Tenure Track position for a Researcher in the field of Immersive Digital Interventions for Mental Health and Healthcare Settings at the Digital Health & Well-being Centre.

Bruno Kessler Foundation (FBK) is a private research institution devoted to excellence in research in numerous disciplines and designated to the role of keeping the Autonomous Province of Trento in the mainstream of European and international research. Each research area is assigned to a
specific research centre, of which there are eleven totals. Information regarding the research centres, their activities and production is available at http://www.fbk.eu/research-centers.

The Digital Health and Wellbeing (DHWB) Centre focuses on supporting an equitable and sustainable public healthcare system based on the pervasive use of digital technologies and AI by both empowered citizens and healthcare professionals, in the context of 4P medicine. The activities of the dHWB Centre focus on promoting and supporting a value chain that combines excellent scientific research (open and targeted) and innovation (social and technological) to have a significant impact on society (citizens and healthcare system) and market.

The research and innovation activity of the FBK Digital Health and Wellbeing Center focuses on the design and implementation of technological platforms based on digital and artificial intelligence technologies to support citizens in the management of their health and the healthcare system in its provision of innovative remote care services.


The Digital Health Research (DHRES) Unit of FBK is dedicated to designing and rigorously exploring and validating the potential of digital medicine, embracing a closed-loop approach that integrates the design and development of proof-of-concept solutions with robust efficacy studies to
advance preventive and therapeutic care.
DHRES conducts pioneering research focused on the design and testing of digital technology that can profoundly impact contemporary healthcare in advancing a high-scientific research-to- innovation value chain that delivers measurable impact on both: 1) the international scientific community and 2) the local healthcare systems, by developing innovative preventive and therapeutic solutions that translate cutting-edge research into tangible clinical and societal benefits.

FBK actively seeks diversity and inclusion in the workplace and is also committed to promoting gender equality.

Job Description

The purpose of FBK’s Tenure Track program is to offer high level professionals the opportunity of pursuing a structured career path in order to become tenured researchers and contribute to the long term strategy of the organization.
Within this framework, FBK is looking for a dynamic, highly motivated researcher to advance Intelligent Extended Reality (XR) and Digital Medicine for healthcare.

The candidate will work within the DHRes Research Unit, reporting directly to the Head of Unit, and will lead and coordinate research activities on evidence-based, personalized, AI-supported and immersive digital interventions for mental health and broader healthcare settings. These interventions will be designed as measurable, safe, and replicable solutions, including adaptive and AI-supported immersive environments, to be validated through feasibility studies, clinical trials, and efficacy evaluations.

The role will focus on defining clinical and research requirements, designing intervention protocols, and coordinating empirical validation in real-world medical contexts, while working closely with computer scientists and technical teams responsible for software development, systems integration, AI components, immersive environments, biosignals, wearable data, and multimodal behavioral information, and the integration of additional technologies considered functional to the implementation of research projects, according to their specific rationale, objectives, and methodological framework.

The research will be conducted in collaboration with a network of stakeholders, including university hospitals, industrial partners, and European research consortia.

The successful candidate is expected to:

- Strategic Research Leadership: Lead and coordinate evidence-based research on AI- supported and immersive digital interventions (DTx, XR), assisting the Head of Unit in defining funding strategies and clinical rationales.

- Clinical & Technical Orchestration: Translate psychological and clinical requirements into technical specifications through co-design with stakeholders, integrating biosignals andmultimodal data in collaboration with technical teams.

- Clinical Validation & Compliance: Oversee the full experimental lifecycle—from feasibility studies to large-scale clinical trials—ensuring scientific rigor, ethical integrity, and strict adherence to GDPR and MDR regulations.

- Scientific Dissemination & Mentoring: Drive high-impact publications (e.g., JMIR, Frontiers) and European project proposals while supervising the academic growth of Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students.

FBK actively seeks diversity and inclusion in the workplace and is also committed to promoting gender equality.

The ideal candidate should have:

PhD in interdisciplinary areas integrating clinical psychology, cognitive science, human- computer interaction, digital health, AI, and user-centered technologies.
Clinical & XR Research: Consolidated experience in clinical psychology and mental health, with 3+ years specializing in immersive environments (XR) and personalized digital interventions.
Design & Co-design: Expertise in the participatory design and evaluation of digital health tools, focusing on user engagement, well-being, and technology-assisted care in the context of mental health and psychological well being..
Clinical Trials & Methodology: Proven ability to plan and execute pilot studies, feasibility trials, and mixed-method evaluations, including the preparation of ethics submissions and clinical protocols.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Strong track record of working with computer scientists, clinicians, and industrial partners within international and European (EU) research frameworks.
Translational Expertise: Integration of direct clinical experience with mental health conditions into the development and validation of XR- and AI-based healthcare solutions.
Academic & Scientific Impact: Robust publication record in peer-reviewed journals and experience in academic teaching, mentoring, and thesis supervision.
Professional Skills: Intellectual autonomy, excellent communication in English, and the ability to operate effectively in complex, multidisciplinary international environments.

Additional valuable experience:

● Participation in projects involving wearable technologies, biosignal integration, and immersive healthcare environments.
● Familiarity with design-thinking methodologies, clinical innovation pathways, and European project frameworks.

Employment

Type of contract: Tenure Track position leading to an FBK 3rd Level Researcher (R3) permanent contract.
Duration: The duration of the Tenure Track contract will be determined by the Committee based on the assigned KPIs (at least one year, which may be reduced in accordance with the Committee assessment on the candidate's abilities and skills). If the final assessment of the Tenure Track experience is positive, the selected candidate for the tenure track position will be offered a permanent R3 contract.
Working hours: full time.
Gross annual salary: €47.100 (plus objectives achievement bonus).
Start date: September 2026
Workplace: Povo, Trento (Italy).
Benefits: flexi-time, company subsidised cafeteria or meal vouchers, internal car park, welcome office support for visa formalities, accommodation, supplementary pension and health found, training courses, public transport, sports facilities, language courses fees.
Further details at https://www.fbk.eu/en/work-with-us/.

Application

Interested candidates are requested to submit their application by completing the online form (https://jobs.fbk.eu/). Please make sure that your application contains the following attachments (in pdf format):

- Detailed CV;
- Motivational letter

Application deadline: 8 th of June 2026

Please read our Regulations “Guidelines for Tenure Track positions” before completing your application. For further information or technical issues regarding the application, please contact the Human Resources Service at tenuretrack@fbk.eu.