Senior Grant Writer and Research Funding Lead

EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, is one of the most dynamic university campuses in Europe and ranks among the top 20 universities worldwide. The EPFL employs more than 6,500 people supporting the three main missions of the institution : education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working environment at the heart of a community of more than 17,000 people, including over 12,500 students and 4,000 researchers from more than 120 different countries.

Senior Grant Writer and Research Funding Lead Short Description

The Laboratory for Intelligent Global Health and Humanitarian Response Technologies (LiGHT) at EPFL is seeking an experienced Senior Grant Writer and Research Funding Lead to support a rigorous, impact-driven research portfolio at the intersection of AI, medicine, and global health.

This role is embedded in the scientific life of the lab. It focuses on strengthening research quality and coherence, supporting clinical and global health research, and enabling impact to scale through research itself. The position also includes scientific communication, translating complex research into clear written and visual narratives for funders and broader audiences.

Mission

The Laboratory for Intelligent Global Health and Humanitarian Response Technologies (LiGHT) is an impact-driven research group creating novel AI tools specifically adapted to limited-resource and volatile global health settings and bringing them to scaled, locally owned implementation.

It is based at the Swiss Institute of Technology (EPFL) - In the top 10 computer science institutions globally, EPFL is a deeply international hub for technical excellence in AI.

Our mission is to develop safe, scalable, and context-aware digital health tools. We work with international NGOs such as WHO, MSF, ICRC, and national ministries of health to design, create, validate and deploy trustworthy AI in real-world healthcare systems" especially in settings where clinical resources are limited and stakes are high.

Main duties and responsibilities

Research-aligned funding development

Support the stewardship of a coherent and balanced funding portfolio aligned with LiGHT's scientific priorities, clinical commitments, and long-term research agenda.

Identify funding opportunities across European, Swiss, US, global, and philanthropic funders, particularly in global health and low- and middle-income country contexts.

Advise researchers on fit, scope, and framing, ensuring proposals remain proportionate to research questions and grounded in disciplinary and clinical standards.

Grant preparation and submission

Lead or support the preparation of competitive grant applications for academic and foundation funders, including Horizon Europe, SNSF, US agencies, and major philanthropic organisations.

Work closely with researchers to articulate research questions, methodological choices, implementation pathways, and evaluation strategies with clarity, precision, and coherence.

Develop theories of change, impact pathways, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks appropriate to research-led and trial-based work.

Support grant applications involving clinical trials, platform trials, or real-world evaluations, including endpoints, evaluation design, and ethical considerations.

Coordinate inputs from interdisciplinary teams while maintaining scientific coherence, authorship integrity, and accountability.

Ensure compliance with funder and institutional requirements, including ethics, data management, open science, and reporting standards.

Stewardship, learning, and continuity

Maintain institutional memory of submitted and funded grants, including reusable components, reviewer feedback, and lessons learned.

Support resubmissions and the incremental development of research programmes across funding cycles.

Contribute to reflection on sustainability as a scientific and ethical consideration.

Scientific communication and tools

Translate complex research programmes into accessible and accurate narratives for funders and external audiences.

Contribute to externally facing scientific communication, including blogs, reports, and selected social media content.

Support the development of clear visual materials ( logic models, timelines, evaluation frameworks) using appropriate design tools.

Use digital and AI-supported tools thoughtfully to improve clarity and consistency while maintaining scientific judgment.

Profile

MSc or PhD in a technical, public health, medical, or related scientific field.

Substantial experience in academic or research grant writing with a demonstrated record of successful funding.

Experience working in global health, medicine, public health, or technology-focused research environments, ideally including low- and middle-income country contexts.

Familiarity with at least two major funding ecosystems ( EU, SNSF, US agencies, major foundations).

Strong understanding of research evaluation processes, reviewer expectations, and funder priorities.

Experience engaging with or supporting clinical research or trials is highly valued.

Excellent written English, strong editorial judgment, and confidence producing externally facing scientific content.

High level of organisation, reliability, and ability to manage complex, long-term processes.

Ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary and international environments.

We offer

• Mission-driven work at the intersection of technology, health, and global equity
• Opportunity to shape open-source platforms used by WHO, ICRC, and other partners
• A creative, ambitious, and collaborative team across continents
• Excellent working conditions

What We Value

At LiGHT, we work with care and rigor. We value curiosity, collaboration, principled innovation, and design that serves. Our tools are used in the real world" so they must be beautiful, robust, and intuitive under pressure. You'll be joining a team that thrives on meaningful challenge, creativity, and a shared mission.

Informations

Contract Start Date : 01 / 01 / 2026

Activity Rate : 100,00

Contract Type : CDD

Duration : 1 year, renewable

Reference : 1967

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