Programme Officer – DWIH Innovate

Work profile:

Implementation of the project “DWIH Innovate” in India in close consultation and cooperation with the Head of Programmes and Director of DWIH New Delhi. The position reports to the Head of Programmes and the Director of the DAAD Regional Office and DWIH New Delhi.

• Supporting the DWIH programme management in the conceptual development of the project
• Acquiring internship placements for the “DWIH Innovate” programme, validating scholarship offers, maintaining contact with scholarship providers, and supporting scholarship recipients on-site with inquiries
• Advising German startup teams and science managers on the Indian science and innovation landscape with focus on technology transfer, and maintaining networks
• Organizing, implementing, and following up on event formats in coordination with the Head of Programmes at DWIH for the project “DWIH Innovate”
• Possibility to representing the Head of Programmes exclusively for the DWIH Innovate Project at DWIH New Delhi, including representation towards partners (Ministries, scientific institutions, incubators) and at events for the project “DWIH Innovate”
• Preparing reports, analyses, and statistics on activities and scholarships
• Supporting communications and public relations work for the project “DWIH Innovate” in India as well as for the overall project
• Processing payments within the programme, including preparation and verification of supporting financial documents
• Miscellaneous (as needed)/ General cross- functional tasks

Requirements:

• University degree (min. Master’s degree, PhD desirable) in the field of Natural Sciences (STEM)
• In-depth knowledge of the Indian higher education, research, and innovation landscape
• In-depth knowledge of the German higher education, research, and innovation landscape
• Solid professional experience in the field of innovation and/or knowledge or technology transfer or entrepreneurship at an Indian incubator, Indian university or research institution (at least 3 years)
• Experience in managing and implementing projects
• Very good command of English (C1 level)
• Knowledge of German is an added advantage
• Strong conceptual thinking and action-oriented approach
• Ability to conduct targeted research and analyse scientific structures and developments
• Strong organizational skills, intercultural competence, commitment, and high resilience
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work independently
• Experience in the use of generative AI to support research, documentation, and communication.
• Proficiency in common Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Powerpoint and Excel).
• Very high level of initiative, flexibility, and ability to work in a team

Date of joining: 01 July 2026 (estimated and subject to funding approval by funding agency)

Workstation: DAAD Regional Office New Delhi (R K Khanna Stadium, 1 Africa Avenue, New Delhi 110029)

Employment Conditions:

• Position: Full-time (40 hours/week) with mandatory presence in the office
• Contract: Limited contract till 31 December 2029 with a six-month probation period. Extension of the contract is not foreseen.

Benefits:

• 24 days of vacation leave per year.
• Employer contributions to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF).
• Collaborative international work environment, with close collaboration with the DWIH Team in the DAAD Head office and other DWIH locations
• Access to institutions of the Indian and German research and innovation ecosystems
• Opportunities for further training and skill development

About the organisation

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is a not-for-profit organization of German higher education institutions and their student bodies financed by the German government. It awards grants and scholarships, supports the internationalisation of German universities, promotes German studies abroad and advises decision-makers on matters of education and development policy. The DAAD Regional Office New Delhi is responsible for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

The DWIH New Delhi is a part of the DAAD Regional Office New Delhi. It is a platform for exchange and networking between the Indian and German scientific communities and other stakeholders in research and innovation. It creates thematic dialogues between international stakeholders in research, politics and industry. The DWIH provides information on the research systems of India and Germany and expertise in international cooperation for science administrators and policy makers. It is a network of German research organisations, universities, funding bodies, and research-based companies.

As a part of its entrepreneurship programme portfolio, the DWIH New Delhi offers advice, foster connections and organises programmes for researchers, early stage deep-tech start-up founders, incubators and runs bilateral programme with government agencies.

Note: The position is subject to approval of the programme by the respective funding body.