Agriculture Mission Lead - Earth Observation and Agricultural Decision Support

ETH Zurich seeks a Senior Agriculture Mission Lead to drive agricultural initiatives within the GeoLab, bridging research and practical application in Root, CH.

This position leads the agriculture-focused initiative at the ETH Swiss GeoLab, operating at the intersection of research, technology development, and practical application. The role is responsible for defining and executing a strategic mission that addresses key challenges in productivity, resilience, and environmental performance for Swiss agriculture.

Responsibilities

• Develop a comprehensive Agriculture Mission strategy focused on enhancing productivity, resilience, resource efficiency, and environmental outcomes.
• Pinpoint operational gaps where the GeoLab can deliver unique value to the Swiss agricultural sector.
• Collaborate directly with farmers, advisory services, cooperatives, government bodies, insurers, and technology partners.
• Analyze unmet needs, operational constraints, and economic drivers within agricultural practices.
• Convert agricultural challenges into specific research, data, product, and technical requirements.
• Evaluate user value, economic viability, scalability, and adoption potential of proposed solutions.
• Set measurable mission outcomes, roadmaps, and success criteria aligned with Swiss agricultural needs and GeoLab strategy.
• Oversee the delegated mission budget, defining priorities, milestones, and decision points.
• Partner with the Geo-Intelligence team and external entities to conduct field pilots, validation, and integration into workflows.
• Mobilize research groups, agricultural organizations, tech companies, startups, and public agencies as implementation partners.
• Represent the ETH Swiss GeoLab within agricultural, scientific, policy, and innovation communities.
• Communicate mission goals, progress, and lessons learned at field events, workshops, and conferences.

Requirements

• Master’s or PhD in agricultural sciences, agronomy, crop science, agricultural engineering, environmental sciences, or a related field.
• Several years of experience in applied research, program delivery, or operational implementation within agriculture, advisory services, agri-tech, public administration, or industry.
• Deep expertise in agricultural practice, production systems, agronomy, and crop management.
• Proven ability to identify critical operational problems and translate them into actionable initiatives.
• Track record of successful collaborations in diverse teams.
• Experience in mission, program, or applied R&D portfolio design.
• Strong project, portfolio, and budget management skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills across practitioners, public authorities, academia, industry, and expert communities.
• Ability to work across disciplinary and organizational boundaries and lead through influence.
• Excellent written and spoken English and German.

Nice to have

• PhD degree.
• Experience preferably in Switzerland.
• French language skills.

About the company

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specializing in science and technology. The university is renowned for excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research, and the direct transfer of new knowledge into society. It promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence.

• Leading university in science and technology.
• Renowned for excellent education and cutting-edge research.
• Direct transfer of new knowledge into society.
• Promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence.