Deadline for applications: 26/10/2024

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 an Associate Research Scientist at the Impacts and Policy Department (IPD) of CARE-C. The selected candidate will join a research team that aims to assess climate change impacts on health.

In general, the Associate Research Scientist is expected to:

• Contribute to all aspects of sponsored Research, Innovation and/or Development projects (including conducting research, co-authoring publications, implementing deliverables, reporting activities, and dissemination activities).
• Participate in new grant proposals (including the possibility of leading proposals/projects as PI or co-PI).
• Teach courses at the CyI Graduate School to gain teaching experience and engage graduate students in research projects.

More specifically the successful candidate will engage in the ISMED-CLIM project, which aims to advance the state-of-the-art knowledge on the effects of climate change on non-communicable diseases and vector-borne infections through a multidisciplinary approach. The project focuses on the Mediterranean region and aims to engage and mobilize regional policy and social stakeholders, as well as citizens, in implementing mitigation solutions. ISMED-CLIM aims to investigate the epidemiology of exposure to air pollution, vector-borne pathogens, and climate change-related extreme events, such as extreme temperatures, droughts, floods, and wildfires, in the Mediterranean region.

The selected candidate is expected to support current research at the CyI on the health consequences associated with vector-borne diseases and climate scenarios. For this, the ability to perform impact assessment through numerical modelling and entomological and epidemiological data analysis, as well as producing high-quality research output, are essential.

The period of the appointment will be for a duration of 24 months. Associate Research Scientist positions can be renewed depending on performance and the availability of funds. An internationally competitive remuneration package will be offered, which is commensurate with the level of experience of the successful candidate.

Job Specific Responsibilities:

• Perform internationally competitive scientific research through climate-sensitive vector dynamics and zoonotic disease transmission modelling.
• Contribute to the assessment of climate impacts on health, climate risk and vulnerability review, and policy landscape and recommendations.

General Responsibilities for an Associate Research Scientist:

• Conduct research, innovation and development activities based on project requirements.
• Develop new research ideas and contribute to the Center’s and the Institute’s research agenda.
• Publish in selective peer-reviewed journals and conferences.
• Secure funding to sustain research activities.
• Mentor early-stage researchers, research engineers, and graduate students.
• Engage in teaching activities relevant to expertise.
• Participate in consultation activities as per field of expertise and center requirement.
• Contribute to dissemination activities (such as public seminars or targeted talks) to promote 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.
• Engage with industry and public organizations to support the role of CyI.
• Provide independent input about strategic decisions related to research directions, methodologies, grant applications, etc.

Required Qualifications

1. PhD in Computer Science, Biophysics, Epidemiology, Public Health, or a relevant subject.
2. A growing publication record with at least some publications in which the ARS is the first or corresponding author.
3. A growing experience contributing to sponsored research projects.
4. Research experience in public health data analysis and epidemiological modelling.
5. Experience in scientific scripting and programming languages, such as R, Python, Julia, or C/C++.
6. Good command of the Linux operating system.
7. Prior Experience as a Post-Doctoral Fellow
8. Understanding of biological and ecological, as well as mathematical concepts.
9. Growing mentoring capabilities.
10. Independent initiative in conjunction with effective teamwork.
11. Proficiency in English.
12. Excellent communication skills.
13. High level of organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in software development (e.g., desktop or mobile applications, front- or back-end development).
• Experience in working with complex computer modelling systems.

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 Dr Kamil Erguler (k.erguler@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: Dr Kamil Erguler

Reference number: CARE-C_ARS_24_12