and multicultural environment - with English and French as working languages. Candidates should also demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence in teaching.

Application process:

Applications should include a cover letter, a CV with a list of publications, a concise statement of research (maximum three pages) and teaching interests (one page), a summary (one page) of management skills and project management experience, and the names and addresses (including e-mail) of at least five referees who are able to provide a reference letter upon request. 

The selection process is conducted by a Search Committee composed of Idiap Foundation Council members, EPFL and Idiap representatives. Formal evaluation of candidates will begin on June 1st 2026. Enquiries may be addressed to the Search Committee Chair Prof. Jean-Philippe Thiran by e-mail: diridiap-search@idiap.ch.

Application deadline: May 31st 2026

About Idiap

Idiap is a research institute of national importance that engages in fundamental research, education and technology transfer in artificial intelligence, machine learning and signal processing. Idiap offers competitive salaries and conditions in a young, high-quality, dynamic, and multicultural environment. Idiap is located in the town of Martigny in Valais, a scenic region in the south of Switzerland, surrounded by the highest mountains of Europe, and offering exceptional quality of life, exciting recreational activities, including hiking, climbing and skiing, as well as varied cultural activities. English is the official working language.

At Idiap we place great emphasis on diversity and we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. Employment at Idiap is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications. Idiap does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, marital status, pregnancy, or any other basis protected by law.

For additional information on Idiap and EPFL, please visit the websites: www.idiap.ch, www.epfl.ch, sti.epfl.ch and www.epfl.ch/labs/idiap. Idiap is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing the diversity of our environment and strongly encourage women and underrepresented minorities to apply.

Required languages

• English - Level advanced
• French - Level advanced

Réf: 81f58e53-3d43-4a6e-a8e1-b38aec09ec57