Agriculture Mission Lead – Earth Observation and Agricultural Decision Support ETH Zurich is establishing the
ETH Swiss GeoLab , a new interdisciplinary unit of
ETH Zürich I Space . ETH Space will soon become one of few strategic centres of ETH Zurich, and encompasses overall five units.
The GeoLab is focused on Earth observation and its applications. The GeoLab uses satellite, airborne, ground-based and in-situ observations. To these diverse data sets it applies AI-driven analysis methods and high-performance computing to develop solutions for specific societal and economic challenges.
Located at the D4 Business Village in Root, close to Lucerne, ETH Swiss GeoLab works at the interface of research, technology development and practical application. In its first phase, the GeoLab is focusing on few selected high-impact application areas where Earth observation, geodata and AI-based analytics can create tangible value for Switzerland. In agriculture, this includes challenges related to productivity, resilience, resource efficiency, environmental performance and decision support for practitioners and policymakers.
The ETH Swiss GeoLab is led by Prof. Dr Verena Griess and Prof. Dr Thomas Zurbuchen, with Dr Felix Seidel as Managing Director, responsible for the day-to-day operations of this exciting activity. The GeoLab will grow into a project-based hub of around 100 experts over the coming years and will collaborate closely with other ETH units, the Swiss national centre for supercomputing (CSCS), Swiss research institutions, public-sector stakeholders, agricultural organisations, industry partners, start‑ups and international stakeholders.
This position is offered as a
fixed-term appointment for an initial period of two years, with the possibility of extension.
As Agriculture Mission Lead, you will spearhead the agriculture focused initiative - the GeoLab Agriculture Mission - within GeoLab. You will identify high-impact challenges in Swiss agriculture through direct interchange with key stakeholders and rely on domain-relevant data and experts. Moreover, you will define ambitious mission outcomes, translate practitioner needs into research and product goals, and drive solutions through field validation and adoption.
You will work closely with other GeoLab mission teams, its Research Program Support team, and the Geo-Intelligence team (plus the external partners mentioned above). You will lead cross-functional and external experts and will have the authority to prioritize, redirect, and pivot or pause activities within the approved mission charter, budget and governance framework.
As part of your role, you will:
On behalf of the GeoLab leadership team, define an ambitious and coherent Agriculture Mission addressing major opportunities in productivity, resilience, resource efficiency and environmental performance
Identify operational gaps where ETH Swiss GeoLab can create distinctive value for Swiss agriculture
Engage directly with farmers, agricultural advisory services, producer organisations, cooperatives, cantonal and federal authorities, insurers, technology providers and industry partners
Identify unmet needs, operational constraints, incentives and economic drivers in agricultural practice
Translate agricultural challenges into clear research, data, product and technical requirements
Assess user value, economic viability, scalability and adoption potential
Establish measurable mission outcomes, roadmaps, assumptions and success criteria aligned with Swiss agricultural needs and the overall GeoLab strategy; you will also track progress actively against these outcomes
Manage the delegated mission budget and define priorities, milestones and decision points and track finances and successes in that framework, through regular reporting activities to GeoLab leadership and other stakeholders
Work with GeoLab’s Geo-Intelligence team – the team deeply focused on AI and analyses of big data amounts - and external performers to drive field pilots, validation, operational testing and integration into agricultural workflows
Identify and mobilise strong research groups, agricultural organisations, technology companies, start‑ups, service providers, insurers, public agencies and implementation partners
Represent ETH Swiss GeoLab within Swiss agricultural, scientific, policy and innovation communities
Communicate mission goals, progress, evidence and lessons learned at field events, workshops and conferences
Guide and train students, researchers and external contributors where required and support knowledge transfer into agricultural practice.
Profile In summary, you understand the realities of agricultural practice and are motivated by the opportunity to translate research, Earth observation data and data-driven technologies into practical solutions with measurable impact.
