Location: Swissnex in San Francisco
Status: 100%, 40 hours/week
Start Date: August 1st or by agreement
Reports to: CEO

Do you want to join the global Swissnex network and build meaningful connections across startups, science, education, the arts, and innovation in both Silicon Valley and Switzerland? This is your chance!

As Head of Programs, you oversee the program team (consisting of 6 FTE) across the organization’s core verticals—Academia, AI, Creative Industries, and Entrepreneurship—ensuring successful fundraising, implementation, further development of the programs, alignment, and impact. In addition, you lead the Corporate Innovation vertical, focusing primarily on generating new leads, securing long-term partnerships with corporate partners, and advancing both existing and new corporate offerings.

You also work closely with the CEO, develop partnerships, contribute to the organization’s fundraising efforts and advise on strategic decisions, and contribute to leadership discussions. Your role includes representing the organization, building relationships in Switzerland and the Bay Area, and managing stakeholder relationships to create new opportunities.

Your primary areas of responsibility

• Program Development and Team Management (60%)
• Leading the Corporate Innovation Vertical (20%)
• Leadership & Strategy (10%)
• Representing Swissnex and Networking (10%)

• Master’s degree.
• 5+ years of relevant work experience.
• Connection to Switzerland and an excellent network in the Swiss – and ideally US – Education, Research, and Innovation (ERI) landscapes.
• Track record in fundraising and in developing and implementing complex partnerships across sectors such as corporate, government, academia, foundations, or non-profits.
• Collaborative team player with a positive, hands-on, and solution-oriented approach.

Mandatory: Due to our legal status as an annex of the Swiss Consulate, we can only hire candidates who are already legally authorized to work in either the U. S. or Switzerland. There can be no exceptions.

Salary range: $110K-$120K*

• *For U.S. applicants, subject to U.S. taxes.
  For Swiss applicants, who are not subject to U.S. taxes, the salary range will be adjusted to reflect an equivalent purchasing power (i.e., a lower range).

Additional benefits

• 20 days of vacation, 12+ annual holidays, sick leave, health insurance.
• Flexibility to work remotely for 1 week each year from anywhere in the U.S. or Switzerland
• Option of working from home 2 days a week.
• Opportunities for professional development, including dedicated funding for continuing education and training.
• Regular business travel to Switzerland to engage with partners and strengthen cross-border collaboration.

Located at Pier 17, Swissnex in San Francisco connects the dots between Switzerland and the West Coast of the USA in education, research, innovation, and the arts. We foster international collaboration and empower next generation innovators to create futures in which the planet and society thrives. In service of this goal, our dynamic and international team produces academic, corporate and creative industry programs, startup camps, events and much more.

As an employer, we established a collaborative and purpose-driven team culture and care about an environment that encourages innovation, experimentation, and creative problem-solving. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce is essential for fostering creativity and achieving our organizational goals.

We look forward to receiving your application. Please apply through this link and include both your resume (CV) and a cover letter tailored to this position that details your qualifications and interest in the position. Please see the instructions regarding your cover letter on the application page.

Start your application HERE.

• Deadline to apply: Sunday, June 1
• We follow up with every applicant.

Start September 1, 2025, or upon agreement / 12 months

Workload: Full-time, 40 hours / week

Location: Shanghai

Swissnex in China is Switzerland’s Science Consulate in China. We advance Swiss-Chinese collaboration in education, research, and innovation by leveraging relevant contacts, scouting content, and providing context. Our activities provide Sino-Swiss ERI collaboration with a stronger and more sustainable contextual foundation. We tackle the key issues of tomorrow by connecting people, building competencies, and inspiring global collaboration at the frontline of international science diplomacy. Swissnex is an initiative of Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation and part of Switzerland’s official network abroad. Swissnex has six main locations around the world in Boston and New York, Brazil, India, San Francisco, Japan, and China, where it is an Annex of the Consulate General of Switzerland in Shanghai.

We are looking for students who are currently enrolled in a bachelor or master’s program in Switzerland or who have recently graduated with strong research skills, and excellent English command, ready to support Swissnex with reporting and innovation scouting.

As Junior Project Manager, you will conduct research and innovation scouting, collaborate closely with our Swiss mandate partners, and act as a point of contact. This unique opportunity will allow you to take a deep dive into emerging trends while gaining real-world experience at an official representation of Switzerland. We are looking for a bright, self-driven, and ambitious team player with exceptional research, writing, and organizational skills. The ideal candidate can work across disciplines, can embrace change, and is ready to help us bring Swiss excellence to the next level. You will be joining a dynamic and supportive team and working in an international, creative, and collaborative environment at our Shanghai office.

Innovation & Entrepreneurship 70%

Academia & Arts 30%

• Scouting and Research: Under the lead and supervision of the Head of sections, contribute to our diverse mandates and agreements by identifying trends and key players in various science and technology fields, by conducting research, innovation and academic scouting, and by writing and editing reports for our partners and stakeholders. Act as a point of contact for external partners.
• Event and Project Management: plan, execute and post-process in-house and external activities related to science, technology, innovation and art-science (tech fairs, webinars, conferences, study trips, workshops, etc.), including logistics, and editing of reports and blogs.
• Communications: Project-related and general communications.
• Networking: Proactively cultivate and develop a network of partners and stakeholders. Attend relevant events and conferences.
• Other duties as assigned

• Swiss Citizen with excellent written and oral command of English.
• Ideal for bachelor’s or master’s students or recent graduates
• Strong research skills with a willingness to immerse yourself in various tech- and art-science-related topics
• Fast-thinking, organized, reliable, and detail-oriented
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team

This is a paid position however, please note that costs for accommodation and traveling as well as expenses related to working/residence permit are to be borne by the candidate and will not be covered or reimbursed by the employer.

Did we raise your interest? Then we look forward to hearing more about you! Position open until filled.

Your application must include the following documents:

• Cover letter (letter of motivation) and CV
• Copies of university diplomas, transcripts of records, work certificates, and letters of reference, if available