Deadline for applications: 19/07/2026

Application process open*

The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is a European non-profit, Science- and Technology-oriented Educational and Research Institution, based in Cyprus and governed by an acclaimed Board of Directors. The research agenda of the CyI is pursued at its five Research Centres, namely:

1. The Computation-based Science and Technology Research Centre (CaSToRC)
2. The Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Centre (STARC)
3. The Energy Environment Water Research Centre (EEWRC)
4. The Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre (CARE-C)
5. The Science and Technology Driven Policy and Innovation Research Centre (STeDI-RC)

Considerable cross-centre interaction is a characteristic of the Institute’s scientific ethos.

The Cyprus Institute invites applications for a highly qualified and motivated professional to join the Artificial Intelligence Applications Laboratory (AI-AppL) at the CaSToRC Centre of the Institute on a full-time basis (100% FTE) at its premises at Athalassa’s Campus.

CaSToRC invites applications for an Applied Software Systems Lead / Research Technical Scientist to help establish and operate the Artificial Intelligence Applications Laboratory (AI-AppL). AI-AppL is a new applied AI laboratory that will work with industry, public authorities, EU and national projects, and interdisciplinary teams across The Cyprus Institute. Its goal is to turn AI/ML research and technical expertise into useful, reliable prototypes and systems.

This is a hands-on applied AI engineering role with technical coordination responsibilities. The successful candidate is not expected to already be an expert in every area of AI. The main requirement is the ability to understand practical problems, work with researchers and engineers, help design realistic technical solutions, contribute directly to implementation when needed, and keep small technical projects moving toward concrete deliverables.

The role is suitable for a strong software engineer with some practical AI/ML experience, or for an applied machine-learning practitioner who enjoys building working systems and coordinating technical work. The position offers the opportunity to help shape a new laboratory, work on diverse real-world AI applications, and collaborate with researchers, research engineers, companies, public-sector organizations, and CyI centers.

The strongest candidates will be practical builders: people who can write code, understand AI/ML methods at an applied level, communicate with collaborators, and help a small team deliver working systems. The role does not require deep expertise in every AI area listed above; breadth, judgment, reliability, and the ability to learn are more important.

The rank for the position will depend on selected candidates qualifications and experience.

Position Specific Responsibilities/activities:

• Work with the AI-AppL Director, research engineers, and external/internal collaborators to translate project ideas and user needs into clear technical plans, milestones, and deliverables.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of applied AI/ML prototypes, including model development, data pipelines, evaluation workflows, integration with software systems, and preparation for deployment when appropriate.
• Provide technical coordination for small engineering teams: organise tasks, track progress, identify blockers, support code quality, and help ensure that deliverables are completed on time.
• Help choose appropriate AI methods and tools for each project. Depending on the project, this may involve conventional machine learning, computer vision, GenAI/LLM tools, retrieval-augmented generation, model fine-tuning, agentic workflows, or GPU/HPC/cloud-based experimentation.
• Act as a practical interface between technical teams and non-technical stakeholders, including companies, public-sector organisations, ministries, and interdisciplinary research teams.
• Prepare concise technical documentation, internal notes, project reports, and material needed for proposals, deliverables, demonstrations, or service agreements.
• Coordinate, when needed, with CyI units such as RIMS, Innovation, Accounts, and other administrative offices. The role supports these processes from the technical side; it is not primarily an administrative or legal/contracts position.
• Help establish good lab practices for reusable code, documentation, version control, reproducibility, data handling, compute usage, and prototype handover.
• Assist the AI-AppL Director in assessing new project opportunities and prioritising work according to technical feasibility, available capacity, and strategic value for the Lab.

Position Specific Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, or a related technical discipline and at least two (2) years of relevant working experience; OR
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physical sciences, mathematics, or a related quantitative field and at least four (4) years of relevant working experience.
• Good programming skills, preferably in Python, and familiarity with standard software-development practices such as Git, testing, documentation, and collaborative development.
• Practical experience with applied machine learning, data-driven software systems, or AI-enabled prototypes. Candidates do not need to have worked in all AI subfields.
• Ability to structure an open-ended technical problem, propose a realistic development plan, and communicate trade-offs clearly.
• Ability to coordinate technical work with a small team, including task planning, progress tracking, and constructive communication with engineers and collaborators.
• Willingness to work across application domains and to learn new tools as needed, including GPU-based systems, cloud platforms, HPC resources, or modern GenAI tooling.
• Good written and verbal communication skills in English.

Position Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, engineering, or a related field.
• Experience building prototypes or production-oriented systems using PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn, Hugging Face, LangChain/LlamaIndex, vector databases, or related tools.
• Experience with one or more of the following: GenAI/LLM applications, retrieval-augmented generation, model fine-tuning, computer vision, medical imaging, data engineering, MLOps, Docker, CI/CD, cloud platforms, GPU/HPC environments, or API/backend development.
• Experience working with companies, public-sector organisations, EU/national projects, or multidisciplinary research teams.
• Experience in technical project coordination, engineering management, product-oriented development, or startup/R&D environments.
• Familiarity with responsible AI, data privacy, information security, reproducibility, or evaluation of AI systems.

Please click here for the position’s detailed job description, including general responsibilities, requirements and other details related to the position.

Duration of appointment:

The initial period of the appointment will be for 24 months with the possibility of renewal depending on performance and availability of funds.

Remuneration details:

Salary Band: for Specialized Research Technical Scientist CyI4.1 - CyI4.11 and for Senior Specialized Research Technical Scientist CyI5.2 – CYI6.11

Position’s Starting Salary: for Specialized Research Technical Scientist CYI4.1 - €37,678.68 and for Senior Specialized Research Technical Scientist CyI5.2 - €44504.98

Benefits:

Among other benefits, the Cyprus Institute offers flexible and remote work, additional paid leave for supporting staff work-life balance, provident fund membership and group medical and life insurance membership.

Application

Applications can be submitted through The Cyprus Institute Exelsys Platform (https://bit.ly/3HDLRTw), by following the instructions provided. Applicants should submit:

1. A curriculum vitae, including a short letter of interest,
2. List of three (3) referees (including contact information)

All documentation should be in English and in PDF format.

For further information, please contact Prof Constantine Dovrolis ([email protected]). Please note that applications which do not fulfill the required qualifications and do not follow the announcement’s guidelines will not be considered.

*Recruitment will continue until the application process is marked as closed.

The Cyprus Institute is an Equal Opportunities Employer, certified from the Cypriot Ministry of Labor, and also an HRS4R accredited Institution adhering to the European Commission’s “Charter & Code”, principles for recruitment and selection.

Contact person: Prof Constantine Dovrolis

Reference number: CaSToRC_AI-AppL_26_06