Head of Business Development - Responsible AI 80 - 100 %

Head of Business Development - Responsible AI 80 - 100 %

Shape the establishment of the competence center for Responsible AI

Department: School of Engineering

Start of work: October 2025 or by agreement (Application deadline: 19.08.2025)

For the establishment of a new Swiss competence center for Responsible AI, we are looking for a personality as Head of Business Development, who will significantly drive and be responsible for the conception, content and organizational design, and the development of the business model.

Under the leadership of ZHAW, the four Zurich universities (ZHAW, UZH, PHZH, and ZHdK) are establishing a new Swiss competence center for Responsible AI together with a broad network of partners from business, administration, and civil society. This center will network and integrate knowledge from the fields of computer science, law, and social sciences around "Responsible AI" and make it available to companies and public organizations in this form. This aims to support developers and users of AI systems in adequately considering the relevant legal, ethical, and social expectations of the systems, in addition to the technical requirements, such as transparency and explainability, data protection, robustness and security, non-discrimination, and fairness.

The competence and service center will provide support on topics such as: identifying relevant expectations, deriving technical specifications from them, implementing efficient solutions, achieving legal compliance, preparing certifications, testing and monitoring requirements throughout the lifecycle, and collaborating with external stakeholders.

During a four-year establishment phase, the center will be co-financed by the digitalization initiative of the Zurich universities (DIZH), with the goal of long-term organizational and financial independence. For the necessary design and establishment work, we are creating a new position "Head of Business Development", which will centrally drive business development and, in the medium term, lead the center as "Managing Director".

The position is initially based at ZHAW but is expected to gradually transition to the competence center over the next few years. The employment at ZHAW is initially limited to one year with the possibility of extension.

Your tasks include:

• Building the service portfolio of the competence center for a successful and financially sustainable future, and starting operational work within the next year
• Establishing the center as an organizationally independent entity, in collaboration with the involved universities
• Ensuring the sustainable financing of the center, developing a corresponding business model
• Positioning the center as a leading non-profit competence center in Switzerland
• Building a network and partnerships with relevant players in Switzerland and Europe

For the position as Head of Business Development, we are looking for an entrepreneurially oriented person who shapes this demanding role with passion, imagination, and personal as well as professional competence, significantly shapes the competence center, and takes on corresponding leadership tasks.

Ideal candidates bring:

• At least a master's degree either in a technical discipline related to AI or in business administration, ideally in combination (e.g., master's in computer science with MBA)
• Solid theoretical knowledge and practical professional experience in the development of AI systems
• Entrepreneurial mindset, proven competence and experience in building, scaling, and leading startups in the AI field; successful establishment in the market.
• Track record in collaborating with external partners and building ecosystems
• Experience in fundraising (e.g., research grants, philanthropy)
• Broad knowledge about the implementation status of "Responsible AI" in the combination of technical, regulatory, and ethical aspects, and enthusiasm for advancing the implementation of Responsible AI in the private sector and administration
• Excellent network in the AI ecosystem in business and public administration in Switzerland
• Communicative and strong leadership personality
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in at least German and English, an additional national language is advantageous.

ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences is one of the largest multi-disciplinary universities of applied sciences in Switzerland, with over 14,000 students and over 11,000 continuing education participants, as well as around 3,700 employees.

The School of Engineering (SoE) focuses on future-relevant topics as one of the leading educational and research institutions in Switzerland. 14 institutes and centers guarantee high-quality education, research, and development with a focus on the areas of energy, mobility, information, and health.

The position is simultaneously based at two institutes of the School of Engineering: Institute for Data Analysis and Process Design (IDP) and Center for Artificial Intelligence (CAI).

IDP is one of the leading Swiss university institutes in the field of Data Science. It employs advanced methods from statistics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to create maximum added value in practice. IDP has a long track record in the field of Responsible AI, particularly for the dimension of fairness and non-discrimination.

CAI conducts method-oriented applied research and development at the highest level in the field of machine learning and is committed to a human-centered approach to artificial intelligence, which actively shapes the ethical dimension. The group "Responsible AI Innovation" deals with the technical, regulatory, and ethical aspects of AI-supported innovation. The research focus of the group is on identifying technical and non-technical approaches that enable organizations to successfully transform AI technology into solutions that serve economic and social well-being.

ZHAW is committed to gender-mixed and diverse teams to promote equality, diversity, and innovation.

We offer university-appropriate working and employment conditions and actively promote the personal development of our employees and leaders. A detailed description of the benefits can be found on the website "Working at ZHAW". Here are the key points:

Prof. Dr. Christoph Heitz

Head of research group AI & Society, IDP

Dr. Ricardo Chavarriaga

Group Leader Responsible AI Innovation, CAI