HEADS OF AI4I-LEONARDO SPA JOINT R&D UNITS

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.
This is not just research—it’s research that delivers.
Our Joint Lab focuses on concrete technological solutions, product transformation, and industrial competitiveness.
Together, AI4I and Leonardo aim to set new standards for AI-driven industrial excellence in Italy, Europe, and globally.
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  – dedicated to pushing the boundaries of AI enabling technologies for the Pilot operations of tomorrow.
Next-generation aircraft will require non-traditional solutions for pilot-aircraft interaction, addressing both the operational needs of pilots and the pilot training process.
Advanced AI-enabled technologies has the potential to revolutionize current solutions to supporting the performance of future products and the competitiveness of the national aeronautical industry.
Research activities will focus on the exploration of cutting-edge AI-enabled solutions to support new paradigms of future aircraft, characterized by high levels of flight and mission autonomy and human machine collaboration both in the same air domain (e.
.
Crew-Uncrewed Teaming) and across multiple domains.
Solution with a wide spectrum of application even outside the aerospace domain.
AI for Software Development Life cycle  – focused on leveraging AI to revolutionize the way software is designed, developed, tested, and maintained.
This unit will explore the integration of AI tools and techniques—such as large language models, code generation systems, automated testing frameworks, and anomaly detection algorithms—throughout the entire SDLC.
The goal is to increase development speed, improve code quality, reduce human error, and enable predictive maintenance.
Key use cases, to be prioritized during the project, also based on the industry needs, include AI-assisted coding, intelligent requirement analysis, automated bug detection and resolution, continuous integration optimization, and AI-driven documentation.
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.
September PM CEST More information.
https://ai4i.
t/ or Tagged as.
Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics