Scientific Coordinator: Executive Assistance to incoming ERC Vice President

Your Responsibilities

Help shape frontier research in Europe: Prof. Tom Henzinger is recruiting and seeking support for his role as incoming Vice President of the European Research Council (ERC), where he will be responsible for the Physical Sciences & Engineering domain. In this position you will help enable the ERC’s mission to advance investigator-driven frontier research across all fields of research through competitive funding. For the duration of this assignment (2 years), you will work under the instructions of Tom Henzinger at ISTA in close proximity to the Vice-President’s office.

• Maintaining membership of ERC evaluation panels: Gather detailed information on prospective panel members (e.g. CVs, publication lists), brief the Vice President, and - following decisions - contact proposed members on his behalf; once candidates accept informally, transmit details to the ERC Executive Agency’s (ERCEA) team for formal invitation and contracting
• Interface with the ERCEA and ScC: Serve as the operational link between the Vice President, ERCEA colleagues, Scientific Council (ScC) members and the offices of the other ERC Vice Presidents; facilitate timely information flow with ScC members in the Physical Sciences & Engineering domain
• Preparation for Scientific Council meetings & ERC Board: Coordinate inputs and prepare documents requiring the Vice President’s contribution ahead of meetings; ensure materials are complete, accurate and submitted on time
• Support the Vice President: Assist with drafting policy notes, reports and presentations; Support preparing briefings for discussions with external stakeholders; respond to ERC-related enquiries from national contact points and the research community
• External liaison and events: Coordinate and organize events hosted by Tom Henzinger in his ERC VP role; Manage the VP’s ERC-related invitations and collaborate with his ISTA administrative assistant on travel planning

Your Profile

• Completed PhD in any area of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Computer Science, or Engineering
• Proven experience in research administration (e.g., in grant office/funding agencies, faculty recruiting/affairs)
• Knowledge of research funding mechanisms and policy at national and European levels is an advantage
• Ability to work independently and with low level of supervision combined with excellent organizational skills
• Excellent written English skills, particularly for concise memos, reports and meeting notes
• Excellent spoken English skills and strong interpersonal skills, particularly diplomatic communication with culturally diverse counterparts and scientists on all career levels
• Proven ability to manage multiple complex tasks simultaneously with accuracy and discretion
• Willingness and flexibility to travel within Europe, five times per year for 4-5 days each to Scientific Council meetings, and additional short trips to accompany the Vice President to meetings
• Please note that this position is based in Austria; Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Austria and available to start on December 1, 2026

ISTA is growing. Grow with us!

Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) is a constantly growing international institute for conducting world-class research in mathematics, computer science, life sciences & physical sciences. We strive to recruit passionate professionals from across the world over all fields who strive to support our goal of excellent research. Located within a beautiful campus on the outskirts of Vienna, we offer multiple opportunities for personal growth in a stable working environment.

ISTA promotes a diverse and inclusive working environment and is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all applicants, free of discrimination. All employment decisions at ISTA are based on job requirements, qualifications, merit and organizational needs. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply.

Your benefits

Education & training

Cafeteria

Childcare

Free shuttle bus

Multiple health offers

Pension insurance

*This position comes with possible overpayment depending on education, qualification and work experience. For more information on how ISTA processes your personal data, please refer to www.ista.ac.at/data-protection.

Your Contacts

Clara Kaiser

Recruiting & Employer Branding

+43 2243 9000 2250

recruiting@ista.ac.at