Job Description

About the Swiss Data Science Center (SDSC)
The Swiss Data Science Center (SDSC) is a national research infrastructure in data science and artificial intelligence (AI). Its mission-to enable data-driven science and innovation for societal impact-drives its initiatives in research projects, knowledge and technology transfer, and education. With a large multidisciplinary team of professionals in Lausanne, Zurich and Villigen, the SDSC provides expertise and services to various domains, such as health and biomedical sciences, energy and sustainability, climate and environment, and large-scale scientific infrastructures. The SDSC also offers initial and executive education programs through EPFL and ETH Zurich.
Your mission
As Deputy Lead for the Health & Biomedical (HBM) Vertical, you will represent SDSC in Western Switzerland and beyond, in close coordination with the Vertical Lead. You will ensure consistent strategic messaging, foster relationships, and engage with key academic, clinical, and industry stakeholders.
You will play a pivotal role in leading complex Health & Biomedical Data Science projects and managing the strategic evolution of domain-specific data platforms and services, aligning them with user needs and translational goals.
In this position, you will bring domain expertise, leadership, and product vision to a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment, working closely with the Vertical Lead to ensure alignment with SDSC's overall program objectives and strategic priorities.
Main duties and responsibilities include
Representation & Strategic Leadership

• Represent the HBM Vertical in Western Switzerland (and beyond), building and maintaining strong relationships with academic, clinical, and industry partners.

• Act on behalf of the Vertical Lead in strategic and operational contexts, with delegated authority and shared accountability.

• Support the strategic growth and positioning of the HBM Vertical in national and regional initiatives.

Project Leadership & Delivery

• Lead the planning, oversight, and delivery of complex Health & Biomedical Data Science projects, including large multi-partner initiatives.

• Translate biomedical requirements into actionable development priorities, ensuring impactful, user-centered outcomes.

Product Ownership

• Drive the development and evolution of key biomedical data platforms and services.

• Define product vision, roadmaps, and development priorities in close coordination with users and development teams.

• Ensure the relevance of SDSC's services by integrating domain-specific insights and engaging with end users in healthcare and research.

Stakeholder & Community Engagement

• Guide product validation, stakeholder communication, and the development of scalable, user-focused tools.

• Engage with diverse stakeholders in clinical, research, and industry settings.

Your profile
Education and experience

• PhD in a relevant field (Biomedical Data Science, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Data Engineering, or related disciplines).

• Extensive experience in biomedical research.

• Proven track record in managing complex, interdisciplinary projects in Health, Biomedical, or Life Sciences data environments.

• Experience in product strategy, product management, or product ownership of data platforms, software tools, or services.

• Prior coordination experience in cross-functional, distributed, or matrix teams for data science or diagnostic initiatives.

• Familiarity with the Swiss or European biomedical research ecosystem is a plus.

Technical and domain skills

• Solid understanding of biomedical data types (e.g., genomics, imaging, EHR) and integration challenges.

• Strong knowledge of precision medicine, clinical needs, and translational research workflows.

• Familiarity with data science and AI concepts, tools, and workflows relevant to health and biomedical domains.

• Proficiency in project management and development methodologies (Agile, Scrum, or classical approaches).

• Experience in product management for biomedical applications, including defining vision, gathering user requirements, prioritization, and lifecycle planning.

Leadership and management competencies

• Proven ability to lead interdisciplinary teams and coordinate stakeholders across diverse locations and disciplines.

• Strong organizational and planning skills, with a record of delivering complex projects on time and within scope.

• Trusted leader in matrix environments, capable of acting with autonomy in high-stakes collaborations.

• Committed to fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performance team culture.

Communication and interpersonal skills

• Excellent interpersonal and communication abilities in English; professional working proficiency in French.

• Ability to communicate effectively across scientific, technical, and non-technical audiences.

• Skilled in building and maintaining relationships with external partners, funding bodies, and diverse stakeholders.

• Confidence to represent SDSC professionally and engage with both scientific and technical communities.

Mindset and personal qualities

• Strategic thinker who balances operational delivery with long-term vision.

• Proactive, hands-on, and pragmatic approach to problem-solving.

• High degree of initiative, accountability, and resilience.

• Deep commitment to advancing data-driven innovation in health and biomedical research through responsible and collaborative practices.

We offer

• A dynamic, interdisciplinary environment at the forefront of data-driven innovation in health and biomedical research.

• Opportunities to engage with leading academic, clinical, and industry stakeholders across Switzerland and beyond.

• A collaborative team culture within SDSC, an institute jointly hosted by EPFL and ETH Zurich.

• Attractive employment conditions in line with EPFL/ETH domain policies.

Informations
Contract Start Date : to be agreed
Activity Rate Min : 80.00
Activity Rate Max : 100.00
Contract Type: CDD
Duration: 1 year renewable
Reference: 1691
For further information, please contact: hrdatascience@datascience.ch