Associate - Innovation Strategy & Funding

Transform 800,000 hectares of greenhouses into fully-autonomous food production sites

At eternal.ag, we're building the future of sustainable food production. Our mission is to convert the world's existing greenhouses into fully automated facilities that can produce fresh food year-round - addressing the critical need to double food production by 2050 while facing severe labor shortages, water scarcity, and climate challenges.

About the role

We are looking for an Innovation Strategy & Funding Specialist to secure the non-dilutive funding and IP protection that let us build faster. You will lead our applications to national and EU grants, R&D tax incentives and innovation programmes, manage our patent portfolio with our attorneys, and enter innovation challenges and win.

You will be based at our Cologne HQ, report to the CEO Office and work closely with our engineering teams in Cologne and Bengaluru.

The best part? You will translate our robotics work into applications that fund the next generation of our machines.

The hardest part? Every programme has its own rules and deadlines, and you will need to understand the technology deeply enough to argue for it on your own.

What you'll do

Own the funding pipeline

Scan national, EU and international programmes, assess fit and effort, and maintain a prioritised calendar of calls and deadlines.

Write and win applications

Lead applications end to end for national and EU funding programmes: technical narrative, work plans, budgets and supporting documents.

Manage funded projects

Handle reporting, cost documentation, follow-up questions and audits for approved grants, together with Finance.

Build our patent strategy

Identify inventions with engineering, prepare invention disclosures, work with patent attorneys on filings and responses, and monitor the competitive patent landscape.

Enter innovation challenges and awards

Find and apply for challenges, awards and programmes that bring funding, visibility or customer access.

Translate technology into strategy

Work with engineering to understand our robotics, computer vision and autonomy stack, and turn it into clear innovation goals and roadmaps for funders and partners.

Who you are

• Rigorous: every claim in an application is true and documented.
• Technically curious: you understand how a robot cuts a tomato stem, not just what it means for the business.
• Independent: you run applications from blank page to submission with little guidance.
• Grower-aware: you connect every innovation claim to the problem it solves in the greenhouse.
• Comfortable with ambiguous rules and shifting deadlines.

Core requirements

• 1-3 years in grant writing, funding consulting, innovation management or R&D project management.
• Track record of successful applications for German or EU funding programmes or innovation challenges
• Fluent German (C1 or higher) and fluent English, written and spoken.
• Proven ability to work independently and manage several deadlines in parallel.Bonus points if you have

Bonus points if you have

• Experience at a top-tier consulting firm or high-growth startup
• Experience with fundraising or investor relations
• Track record in B2B sales or business development
• Something distinctive that clearly sets you apart - whether that's building your own startup, published research, or an unconventional path that demonstrates exceptional drive

Bonus points if you have

• Experience in robotics, automation, agritech or hardware start-ups.
• Experience writing EU-level innovation proposals or pitching to juries.
• Experience with funded-project cost accounting and audits.
• Working knowledge of patent processes (invention disclosures, EPO or DPMA filings).
• Degree in engineering, natural sciences or a technical field, or equivalent experience.

What We Offer

• Real ownership: You will own our non-dilutive funding and IP strategy, with a direct impact on runway and speed.
• Direct founder exposure: Work with the CEO Office on strategic, high-impact projects.
• Deep technology: Work with engineers building autonomous harvesting robots for commercial greenhouses.
• Global team: Collaborate closely across our Cologne HQ and Bengaluru office with high autonomy and rapid execution loops.
• Mission at scale: Help build resilient, autonomous food production infrastructure to make global agriculture more sustainable.

We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds who demonstrate exceptional capability and share our mission.

eternal.ag is building fully automated food production sites that can sustainably produce fresh food year-round. Backed by world-class investors and partnering with leading agricultural companies, we're turning the vision of fully-autonomous greenhouses into reality.