Specifically, we are looking for someone with:
A
Master’s or PhD degree (preferred) in agricultural sciences , agronomy, crop science, agricultural engineering, environmental sciences or related fields
Several years of experience
applied research, program delivery or operational implementation, in agricultural practice, advisory services, agri-technology, public administration or industry, preferably but not necessarily in Switzerland
Strong
expertise and understanding in agricultural practice , production systems, agronomy and crop management
Proven ability to
identify important operational problems and translate
them into actionable initiatives
With a
track‑record of successful collaborations
in diverse teams and have demonstrated your excitement to not only do research but apply that research to the benefit of others.
Strong
project, portfolio and budget management
skills with demonstrated examples of dashboard and tracking tools for others to gain insights in these projects
Excellent
stakeholder management
skills across diverse practitioners, public authorities, academia, industry and expert communities
The ability to
work across disciplinary and organisational boundaries
and to lead through influence
Strong judgement skills
under uncertainty and the
willingness to challenge
established approaches constructively
Excellent
communication and listening skills , and great presentation skills in various modalities
Excellent written and spoken
English and German ; French is an asset
You are mission-driven, entrepreneurial, a strong learner and comfortable working in a newly established and evolving organization. You have a track-record of successful team participation and leadership and an excitement for hard and impactful work. You combine scientific credibility with pragmatic decision‑making, economic awareness and a clear focus on adoption, scalability and public value. In doing so, you want to work on the best idea, not necessarily your best idea.
We offer
The great and rare opportunity to help build ETH Swiss GeoLab from its early phase and shape a new national initiative for Earth observation
A mission‑driven role with high visibility and strong relevance for Swiss agriculture and with broad international impact due to the learnings from it
A dynamic, interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial environment at one of the world’s leading technical universities
A workplace in Root/Lucerne, embedded in an active innovation ecosystem and closely connected to ETH Zurich and particularly ETH Zurich I Space
In line with our values , ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us – we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future .
#J-18808-Ljbffr
ETH Swiss GeoLab , a new interdisciplinary unit of
ETH Zürich I Space . ETH Space will soon become one of few strategic centres of ETH Zurich, and encompasses overall five units.
The GeoLab is focused on Earth observation and its applications. The GeoLab uses satellite, airborne, ground-based and in-situ observations. To these diverse data sets it applies AI-driven analysis methods and high-performance computing to develop solutions for specific societal and economic challenges.
Located at the D4 Business Village in Root, close to Lucerne, ETH Swiss GeoLab works at the interface of research, technology development and practical application. In its first phase, the GeoLab is focusing on few selected high-impact application areas where Earth observation, geodata and AI-based analytics can create tangible value for Switzerland. In agriculture, this includes challenges related to productivity, resilience, resource efficiency, environmental performance and decision support for practitioners and policymakers.
The ETH Swiss GeoLab is led by Prof. Dr Verena Griess and Prof. Dr Thomas Zurbuchen, with Dr Felix Seidel as Managing Director, responsible for the day-to-day operations of this exciting activity. The GeoLab will grow into a project-based hub of around 100 experts over the coming years and will collaborate closely with other ETH units, the Swiss national centre for supercomputing (CSCS), Swiss research institutions, public-sector stakeholders, agricultural organisations, industry partners, start‑ups and international stakeholders.
This position is offered as a
fixed-term appointment for an initial period of two years, with the possibility of extension.
As Agriculture Mission Lead, you will spearhead the agriculture focused initiative - the GeoLab Agriculture Mission - within GeoLab. You will identify high-impact challenges in Swiss agriculture through direct interchange with key stakeholders and rely on domain-relevant data and experts. Moreover, you will define ambitious mission outcomes, translate practitioner needs into research and product goals, and drive solutions through field validation and adoption.
You will work closely with other GeoLab mission teams, its Research Program Support team, and the Geo-Intelligence team (plus the external partners mentioned above). You will lead cross-functional and external experts and will have the authority to prioritize, redirect, and pivot or pause activities within the approved mission charter, budget and governance framework.
