Programme Manager – NEURA Research Programme (m/f/d)

About the role

As Programme Manager, you own the research projects under the NEURA research programme end to end and translate NEURA's business objectives into the deliverables each project commits to. You align with the teams that receive the project outcomes and make sure results are delivered on time, on budget and implemented so that NEURA can turn them into new products. You act as single point of contact for the partners and for the internal teams.

The programme funds universities, research institutes and startups across Europe. Each project runs for 12 to 18 months with up to EUR 500,000 in funding. The projects build Physical AI capabilities on our cognitive service robot MiPA in Health Care, Retail and Hospitality. You coordinate the funded projects from kick-off to final hand-over, including reporting, ensuring final adoption, and making sure insights drive the company roadmap and following programmes. You report to the Head of Business Unit MiPA.

Your responsibilities

Act as the single point of contact for all funded projects and manage all interfaces between external project leads and internal NEURA teams

Run project kick-offs and set up cooperation agreements, milestones and reporting cycles with each grantee, together with Legal and Finance

Track progress, budgets and deliverables across the full project portfolio; anticipate risks early, develop mitigation plans (incl. owners, impact and priority) and ensure corrective actions are deployed

Coordinate NEURA's contributions to the projects – MiPA robots, robotic hands, Gym access time and Neuraverse access – including delivery, scheduling and technical onboarding

Own the operating model: weekly execution review, monthly management review with milestone tracking, reporting for the NEURA Research Board; be the source of truth and provide visibility for decisions and information

Connect project results with NEURA's product and engineering teams so that skills, data and software flow into the Neuraverse and the MiPA roadmap

Manage IP, publication and dissemination topics in line with the cooperation agreements

Build the programme community: partner events, demo days and showcases at trade fairs and conferences

Improve programme processes and tools based on lessons learned, and help prepare the next call

Your profile

Must have

University degree in engineering, computer science, natural sciences or business, or a comparable qualification

At least 8 years of experience managing research, funding or innovation programmes with several partners, ideally in robotics, AI or another technology field

Hands-on experience with project controlling: milestones, budgets, reporting and risk management across a portfolio of projects

Good technical understanding of robotics and AI, enough to discuss work plans and results with researchers and engineers as an equal

Confident communicator who brings universities, startups and corporate teams to one table and keeps commitments on track

Fluent English, written and spoken

Nice to have

Experience with public funding schemes (e.g. Horizon Europe, BMBF/BMFTR, state programmes) or industry–academia cooperations

Knowledge of cooperation agreements, IP and publication rules in research projects

Background in Health Care, Retail or Hospitality

German language skills

What we offer

A visible key role in one of Europe's largest industry-funded Physical AI research programmes, with direct access to leading universities, institutes and startups

Close cooperation with management and the NEURA Research Board, with short decision paths

Hands-on work with MiPA, the Neuraverse and the NEURA Gym, right where research turns into products

Room to shape the programme and the next calls

Flexible working hours and the option of partial remote work

An international team in a fast-growing robotics company

Key facts and how to apply

Location: Metzingen, Germany (hybrid)

Start: As soon as possible, ideally before the first projects start in December 2026

Contract: Full-time, permanent

Reports to: Head of Business Unit MiPA

Please send your CV and a short cover letter, including your salary expectations and earliest start date, via our careers page.