Strategic Development Manager - Compute System Scaling

Imec; Vlaams-Brabant; Sur place; EUR 110 000 - 150 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

IMEC in Leuven, Belgium, seeks a Strategic Development Manager to connect public R&D funding with imec’s innovation pipeline and scalable programs.

You will steer internal portfolio management and lead external funding initiatives, shaping funded projects from proposal to execution.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Strong expertise in advanced logic, memory, and compute technologies across the semiconductor ecosystem.
• Proven experience driving innovation and leading research programs.
• Experience in deep tech, industrial R&D, or funded research environments.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with translating cutting-edge technologies into impact.
• Familiarity with public funding ecosystems and funding programs.
• Results-oriented with ownership and ability to work independently.
• Excellent English communication skills.
• Willingness to travel as needed.

Responsabilités

• Identify high-potential innovation ideas and coach cross-functional teams through a structured assessment.
• Drive internal innovation initiatives from ideation through valorization and build relationships across R&D and business teams.
• Monitor the progress of innovation projects, manage milestones, report to stakeholders, and resolve issues.
• Enable stage-gated governance and clear communication of outcomes for innovation projects.
• Initiate and support funded projects through lifecycle, including consortium building and proposal development.
• Monitor funding policy developments through workshops, conferences, and stakeholder meetings.
• Develop high-level expertise within a designated imec research domain and secure funding for that area.
• Ensure compliance with imec’s business processes and Quality Management Systems.

Connaissances

Innovation management

Cross-functional leadership

Public funding navigation

Stakeholder communication

Formation

Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field

Strong compute/logic memory expertise

Outils

Policy networks

Description du poste

Strategic Development Manager - Compute System Scaling

About the role

As Strategic Development Manager you will play a pivotal role at the intersection of innovation management and public R&D funding. In this role, you will help shape and connect public funding to imec’s internal innovation pipeline, ensuring alignment between strategic priorities, funding opportunities, and high-impact innovation initiatives, while enabling the transformation of ideas into funded projects and scalable innovation programs.

What you will do

Internal Innovation Portfolio Management

• Identify high-potential, disruptive innovation ideas and coach cross-functional teams through a structured assessment process, fostering win-win outcomes across imec teams.
• Drive internal innovation initiatives from early ideation through valorization, while building strong relationships across the R&D community, business teams, and scientific leadership to generate support for innovative research projects.
• Monitor the progress of innovation projects, manage critical milestones, organize regular reporting to key stakeholders, and resolve or raise issues related to technical, business, or operational challenges.
• Enable effective decision-making for innovation projects by ensuring transparent stage-gated governance, stakeholder alignment, well-organized decision meetings, and clear communication of outcomes.

Public Funding & External Program Leadership

• Initiate and support funded projects throughout the entire lifecycle, including consortium building, proposal development, submission, and evaluation analysis. Following project approval, provide ongoing support to the technical teams during project execution.
• Monitor and influence funding policy developments through participation in workshops, conferences, and stakeholder meetings, ensuring imec’s research priorities are well represented in work programs.
• Develop and maintain high-level expertise within a designated imec research domain, with accountability for securing and sustaining funding for that area.
• Ensure compliance with imec’s business processes, Quality Management Systems, and other regulations.

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will determine the society of tomorrow.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth.

We are aware that your valuable contribution makes imec a top player in its field. Your energy and commitment are therefore appreciated by means of a market appropriate salary with many fringe benefits.

Who you are

• Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Physics, or a related field, combined with strong expertise in advanced logic, memory, and compute technologies across the semiconductor ecosystem.
• Proven experience driving innovation, leading research programs, and technology development in deep tech, industrial R&D, or funded research environments.
• Technology enthusiast with an entrepreneurial mindset and a passion for translating cutting-edge technologies into real-world impact.
• Familiarity with public funding ecosystems, funding programs, and relevant policy networks is highly valued.
• Productive and results-oriented, with a strong sense of ownership and ability to work independently.
• Excellent English communication skills.
• Willingness to travel as needed.

IMEC and its affiliates will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. IMEC will consider unsolicited referrals and/or resumes submitted by vendors such as search firms, staffing agencies, professional recruiters, fee-based referral services and recruiting agencies (hereafter “Agency”) to have been referred by the Agency free of charge. IMEC will not pay a fee to any Agency that does not have a prior written agreement with IMEC, validated by its HR department, in place regarding a specific job opening and allowing to submit resumes.