Job Opportunity: Executive Director of the MIT Portugal Programme

The MIT Portugal Programme (MPP) is an international strategic partnership between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Portuguese Government, created in 2006 with the aim of strengthening advanced training, scientific research and innovation in Portugal. The programme promotes doctoral studies, R&D projects, entrepreneurship and collaboration with industry in high-impact technological areas, contributing to the internationalisation of the national scientific system and the transfer of knowledge to the economy.

Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN), in conjunction with the Universidade do Minho, is responsible for the national coordination of the MPP. In this context, it is recruiting a professional in the field of Science and Innovation Management to plan and direct the implementation of the programme’s activities, in accordance with the guidelines defined by the supervisory body. The employment contract offered is a fixed-term contract of uncertain duration, linked to the Portuguese State’s financing contract for the MPP for the period 2026–2030, and dependent on the signing of this financing agreement.

The selected candidate will report to the National Programme Directors and coordinate a small team currently based at the Universidade do Minho campus in Guimarães.

Operational functions:

Work closely with National Directors to plan activities and prepare the programme budget;
Coordinate the support team, ensuring the implementation of planned activities in conjunction with MIT programme management;
Promote and disseminate programme activities to universities and other national stakeholders, as well as to MIT partners;
Monitor and respond to the needs of fellows, researchers, entrepreneurs and companies benefiting from MPP initiatives;
Ensure the day-to-day management of the programme, including financial management and accountability, as well as the organisation of the annual event, the annual Program Board meeting and the Evaluation Committee meetings;
Act as a liaison, together with the National Directors, with the programme’s supervisory body (FCT/AI2) and with other partnerships with US universities;
Collaborate in evaluating the programme’s impact and coordinate the preparation of annual reports;
Work proactively with National Directors on the continuous improvement of the programme, the development of new activities and the expansion of the network of contacts, both in Portugal and at MIT.

Minimum requirements:

Higher education degree;
Minimum of 1 year’s experience in science and/or innovation management;
Minimum of 3 years’ experience in management positions;
Fluency in Portuguese and English (to be verified during interview);
Availability for frequent travel to the US (up to approximately 10% of the time).

Relevant factors:

Experience in implementing science and/or innovation funding programmes;
Experience in writing scientific articles and/or funding proposals, as well as familiarity with scientific peer review processes;
Familiarity with the functioning of the National Scientific System and Higher Education Institutions in Portugal and the United States of America;
Experience in innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in integrating technologies into business models.

Applications and selection

Applications must be submitted by 17 March 2026, by sending a letter of motivation and CV, with the subject line ‘Application for Executive Director – MIT Portugal’, to the email address: mitportugal@ipn.pt

The selection process will consist of two stages. In the first stage, up to five people will be selected based on their CVs for an interview, which constitutes the second stage.

Data protection

Instituto Pedro Nunes informs that the personal data provided by candidates in the context of this recruitment procedure will be used exclusively for the purpose of evaluating applications and will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection and Privacy Policy in force.

The IPN is responsible for processing the personal data submitted by candidates. The data of unsuccessful candidates will be deleted after the conclusion of the process, unless express consent is given for retention for future opportunities or legal obligation.

Candidates have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, object to the processing and portability of their data, and may exercise these rights by sending an email to: rgpd-ipn@ipn.pt. For further information, please consult the IPN’s Data Protection and Privacy Policy at https://www.ipn.pt/dataprotectionpolicy

IPN is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.