Partnerships and Research Funding Manager / Partnerships and Research Funding Manageress

Introduction

The Soft Robotics Lab at ETH Zurich builds robots that are soft, musculoskeletal, and partially alive. We develop artificial muscles, dexterous robotic hands, biohybrid systems, and the simulation and learning methods that drive them. Our work is published in prestigious journals such as Nature and Science Robotics, and it reaches the real world through industry collaborations and spin-offs. The lab is a part of the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering (D-MAVT) and is located in the CLA building at Tannenstrasse 3, on the Zentrum campus next to the ETH main building. Approximately 25 researchers from around the globe work here, led by Prof. Robert Katzschmann.

This role carries significant responsibilities. You will represent our lab to company leadership and funding bodies, shape the collaborations we pursue, and work directly alongside the professor.

Project Background

Our research is sustained by two primary funding pillars: research partnerships with companies and competitive grants from Swiss and European funders. As both avenues continue to grow, we need a dedicated individual to manage these relationships from inception to ongoing collaboration. This role requires balancing business conversations and proposal work with the scientific leadership of the lab.

We are establishing this dedicated position to build and maintain relationships with our corporate research partners, guiding them from initial discussions to signed agreements and enduring collaborations. This role will also drive our grant acquisition at the SNSF, in Horizon Europe, and from various foundations, as well as manage our large funded projects, encompassing budgets, reporting, and coordination of European consortia.

The ultimate aim is to create a stable funding base for the lab, allowing our research team to focus on their scientific endeavors.

Role Description

• Build and maintain research partnerships with companies, identifying firms with aligned research interests, fostering initial contacts into funded collaborations, and ensuring productive partnerships over time, in close coordination with the professor and the research team.
• Drive grant acquisition efforts by tracking funding opportunities at the SNSF, in Horizon Europe, and with foundations, collaborating with the professor on pursuit strategies.
• Co-write and coordinate proposals by structuring applications, building budgets and work packages, and drafting administrative sections.
• Manage ongoing projects, overseeing reporting, budget control, milestones, and deliverables, while coordinating European consortia, working closely with our lab administration.
• Act as the interface to the ETH Research Contracts Group, ETH Transfer, the Grants Office, and departmental controlling, preparing necessary contracts and agreements.
• Support the operational functions of the lab by coordinating activities across projects and ensuring project documentation remains up to date.

Your Profile

• You are a proven relationship builder with experience in business development, industry liaison, technology transfer, or corporate research collaborations, enabling you to engage with company leadership confidently.
• You possess a doctorate in engineering or natural sciences, or equivalent professional experience, allowing you to represent our research credibly to corporate R&D teams.
• You have experience with competitive research funding, particularly with SNSF and European instruments; prior experience coordinating an EU consortium is a plus.
• You are organized and reliable when managing budgets, deadlines, and reporting while juggling multiple projects simultaneously.
• You communicate clearly in English, both in writing and negotiation; proficiency in German is an advantage, though not a requirement.

We Offer

• A role with genuine ownership, where you will collaborate with the professor to decide which partnerships and funding lines to pursue.
• Direct access to cutting-edge research desired by companies, encompassing artificial muscles, dexterous hands, biohybrid systems, and embodied AI.
• A young and international team of approximately 25 researchers situated on the Zentrum campus, alongside the broader ETH network of transfer offices, centers, and spin-offs.
• Employment conditions at ETH Zurich, which include flexible working hours and support for further education.
• Family and wellbeing initiatives, including childcare support via the kihz foundation, paid maternity and paternity leave in accordance with ETH policy, and five weeks of vacation annually.
• The position is offered as a one-year fixed-term contract, with the potential for extension to a long-term role.

An overview of all ETH benefits can be found at Working, teaching and research at ETH Zurich.

Curious? So Are We!

We encourage you to apply online using the form below. Please include the following documents:

• CV
• A short motivation letter that highlights the partnerships or grants you have built and the efforts involved
• The names of two references

Only applications matching the job profile will be considered. The application review process operates on a rolling basis until the position is filled. The process consists of an initial online interview, followed by a second conversation with the professor about a specific partnership or funding case, and concluding with an on-site interview in the lab in Zurich.

Further information about the Soft Robotics Lab can be found on our website. Questions regarding the role are welcome and can be directed to Prof. Robert Katzschmann (applications will not be accepted through this channel).

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted online. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

We emphasize that the pre-selection process is conducted by our dedicated recruiters, not by artificial intelligence.

For recruitment services, the General Terms and Conditions (GTC) of ETH Zurich apply.