THE CHAIRMAN
Decrees
Art.1 Premise
The Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) - www.fbk.eu - is a non-profit, public research institute, recognized for the quality of its research in science, technology, and social and human sciences as well as for its high economic and social impact. FBK is renowned for its focus on interdisciplinarity and complexity, and it is organized in various research centers.
The goals pursued by the Fondazione Bruno Kessler can be summarized as follows: broadening the horizon of its research and social responsibility, enhancing the integration of its research and innovation activities, increasing its appeal especially to young researchers, working towards a new generational and gender balance, and shifting the skills of scientific management towards a "people-oriented" managerial approach.
With its 3,500 square meters of laboratories and scientific infrastructures and a community of over 450 researchers, 140 doctoral students, 200 visiting fellows and thesis students, 700 affiliates and accredited students, Fondazione Bruno Kessler acts as a scientific and technological hub, its premises and platforms hosting a lively ecosystem of co-located ventures, spin-offs, projects and training opportunities.
Art. 2 Context
The Fondazione Bruno Kessler is internationally recognized for its pioneering research in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Over the course of nearly four decades, FBK has consistently maintained a leading position in the global landscape of AI research, encompassing areas such as Machine Learning, Automated Reasoning, Natural Language Processing, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Vision, Speech Recognition, and Automated Planning. Furthermore, FBK is actively involved in implementing AI systems and technologies through numerous go-to-market projects across domains such as Health and Well-being, Digital Society, Digital Industry, and Digital Agriculture. These initiatives entail the development of AI-based applications benefiting tens of thousands of citizens.
Currently the Fondazione Bruno Kessler is updating its organizational and operational model.
The assumptions of this renewal correspond to the challenges raised by climate change, demographic dynamics, and increasingly pervasive digitalization.
In response to these challenges, the Fondazione Bruno Kessler is strengthening its interdisciplinary vocation, its international connections, and its capacity to achieve economic-social impact.
Art.3 Goals
In this context, FBK has decided to take another step into the future of AI by opening a new center dedicated to Augmented Intelligence, with the objective of developing disruptively new research,exploiting the existing long and successful tradition of AI research and competences.
Augmented Intelligence seeks to enhance human potential by combining the strengths of both human intelligence and AI. Its core objective is to leverage AI to empower and enhance human decision-making, problem-solving, and task accomplishment. In this perspective, Augmented Intelligence aims at cooperative autonomous systems that amplify and extend human capabilities. Augmented Intelligence is thus about creating systems able to understand humans and their cognitive, emotional, and social capabilities as well as the surrounding environment. It emphasizes interaction and collaboration between humans and machines to leverage the best of AI and human abilities. This integration entails incorporating AI technologies into various aspects of human life with the aim of bolstering human reasoning, learning, decision-making, performance, meaningful communication, and overall abilities, as well as creativity, self-awareness, and meta-cognitive capabilities across diverse domains. Augmented Intelligence plays a pivotal role in advancing critical aspects of our lives, including healthcare and well-being, the digital industry and manufacturing, education, the public sector, and digital society.
Art. 4 Job features
The new Research Center aims to bring together a plurality of scientific areas already present in FBK to open up a new frontier of research in the field of Augmented Intelligence.
The key research lines in Augmented Intelligence encompass: Foundational AI; Human-AI Interaction; Cooperative and Social AI; Proactive ethical AI.
The FBK Research Center in Augmented Intelligence will comprise FBK research groups working in machine learning, natural language processing, dialogue technologies, speech recognition, human-computer interaction, computer vision, multi-modal perception, neurosymbolic techniques, data and knowledge representation and reasoning, data and process intelligence, neuroinformatics, cooperative and social AI. The Center will benefit from the experience and scientific excellence of approximately 80 researchers and developers, including senior researchers, emerging talents, and doctoral students affiliated with these FBK research groups.
Art 5. Position and Requirements
FBK is seeking a Director for the Research Center in Augmented Intelligence. The Director shall perform a role of scientific and managerial leadership, in a high-value-added teamwork context. We therefore invite applications from scientists with a strong and recognized scientific reputation, as well as a strategic vision. Candidates should possess managerial qualifications, proven international experience, and an established network of relations within their respective domain communities.
Art. 6 Applications
Applications for the position of Director will be received until 7 December 2023 (12 p.m. GMT+2) on https://jobs.fbk.eu/ in the form of a Curriculum Vitae (including relevant publications, R&D products, the candidate’s scientific and managerial experience; and his/her relational network in the relevant community) and a Motivation Letter (1 page).
Until the closing date for submissions, candidates may arrange a personal meeting with the Secretary General Staff in order to acquaint themselves with the Foundation and its research and study areas.
Art. 7 Terms of engagement
The position of Director is a three-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal for an additional three-year term.
FBK reserves the right to assess the contractual arrangement, in terms of both working time devoted to the appointment and compensation, that best suits the profile to be identified. Provided there is no conflict of interest, a director may hold other outside engagements.
Art. 8 Selection process
Applications conforming with the above requirements will be assessed by the Evaluating Commission appointed by the Foundation’s Board of Directors of Administration.
The Evaluating Commission will be composed of experts of proven scientific experience and representatives of governance.
In compliance with the Foundation’s Gender Equality Plan, the Evaluation Committee will be equally composed of both genders.
The Evaluating Commission’s assessment will consist of separate scores for: 1) the written application; 2) the publications and/or products of research and innovation; 3) any formerly held scientific and/or management posts; 4) relational networks in the scientific communities related to the areas of reference; 5) a final interview (only for short-listed candidates).
After examining the various assessment scores, the Evaluating Commission will interview a short-list of the best-placed candidates.
In full respect of the data regulation policy, candidates admitted to the final interview will first be offered a personality test/assessment intended to measure their professional suitability for the role sought.
The presentation of the candidates before the final interview may be followed in streaming by the Foundation’s personnel.
The final breakdown of the assessment scores and a report on the procedure will be submitted to the Board of Administration, which will make the final decision.
THE FBK CHAIRMAN
Prof. Ferruccio Resta
Trento, 12nd October 2023
Please read the “Guidelines for the selection of Directors” before compiling your application.
To request information, a preliminary interview, or if you need technical support with your application, please contact the following e-mail address: selezione@fbk.eu