Call for Founding Heads of R&D Laboratories

ppb*This opportunity is located in Turin, Italy.* /b /ppThe Italian Institute of Artificial Intelligence (AI4I) is seeking for talented and ambitious Heads of RD Laboratories to lead the next generation of AI research and development in AI-driven industries /ppbLead the next generation of artificial intelligence research for industrial innovation. /b /ppThe Italian Institute of Artificial Intelligence (AI4I) invites applications from outstanding, entrepreneurial and ambitious researchers to establish and lead new RD Laboratories at the intersection of frontier artificial intelligence and industrial transformation. bFounding Heads /b will define the scientific identity of their Laboratories, build internationally competitive teams, create reusable AI assets, and translate research excellence into industrial, technological and societal impact. /ppAI4I is seeking outstanding AI researchers and scientific leaders capable of making major, original contributions to frontier artificial intelligence and its industrial application. Candidates are invited to propose a distinctive RD Laboratory, define its scientific identity and set out a credible four-year path from research excellence to reusable technological assets, industrial validation and impact. /ph3About AI4I’s RD Laboratories /h3pbRD Laboratories are the cornerstone of the Institute’s scientific and technological architecture. /b Each Laboratory may focus on foundational AI methods, enabling platforms or application-driven domains and is expected to grow beyond its initial endowment by attracting competitive research funding, industrial collaborations and technology-transfer opportunities. /ppAI4I Laboratories operate at the convergence of frontier research and real-world validation, primarily across TRL 2–6. They are expected to produce internationally visible science while creating reusable software, models, datasets, benchmarks, prototypes, IP and industrial demonstrators. Collaboration and cross-fertilization across Laboratories are strongly encouraged. /ph3Labs Are At The Centre Of An Articulated Organization /h3ulliCollaboration: Collaboration and cross-fertilization between labs are strongly encouraged. /liliHPC AI Supercomputing Resources: An extensive GPU-based accelerated computing facility and high-performance data infrastructure is available to support lab activities. /liliEngineering Support: A dedicated Engineering unit provides on-demand, specialized support in high-performance computing (HPC), software engineering, data engineering, and more. /liliThe Institute for Advanced Study: The FCSP Institute of Advanced Study provides continuous interaction with leading academic and industrial AI organizations worldwide. /liliAcademic Collaborations: Broad collaborations with universities and research institutions through joint research programmes, doctoral programmes and international grants. /liliEntrepreneurship: A “spin-off friendly” culture and relationships with investors, accelerators and the deep-tech ecosystem encourage entrepreneurial initiatives. /liliBusiness Development: Dedicated business development support facilitates industrial partnerships and access to European and national funding programmes. /li /ulh3What We Are Looking For /h3pAI4I is looking for leading AI researchers with the ambition and scientific depth to make major contributions to frontier artificial intelligence and its industrial application. The call is open to distinctive proposals across the full spectrum of foundational methods, enabling technologies and application-driven domains, and candidates are invited to define the scientific direction they consider most original and consequential. /ph3The Areas Of Particular Interest Are /h3ulliAI for Operations, Optimization and Industrial Decision Systems /liliDomain Foundation Models, Multimodal Industrial AI and AI Resources /liliAgentic AI for Cyber-Physical System /liliEfficient Embodied AI, Edge AI, TinyML /liliAI for Materials Discovery, Automated Experimentation and Circularity /liliDigital Twins, Synthetic Data and Scientific–Industrial Simulation /liliCognitive Security Technologies /liliCollective Intelligence and Collaborative Multi-Agent Systems /liliHuman-Centered AI for Adaptive Human–Machine Collaboration /li /ulh3What We Offer /h3ulliA renewable four-year appointment, with a pathway to a permanent position based on performance against agreed KPIs and targets. /liliSalary range: €70,000 – €120,000 + 25-35% MBO gross/year (depending on experience) and relocation support. /liliA start-up grant, with scope and phasing determined through the Laboratory’s approved strategic and financial plan. /liliPotential tax exemption of up to 90% for eligible researchers relocating to Italy, subject to applicable law and individual eligibility. /liliAccess to high-end computing, data, engineering, deployment and industrial co-design infrastructure. /liliThe opportunity to recruit and shape an international team of researchers, engineers, postdoctoral fellows and PhD candidates. /liliSupport for competitive grants, industrial partnerships, IP, licensing, spin-offs and public–private research programs. /li /ulh3Your Role as Founding Head /h3pAs the Head of an RD Lab, you will design, establish, and lead one of the Institute’s core research laboratories. You will be responsible for defining the RD plan for your lab: setting a long-term vision and short- and long-term goals; attracting world-class talent, delivering scientific and technological breakthroughs; and positioning the Institute as one of the world’s leading centers for AI research and innovation. With support from the Institute’s core support functions and engineering infrastructure, your responsibilities will include: /pulliScientific and Strategic Leadership: Designing cutting-edge AI Research Development programs and solutions, meeting milestones, and achieving defined success metrics. Monitoring AI advancements, identifying opportunities for high-impact innovation. /liliTeam Building: Leading a team of AI researchers and engineers to execute advanced research and develop practical software or platforms. /liliOutreach: Collaborating with marketing and business development teams to promote AI4I, expanding its reach and influence. /liliRevenue Generation: Attracting external funding from private and public sources to support the growth of your lab, including EU programs and strategic industry partnerships. /liliProject Management: Managing multiple projects simultaneously, establishing schedules, and resolving bottlenecks to ensure smooth execution. Acting as an interface between the Institute and external partners and users. /liliAI Assets Development: Overseeing the creation and maintenance of reusable frameworks, libraries, and APIs aligned with industry needs. /li /ulh3Key Success Metrics /h3pPerformance Will Be Assessed Through Annual And Multi-year KPIs Agreed During The Appointment And Aligned With The Approved Strategic Plan. Core Dimensions Include /pulliScientific excellence: quality and visibility of peer-reviewed publications, invited contributions, benchmark adoption and international scientific positioning. /liliTechnology and reusable assets: TRL progression, reproducibility, prototype maturity, software, models, datasets, benchmarks, standards, patents and deployment readiness. /liliIndustrial and societal impact: validated use cases, pilots, partner retention, adoption evidence and measurable improvements in productivity, quality, resilience, safety or sustainability. /liliFinancial growth: competitive funding, industrial revenue, leverage beyond the initial endowment and credible licensing or spin-off opportunities. /liliLeadership and management: team development, hiring, delivery on time and budget, risk management, governance and contribution to cross-Laboratory initiatives. /li /ulh3Candidate Profile /h3h3We Seek Leaders With /h3ulliStrong track record in AI research and development, with a deep understanding of methods and architectures. /liliDemonstrated ability to lead complex, multidisciplinary RD programs, from design to implementation. /liliAbility to interact across academic, industrial, and institutional settings. /liliExperience in applying AI in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, autonomous systems, human-machine interaction, or software development. /li /ulh3Preferred Qualifications /h3ulliA PhD in a relevant field. /liliPrevious leadership of a research group, Laboratory, center, major project or multidisciplinary program, both in public institutions or in centers for corporate RD. /liliExperience in European RD programs, public–private consortia or industrial research partnerships. /liliOwnership or development of patents, software, open-source projects, datasets, standards or other AI assets. /liliExperience as a founder or co-founder, or a track record in technology transfer, licensing or venture creation. /li /ul /p #J-18808-Ljbffr