Co Manageing Director

Director of Educational Research & Institutional Partnerships (The "Ambassador") Target Audience: Senior Austrian education-sector leaders (Dr. / PhD) with a strong institutional network, looking for ownership and impact. From Vienna, Austria. Job Title: Director of Educational Research & Institutional Partnerships (m/f/d) Location: Vienna, Austria (Hybrid) Employment Type: Full-time (38.5h) | Start Date: As soon as possible The Mission WIScool is not just an LMS; it is the "Tesla of Schools" — an AI-native Educational Operating System (EDOS). We are establishing our European R&D headquarters in Vienna and are looking for a Director of Educational Research & Institutional Partnerships to anchor the scientific foundation of our platform and to be our face within the Austrian education ecosystem. As an early-stage deep-tech research company, we are running a multi-year R&D program (supported by Austria's FFG Basisprogramm) — and you will make sure it is built on real pedagogical rigor and real institutional relationships. Your Responsibilities (R&D Focus) Scientific Leadership: Ensure pedagogical and scientific rigor across our research areas — learning analytics, adaptive learning (IRT, Bloom's-aligned scaffolding), and German-language educational NLP. Translate pedagogical goals into research requirements alongside our technical team.

Institutional Partnerships: Build and manage relationships with Austrian schools, universities, and educational institutions — securing research pilot sites, letters of intent, and long-term collaborations. Represent WIScool to public bodies and funding agencies.

Innovation & Strategy: Lead the local execution of our R&D program and ensure our research direction meets FFG innovation criteria. Guide the research into AI-driven pedagogy (LLMs for personalized learning) from an educational-science standpoint.

Research Governance & Compliance: Support research documentation and grant-related reporting (incl. FFG), and advise on Austrian institutional, regulatory, and educational-system requirements (incl. GDPR / data-protection expectations in schools).

Requirements Experience: Senior experience within the Austrian (or wider DACH) education sector — schools, higher education, or educational administration.

Background: Doctorate (Dr. / PhD) in education, educational science, or a closely related field.

Network: An established network among Austrian educational institutions and decision-makers.

Track Record: Demonstrated experience in applied research or R&D projects, ideally involving public funding (FFG, Horizon Europe a plus).

Mindset: A "Player-Coach" — hands-on enough to drive research and pilots directly, senior enough to represent the company at the highest level.

Language: Native or fluent German and professional English.

What We Offer Impact: Direct influence on the future of education — and a real role in making quality education more accessible.

Ownership: Attractive VSOP (Virtual Stock Option Plan) package.

Mobility: Annual Klimaticket Österreich (covering all public transport in Austria).

Flexibility: Hybrid working model and Home Office allowance.

Salary Information Legal Disclaimer: We offer a competitive starting salary that grows with the experience, expertise, and network you bring. In accordance with Austrian law, we disclose the applicable minimum under the IT Collective Agreement (IT-KV, Leitung / entry level ): € 78,00 gross per year (14 payments). Your actual salary will be determined individually and can be significantly higher, based on your qualifications and experience.

WIScool GmbH · Donau-City-Straße 3/15-14, 1220 Vienna, Austria · FN 669859m · wis-cool.com · Apply: gal@wis-cool.com