So You Want to Hire a Researcher?

You’ve got a bold idea. Maybe it's a robot that assembles nano-materials, a biotech platform that diagnoses disease in real-time, or an AI system that protects infrastructure before an attack ever happens. But bringing these ideas to life requires more than software engineers or product managers. You need a researcher, someone who lives on the frontier of discovery, probably owns three half-broken Raspberry Pis, and thinks in experimental frameworks.

In the deep tech world, hiring researchers is both crucial and uniquely challenging. Their profiles don’t fit standard job boards. Their experience isn’t always commercial. And most of them aren’t browsing LinkedIn for new roles, they’re probably at a conference, arguing about model interpretability or CRISPR ethics.

This guide is for startups and scale-ups in Europe looking to hire researchers in fields like AI, infrastructure, robotics, biotech, and cybersecurity. We’ll cover where to look, what to evaluate, and how to build the kind of environment that attracts (and keeps) top-tier research talent - with just the right amount of nerdy charm.

Why Researchers Matter in Deep Tech

Deep tech isn’t about iterating fast, it’s about solving problems that were previously considered unsolvable. That means you need minds that are trained to explore, experiment, and publish.

Researchers bring:

• Methodological depth: They know how to test hypotheses, run simulations, and analyse complex systems, without panicking when the first three results contradict each other.

• Knowledge of the unknowns: They’re often working on the edge of what’s technically possible and occasionally, what's socially acceptable in a lab.

• Access to networks: Many remain embedded in academic communities, giving you access to labs, grants, and PhD talent.

Where Europe Stands Today

Europe has always been strong in research. But in recent years, it’s made a serious push to become globally competitive in deep tech.

According to Statista, Europe added more than 850,000 AI-related jobs in 2025, with Germany, France, and Sweden leading the way. Meanwhile, McKinsey and Dealroom rank Europe among the global leaders in research output across AI, robotics, quantum computing, and biotech.

Unlike the U.S., where research often moves quickly to venture funding, European talent tends to remain in academia longer. That creates an opportunity, but only if you know where to look (hint: it’s not in your ATS).

Top Universities Powering Deep Tech Talent

Some of the best researchers in Europe are concentrated in a few hubs. Here are some of the most influential:

• ETH Zurich (Switzerland): A global leader in robotics, computational engineering, and AI safety. Top feeder for Google DeepMind, NVIDIA, and dozens of European unicorns.

• Technical University of Munich (Germany): Known for embedded systems, quantum tech, and bioinformatics. Strong industry partnerships with Siemens, BMW, and Intel.

• University of Oxford (UK): Oxford Robotics Institute and Computer Science Department are among the best globally. Often feeds into spinouts via Oxford Sciences Innovation.

• Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden): A pioneer in quantum computing and materials science. Home to the Graphene Flagship project.

• KU Leuven (Belgium) and École Polytechnique (France): Consistently rank in the top 10 for engineering and applied sciences.

You can also tap into EU networks like EURAXESS, which help connect researchers with industry placements and fellowships across borders. Think of it as Tinder, but for research collaborations.

What to Look for in a Researcher

Researchers don’t always look great on paper. You might not see GitHub repos or startup experience. But here’s what you should look for:

• Publications & citations: These are the currency of research. Look beyond quantity, what journals are they in? Who is citing them?

• Conference presence: Top conferences in AI (NeurIPS, ICML), cybersecurity (Black Hat Europe, CCS), or biotech (EMBO, ESHG) indicate serious credibility. Bonus points if they’ve chaired a workshop or accidentally sparked a Twitter flame war.

• Industry collaborations: Many researchers co-author with startups or corporates. That’s gold.

• Grants & funding: If someone has won major grants such as EU Horizon or Marie Curie grants, they likely have project management skills and credibility.

• Mobility & language: European researchers often speak multiple languages and are open to relocation, especially if it supports their research aims (and maybe gets them closer to better coffee).

How to Hire Them: A Practical Playbook

Here’s the truth: if you’re a small company, a top researcher won’t apply to your job post. You need to go to them, with curiosity, not clichés.

1. Start with university labs. Reach out to principal investigators or lab managers. Ask if they have PhD students or postdocs open to industry roles. Be respectful of their time, and maybe don’t send a mass email titled “Wanna join our rocket ship?”

2. Leverage tech transfer offices. Most top universities have offices that help researchers commercialise their work. They can connect you to spinout-ready talent.

3. Offer joint appointments. Many researchers want to stay part-time in academia. Create roles that let them do both, and maybe fund some equipment while you're at it.

4. Use EU schemes. Programs like the EIC Pathfinder, MSCA Industrial Doctorates, and ERC Proof of Concept are designed to bridge the gap between research and industry. (Yes, the paperwork is painful. It’s still worth it.)

5. Consider remote-first. Many researchers don’t want to move immediately. Let them work from their home lab at first, it builds trust. Just don’t ghost them after onboarding.

   
   

   Too time-consuming? Call us. :)

Building an Environment They’ll Choose

Hiring a researcher is only the first step. Keeping them is the real challenge.

Researchers care about:

• Autonomy: Micromanagement kills innovation. Also moods.

• Resources: Can they access the computing power, lab tools, or datasets they need? If your budget doesn’t include GPUs or conference trips, you might have a problem.

• Publication-friendly policies: If you forbid publishing, they’ll leave. Or worse, stay and publish anonymously.

• Intellectual honesty: They want to work with people who care about truth, not just speed. Bonus points if you can handle a whiteboard argument without taking it personally.

It’s not about free snacks or fancy titles. It’s about meaningful work and the freedom to explore.

Final Thoughts

In Europe, we have an abundance of research talent, but most startups don’t know how to reach it. If you’re building in AI, robotics, biotech, quantum or cybersecurity, investing in researchers isn’t a luxury. It’s your competitive edge.

So next time you're looking to hire someone who can move your tech from theory to product, skip the job boards. Go where the experiments happen. Ask the tough questions. And be ready to learn from someone who’s spent years thinking about a single idea (and probably still uses LaTeX for everything).

Because that’s how breakthroughs happen, and yes, sometimes they come with footnotes.

(Koda out)