As part of your role, you will:
On behalf of the GeoLab leadership team, define an ambitious and coherent Agriculture Mission addressing major opportunities in productivity, resilience, resource efficiency and environmental performance
Identify operational gaps where ETH Swiss GeoLab can create distinctive value for Swiss agriculture
Engage directly with farmers, agricultural advisory services, producer organisations, cooperatives, cantonal and federal authorities, insurers, technology providers and industry partners
Identify unmet needs, operational constraints, incentives and economic drivers in agricultural practice
Translate agricultural challenges into clear research, data, product and technical requirements
Assess user value, economic viability, scalability and adoption potential
Establish measurable mission outcomes, roadmaps, assumptions and success criteria aligned with Swiss agricultural needs and the overall GeoLab strategy; you will also track progress actively against these outcomes
Manage the delegated mission budget and define priorities, milestones and decision points and track finances and successes in that framework, through regular reporting activities to GeoLab leadership and other stakeholders
Work with GeoLab’s Geo-Intelligence team – the team deeply focused on AI and analyses of big data amounts - and external performers to drive field pilots, validation, operational testing and integration into agricultural workflows
Identify and mobilise strong research groups, agricultural organisations, technology companies, start‑ups, service providers, insurers, public agencies and implementation partners
Represent ETH Swiss GeoLab within Swiss agricultural, scientific, policy and innovation communities
Communicate mission goals, progress, evidence and lessons learned at field events, workshops and conferences
Guide and train students, researchers and external contributors where required and support knowledge transfer into agricultural practice.
Profile In summary, you understand the realities of agricultural practice and are motivated by the opportunity to translate research, Earth observation data and data-driven technologies into practical solutions with measurable impact.
Specifically, we are looking for someone with:
A
Master’s or PhD degree (preferred) in agricultural sciences , agronomy, crop science, agricultural engineering, environmental sciences or related fields
Several years of experience
applied research, program delivery or operational implementation, in agricultural practice, advisory services, agri-technology, public administration or industry, preferably but not necessarily in Switzerland
Strong
expertise and understanding in agricultural practice , production systems, agronomy and crop management
Proven ability to
identify important operational problems and translate
them into actionable initiatives
With a
track‑record of successful collaborations
in diverse teams and have demonstrated your excitement to not only do research but apply that research to the benefit of others.
Strong
project, portfolio and budget management
skills with demonstrated examples of dashboard and tracking tools for others to gain insights in these projects
Excellent
stakeholder management
skills across diverse practitioners, public authorities, academia, industry and expert communities
The ability to
work across disciplinary and organisational boundaries
and to lead through influence
Strong judgement skills
under uncertainty and the
willingness to challenge
established approaches constructively
Excellent
communication and listening skills , and great presentation skills in various modalities
Excellent written and spoken
English and German ; French is an asset
You are mission-driven, entrepreneurial, a strong learner and comfortable working in a newly established and evolving organization. You have a track-record of successful team participation and leadership and an excitement for hard and impactful work. You combine scientific credibility with pragmatic decision‑making, economic awareness and a clear focus on adoption, scalability and public value. In doing so, you want to work on the best idea, not necessarily your best idea.
We offer
The great and rare opportunity to help build ETH Swiss GeoLab from its early phase and shape a new national initiative for Earth observation
A mission‑driven role with high visibility and strong relevance for Swiss agriculture and with broad international impact due to the learnings from it
A dynamic, interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial environment at one of the world’s leading technical universities
A workplace in Root/Lucerne, embedded in an active innovation ecosystem and closely connected to ETH Zurich and particularly ETH Zurich I Space
In line with our values , ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us – we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future .
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Agriculture Mission Lead – Earth Observation and Agricultural Decision Support Arbeitgeber: Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
Als Software Research & Development Engineer bei ETH Zürich profitieren Sie von einer inspirierenden und kollaborativen Arbeitsumgebung in einer weltweit anerkannten Forschungseinrichtung. Wir bieten spannende Herausforderungen, vielfältige Projekte und die Möglichkeit, Ihre Fähigkeiten weiterzuentwickeln, während Sie an der Schnittstelle zwischen Forschung, Technik und Betrieb arbeiten. Unsere Kultur fördert Vielfalt und Inklusion, und wir setzen uns aktiv für eine nachhaltige Zukunft ein.
Kontaktdaten:
Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich Recruiting-Team
