Public Funding & Government Engagement Specialist (Dutch speaker)

About Us

Axelera AI is not your regular deep-tech startup. We are creating the next-generation AI platform to support anyone who wants to help advancing humanity and improve the world around us.

In just three years, we have raised a total of $120 million and have built a world-class team of 180+ employees (including 55+ PhDs with more than 40,000 citations), both remotely from 11 different countries and with offices in Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, the UK, headquartered at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

We have also launched our Metis™ AI Platform, which achieves a 3-5x increase in efficiency and performance, and have visibility into a strong business pipeline exceeding $100 million.

Our unwavering commitment to innovation has firmly established us as a global industry pioneer.

Are you up for the challenge?

Position Overview

This role is a strategic finance position with a strong cross-functional dimension. While sitting within Finance, it is deeply interconnected with R&D, business, policy, and operations-requiring a unique blend of financial acumen, technical expertise, and strategic thinking.

We are looking for someone who thrives in a fast-changing environment, balancing attention to detail with big-picture thinking. As we continue expanding across Europe and beyond, securing the right funding and engaging effectively with governments, industry players, and the broader ecosystem is critical to our success. This role is at the heart of making that strategy happen.

Key responsibilities:

• Strategic Public Funding & Execution
  
  • Identify, and evaluate large-scale non-dilutive funding opportunities across national and European programs (e.g., large public-private funding initiatives such Joint Undertakings projects).
  • Independently manage the full grant lifecycle, from opportunity scouting to proposal preparation, financial structuring, project monitoring, reporting and auditing.
  • Hold the pen for high-quality grant writing, synthesizing complex technical, financial, and strategic information into compelling, coherent narratives that resonate with funding authorities and effectively communicate Axelera AI's value proposition.
  • Perform all administrative tasks for contracting grant agreements, consortium agreements, amendments, and other documents, always in collaboration with internal teams such as legal, finance, and leadership.
  • Manage timelines and deliverables, ensuring that all required documentation is accurate and submitted on time.
  • Generate consistent and high-quality reports for public funding authorities for each project, capturing technical milestones, financial details, and ensuring alignment with grant agreement requirements.
• Government & Ecosystem Engagement
  
  • Participate in key meetings, discussions, and negotiations with government bodies, funding agencies, and industry networks.
  • Develop working relationships with public stakeholders, such as policymakers and consortium partners.
  • Monitor public policy and funding developments, summarizing and sharing relevant updates with internal stakeholders.
  • Represent Axelera AI in external forums such as working groups, associations, and consortia where appropriate.
• Cross-Team & Leadership Support
  
  • Coordinate with finance, R&D, and business teams to collect accurate input for funding applications and reporting.
  • Support internal alignment by sharing updates on funding opportunities, deadlines, and policy changes.
  • Contribute to internal process improvements related to grant writing, application tracking, and reporting workflows.

Qualifications:

• STEM or Business Degree (e.g., Science, Engineering, Finance, Economics) with the ability to work across technical and strategic domains.

• Hands-on experience preparing, submitting, and managing large public funding applications (EU and/or national level).
• Strong ability to translate technical content into clear, compelling narratives aligned with funding requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to collaborate across disciplines and departments.
• Proactive and detail-oriented, with strong organizational skills and comfort working independently.
• Working knowledge of the European AI and semiconductor funding ecosystem.
• Fluency in Dutch (written and spoken) is mandatory.

Location

We offer a flexible working arrangement with a European scope: The role will be ideally based in our Leuven or Eindhoven office. Remote work within Europe is possible for candidates with the relevant expertise and a willingness to travel regularly to strategic locations. Relocation to Italy (Florence, Milan) can also be accommodated.

What we offer

This is your chance to shape and be part of a dynamic, fast-growing, international organization. We offer an attractive compensation package, including a pension plan, extensive employee insurances and the option to get company shares.

An open culture that supports creativity and continual innovation is awaiting you. Collaborative ownership and freedom with responsibility is characteristic for the way we act and work as a team.

At Axelera AI, we wholeheartedly embrace equal opportunity and hold diversity in the highest regard. Our steadfast commitment is to cultivate a warm and inclusive environment that empowers and celebrates every member of our team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of AI.