Head of Research And Development (R&D)

About the job

Location: EPFL Innovation Park, Ecublens, Lausanne Area, Switzerland

Contract: Permanent; Full-time (100%)

About us: Advanced Microfluidics SA

Advanced Microfluidics SA, located in the EPFL Innovation Park in Switzerland, is at the forefront of microfluidics technology. We develop and manufacture advanced fluid handling solutions for industrial and laboratory applications, including programmable syringe pumps, rotary valves, manifolds, and custom microfluidic systems.

Our technologies support applications ranging from environmental monitoring and automated cell culture to nanoparticle formulation, in-vitro diagnostics, biosensing, and droplet generation.

We are dedicated to fostering a vibrant work culture that emphasizes innovation, collaboration, autonomy, and pragmatic engineering.

About the role: Head of R&D

As Head of R&D, you will lead AMF's technological development and help shape the future of our product portfolio.

You will define the R&D roadmap, lead a multidisciplinary engineering team, and oversee the development of new technologies from early concepts to reliable, industrialized products.

This is also a strongly hands-on engineering role. Beyond managing the team and defining the technical direction, you will actively contribute to technical decisions, support engineers in solving complex challenges, and remain closely involved in product development.

• Define and execute the R&D roadmap in line with AMF's strategy and mission to industrialize microfluidics
• Identify new technologies and opportunities in microfluidic automation, life sciences, diagnostics, and industrial applications
• Collaborate with the executive team to define long-term technology and innovation priorities
• Lead the design, prototyping, testing, and validation of microfluidic products and systems, including valves, pumps, manifolds, and custom solutions
• Provide hands-on technical support to engineers and contribute directly to solving complex engineering challenges
• Ensure the precision, reliability, manufacturability, and scalability of new products
• Drive product development from concept and feasibility through industrialization and production
• Facilitate the integration of AMF technologies into customer systems and support the technical aspects of strategic customer projects
• Build, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary R&D team while remaining an active member of the engineering team
• Manage R&D projects, priorities, resources, timelines, and budgets
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, technical excellence, and continuous improvement
• Develop collaborations with academic institutions, technology partners, industrial companies, and customers
• Represent AMF at technical conferences, workshops, and industry events
• Provide technical expertise to support strategic partnerships and fundraising activities

Who you are:

• Hold a Master's degree or PhD in Microfluidics, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Microengineering, or a related technical field
• Passionate about engineering, product development, and solving complex technical challenges
• Proven experience leading R&D teams and successfully bringing innovative products from concept to market
• Strong multidisciplinary engineering background, ideally combining mechanics, electronics, fluidics, and system integration
• Experience in high-tech product development, industrialization, and preferably microfluidics
• Able to combine strategic thinking with a pragmatic and hands-on approach to engineering
• Comfortable working in a startup, scale-up, or fast-paced technology environment
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills
• Autonomous, proactive, creative, and comfortable taking ownership of technical decisions
• Strong team spirit and ability to interact constructively with customers, partners, suppliers, and internal teams
• Proficient in both French and English; additional languages are a plus
• Swiss citizen or valid Swiss working permit preferred; EU citizen applications will also be considered

Why join us?

• Take a key role in shaping the future of AMF's technology and product portfolio
• Lead innovation in a high-potential field at the intersection of microfluidics, automation, biotechnology, diagnostics, and industrial applications
• Combine technical leadership with hands-on engineering and product development
• Have a direct impact on products used in real-world scientific and industrial applications
• Work with a highly qualified and motivated multidisciplinary team
• Benefit from a high level of autonomy and short decision-making processes
• Grow with an ambitious technology company in a fast-evolving market
• Enjoy a framework contract system as a departmental director, allowing for flexibility of working hours and work location
• Enjoy a pleasant working environment at EPFL Innovation Park, with access to sports and catering facilities

Ready to step up?

If you are passionate about engineering, enjoy turning complex technical challenges into reliable products, and want to lead the development of the next generation of microfluidic technologies, we'd love to hear from you.

Please send your application (resume, cover letter, and work certificates) to administration(at)amf.ch. Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered.