Born in Austria, he first came to CERN as a Guest Professor in 1957. He stayed for a year in the Theoretical Studies Division and took part in research work on the 600 MeV Synchro-Cyclotron.

A member of the Directorate in charge of research in 1960, he became CERN's fourth Director-General in August 1961, succeeding John Adams.

During the mandate of Victor F. Weisskopf, the world of physics and of CERN itself was rapidly changing. In 1961 the first attempts at experiments using neutrino beams began. In 1965, his last year as Director-General, the CERN Council accepted the proposal for the construction of the Intersecting Storage Rings (ISR). That same year, the French Government agreed that CERN could lease the area of land adjoining the initial CERN Laboratory in Switzerland for the construction of the ISR. Thus, CERN became the first International Organization to span a frontier.

Bernard Gregory succeeded him in January 1966.

From 1966 - 1977 Victor F. Weisskopf was a member of the Scientific Policy Committee. He was also a member of the Pauli Committee.

After his term of office V.F. Weisskopf returned as a professor to Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT). Until recently he returned to CERN every year as a Guest Professor lecturing in the Summer Students programme.