The Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is one of the most dynamic university campuses in Europe and ranks among the top 20 universities worldwide. The EPFL employs 6,000 people supporting the three main missions of the institutions: education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working environment at the heart of a community of 16,000 people, including over 10,000 students and 3,500 researchers from 120 different countries.

HBP Finance Assistant (W/M)

Your mission :

The Human Brain Project (HBP) is a European Commission Future and Emerging Technologies Flagship involving more than 100 leading universities and research institutes in 19 countries around Europe. The goal of the project is to better understand the human brain by accelerating large-scale collaborative neuroscience across a wide range of disciplines. It promotes collaboration across the globe and is committed to driving forward European industry.In order to strengthen its Operations Team, and directly support the Finance Manager, the Human Brain Project Project Coordination Office (HBP PCO
) at EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), situated at the Campus Biotech in Geneva, Switzerland, is looking for an
HBP Finance Assistant (W/M).


Main duties and responsibilities include :

• Assist in handling the finance-related administration of the HBP-PCO by ensuring the compliance to EPFL and funders financial rules.


• Assist in implementing a new accounting and finance system for the new international legal entity that will host the HBP-PCO, compliant with relevant national and international rules.


• Monthly monitoring of HBP-PCO grants:


• Prepare the corrections requested by the Finance Manager


• Prepare the related adjustment, transfer and posting forms.


• Assist in gathering and archiving the administrative documents required by different grants and the EPFL rules to ensure that the HBP-PCO is auditable at all times.


• Specifically, for EU projects, control, correct and follow up timekeeping from participating personnel.


• Handle internal and external invoices, payments, and transfer of funds whenever requested by the Finance Manager.


• Act as a backup of the HBP Administrative Assistant for the management of the Human Resources.


• Perform other administrative duties as assigned, whenever necessary.

Your profile :

• Finance certificate or equivalent with 3+ years’ relevant experience


• Excellent written and spoken English


• Excellent written and spoken French


• Excellent organizational skills including the aptitude to work effectively with other organizational functions and services


• Expert user of MS Excel


• Positive mindset, diplomatic and tactful under pressure

Desirable but not required :

• Previous administrative experience in a large-scale European or science project, or in an international organization, is an asset


• Other languages of the Project (mostly the major European languages: Spanish, Italian, German, etc.) is an asset

What is HBP?

The Human Brain Project is a European Flagship project with 120 leading universities and research institutes in 24 countries around the world. The goal of the project is to better understand the human brain by accelerating large-scale collaborative neuroscience across a wide range of disciplines.As part of the work needed to accomplish this goal we are building a neuroscientific research infrastructure to enable strategic scientific use-cases.Understanding the human brain is one of the greatest challenges facing 21st century science. Joining the HBP-PCO will put you at the centre of an effort to gain profound insights into what makes us human, develop new treatments for brain disease and build revolutionary new computing technologies.The HBP Technical Coordination Team in the HBP-PCO plays a central role in the larger HBP Platform effort to build solid scientific software tools and services. You will find yourself inspired by the exciting things that people around you are building and make a meaningful contribution to understanding the brain.We strive to find the right people and to keep our skills and insights sharp. We are a young, dynamic, interdisciplinary and international team. We focus on delivering high value to the scientific community and are involved in everything from community engagement to integrating scientific workflows with some of the world’s largest supercomputers. Work in the team involves open feedback, with opportunities for additional training to improve our skills.

The HBP-PCO is a family friendly, equal opportunity employer (equality.epfl.ch/). We value diversity and explicitly encourage applications from women.
Start date :

As soon as possible
Term of employment :

Fixed-term (CDD)
Duration :

CDD 4 months, renewable

Contact :

For additional information, please contact Alicia Debayle by e-mail alicia.debayle@epfl.ch
Remark :

Only candidates who applied through EPFL website or our partner Jobup’s website will be considered.apply online