Group Leaders in AI applied to Industry and Societal Challenges (Cross Research Group Leaders) W/M

About Idiap

Idiap is an independent, not-for-profit, research institute accredited and funded by the Swiss Federal Government, the State of Valais, and the City of Martigny.

Idiap offers competitive salaries and working conditions at all levels in a dynamic, multicultural environment. Idiap is an equal opportunity employer. We specifically encourage women and minorities to apply.

Idiap is located in the town of Martigny in Valais, Switzerland, offering exceptional quality of life, exciting recreational activities, including hiking, climbing and skiing, as well as varied cultural activities. It is within close proximity to Lausanne and Geneva. Although Idiap is located in the French part of Switzerland, English is the official working language.

For frequently asked questions (FAQs) about living in Switzerland, please go to https://www.idiap.ch/en/faq

Job description

Idiap is looking for independent researchers in artificial intelligence and machine learning, with strong background in mathematics and statistics, with primary mission to lead innovative cross-disciplinary research projects in their areas of expertise, in collaboration with research groups (https://www.idiap.ch/en/scientific-research) currently established at Idiap.

As part of developing their own research groups — to be referred to as “Cross Research Groups,” to reflect interdisciplinarity — the sought leaders are expected to initiate and support research projects in collaboration with local and international industrial partners, in areas with high-societal and industrial impact, hence depending on the proper integration of multiple expertise areas already available at Idiap.

Priority will be given to researchers who intend to address timely industrial and societal challenges. Areas of particular interest to Idiap currently include: Energy, Climate and Environment, as well as Health, often to be treated globally, but with clear and measurable impact indicators. Applications along other challenging, industry-relevant, multi-disciplinary visions will also be considered. In addition to Key Performance Indicators (KPI) common in academic research, progress will be evaluated based on specific KPIs that reflect ability to grow a solid network of industrial partners in the targeted domain, to initiate and sustain research and development projects in collaboration with other Idiap research groups, and to develop a well-articulated long-term vision for the group in an area of strategic importance.

The positions are open at the Research Scientist and Senior Research Scientist levels. Successful candidates should have a strong track record of independent research and leadership of interdisciplinary collaborations through funded research grants and publications. They will be expected to supervise PhD students in areas of science and engineering. Given the links between Idiap and academic institutions, academic affiliations are accessible under institution-specific academic promotion tracks.

Idiap is a vibrant research institute active in a broad range of AI-related domains. It is at the core of a strong and well-established innovation network, including start-ups and industrial partners. Idiap is home to a diverse and multi-national staff and is ideally located within the scenic environment of the Swiss Alps.

Applications should be submitted in electronic form exclusively through Idiap's Online Recruitment System. Interested individuals should include their full CV, together with (1) a list of publications and funding record (2) a concise (max 2 pages) statement of medium-to-long-term research vision, and (3) the names and addresses, with e-mail, of three referees. Applications missing any of the above items will automatically be rejected.

Although the positions are available immediately, screening and selection will start on September 1, 2022 and will continue until the positions have been filled.

Sought profile

All applicants must have a PhD degree in engineering, physics, computer science, or applied mathematics, several years of research and research management experience, and can originate from Universities (including Universities of Applied Sciences, e.g. FH/HES/SUP in Switzerland) and industry. They should also demonstrate excellent research experience in their field, and strong publication record. Successful candidates should be able to demonstrate independence in research and provide evidence that they have developed their own body of high-quality work, funded through successful research grants.

The successful candidate is expected to initiate independent, creative research programs at the Idiap Research Institute. Given the links between Idiap and our academic partners, academic affiliations can be considered.

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