Description
Lead the Future of Applied AI Innovation in Partnership with Industry Leaders.
The Italian Institute of Artificial Intelligence for Industry (AI4I) and Leonardo Spa, an international industrial group, among the main global companies in Aerospace, Defence, and Security (AD&S) are launching an exclusive Joint Lab initiative.
We are seeking bold, visionary, and entrepreneurial leaders to become the Heads of two strategic Research & Development Units, each dedicated to driving applied AI innovation in the areas of Next Gen Pilot & Training in multi domain Operation and AI for Software Development Life cycle.
About AI4I-Leonardo Joint Lab
The AI4I-Leonardo Joint Lab represents a unique, high-impact partnership model that bridges cutting-edge research with real-world industrial challenges. Funded by both long-term national programs and significant private investment from LEONARDO, the lab integrates AI4I’s expertise in AI innovation with LEONARDO’s leadership and vision in advanced industrial applications and solutions.
The lab will initially consist of two focused R&D Units:
- Next Gen Pilot & Training in multi domain Operation
- AI for Software Development Life cycle
Each unit will be at the frontier between fundamental AI methodologies and their rapid, scalable deployment in industrial environments. The goal: create high-impact, market-ready solutions while fostering long-term technological leadership.
Your Role: Head of R&D Unit
As Head of an R&D Unit, you will:
Shape and lead your Unit’s strategic vision, aligned with both AI4I and LEONARDO’s innovation roadmaps.
Build, inspire, and manage multidisciplinary teams of top AI scientists, engineers, and technologists.
Deliver high-value AI solutions that directly impact products, processes, and services.
Act as the critical interface between research excellence and industrial deployment.
You will not only manage research—you will oversee the entire R&D lifecycle, ensuring a tangible return on innovation.
Deadline for applications: October 15, 2025, 11:59 PM CEST
More information: https://ai4i.it/ or [email protected]
Submit your application at: Call for Heads of AI4I-Leonardo Spa Joint R&D Units - AI4I
Requirements
Qualifications we are looking for
We seek leaders with:
- Proven expertise in AI methods or their industrial applications (deep learning, control systems, optimization, robotics, etc.).
- Experience managing complex, multidisciplinary R&D projects.
- Preferably, experience in sectors such as manufacturing, aerospace, human-machine interfaces, software development.
- PhDs, startup founders, or leaders from corporate R&D labs are highly encouraged to apply.
