Deadline for applications: 04/10/2024

Application process open *

The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is a European non-profit Science and Technology oriented Educational and Research Institution based in Cyprus and led by an acclaimed Board of Trustees. The research agenda of CyI is pursued at its five Research Centres: The Computation-based Science and Technology Research Centre (CaSToRC), the Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Centre (STARC), the Energy Environment Water Research Centre (EEWRC), the Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre (CARE-C), and the Science and Technology Driven Policy and Innovation Research Centre (STeDI-RC). Considerable cross-centre interaction is a characteristic of the Institute’s culture.

The Cyprus Institute invites applications for a highly qualified and motivated individual to join the Institute as a Post-doctoral Fellow, in our interdisciplinary research team at the Computation-based Science and Technology Research Centre (CaSToRC). The successful candidate will pursue Research & Development (R&D) in the area of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) with applications in education.

In general, the successful candidate is expected to:

• Conduct research to further develop research skills and competencies, and publish novel and significant results in selective peer-reviewed journals and conferences.
• Contribute to all aspects of sponsored Research, Innovation and/or Development projects (including conducting research, co-authoring publications, implementing deliverables, reporting activities, dissemination activities, etc).
• Contribute to new grant proposals preparation.

More specifically, the successful candidate will focus on evaluating and/or developing state-of-the-art educational tools relying on GenAI methodologies, which will be assessed based on their effect on the educational experience from the student/teacher perspectives. The post-doctoral fellow will also work on the design and execution of pilot studies related to educational GenAI tools, in schools. The candidate will collaborate closely with faculty and research teams at CaSToRC, while being in continuous communication with project partners from diverse disciplines, including AI, software development, education, ethics and psychology. The position offers the opportunity to contribute to a high-impact interdisciplinary project, involving collaboration with academics, the industry, educational institutions and parents’ associations, at the intersection of research and policy recommendation.

The initial period of the appointment will be for a duration of 18 months. Post-Doctoral Fellowships can be renewed depending on performance and availability of funds for a fixed-term period. An internationally competitive remuneration package will be offered, which is commensurate with the level of experience of the successful candidate.

General Responsibilities:

• Conduct research, innovation and development activities based on project requirements.
• Collect and analyze data as stipulated by project specifications and supervision.
• Write research papers in collaboration with the line manager and other peers.
• Present results at conferences and meetings and contribute to journal publications.
• Contribute to research proposal preparation, scientific reporting, and project management.
• Provide mentoring and guidance to Graduate Research Fellows and Research Engineers, if applicable.
• Contribute to dissemination activities (such as public seminars or targeted talks), promoting external recognition at the national and international levels.
• Contribute to planning and organization of Center-level and Institute-level internal and external events (such as workshops, conferences) to promote external recognition at the national and international levels.
• Provide independent input related to research directions, methodologies, etc.

Project specific responsibilities:

• Identification and evaluation of state-of-the-art GenAI educational tools
• Development of an evaluation framework for a digital platform with featured educational tools
• Development/contribution to AI methodologies for personalization of the platform depending on end-user
• Provide training on the use of educational tools by end-users
• Design pilot experiments of the use of platform in schools
• Contribute to the execution and assessment of pilot experiments.

Required Qualifications

1. PhD in either a discipline that is related to Education (e.g., Education Technologies) or in a technical discipline that relates to AI (e.g., Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering)
2. Previous experience in at least one of the following areas: Artificial Intelligence methods, applications of generative AI, Education technology.
3. Relevant publications in scientific journals or peer-reviewed conferences.
4. Participation in scientific conferences.
5. Proven ability to teach/train and present complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
6. Understanding of fundamental concepts in AI and GenAI.
7. Some programming skills (preferably in Python) and some experience with at least one of the following: a) GenAI, b) data analytics, c) statistics.
8. Experience in conducting peer-reviewed research in the relevant field.
9. Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.
10. Proficiency in English (written and verbal).
11. Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with GenAI applications in education
• Experience in the design and development of digital tools
• Experience in the design and development of educational material.
• Interaction with the educational sector
• A portfolio showcasing relevant projects and experience in the field.

Application

For full consideration, interested applicants should process their application at The Cyprus Institute Exelsys Platform (https://bit.ly/3HDLRTw) based on the instructions given. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae including a short letter of interest, list of publications and a 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 (c.dovrolis@cyi.ac.cy). 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 that adheres to the European Commission’s “Charter & Code” principles for recruitment and selection.

Contact person: Prof Constantine Dovrolis

Reference number: CaSToRC_PDF_24_17