Internship Opportunity: Design and Development of an Academic Database Query Adaptation Interface

Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) is a leading research and innovation organization based in Trento, Italy. With over 450 researchers across 12 Research Centers, FBK operates in diverse scientific and technological fields, organized into two main clusters: Technology & Innovation and Humanities & Social Sciences. More information: https://www.fbk.eu/en/about-us/.

The MoDiS (Motivational Digital Systems) Research Unit, part of the Digital Society center, focuses on advanced techniques and methodologies to support motivation, engagement, and behavior change in users. MoDiS develops personalized digital systems using game-based and persuasive strategies, which are applied across domains such as education, sustainability, and well-being. More information: https://modis.fbk.eu/.

The Digital Society center aims to address the key challenges of our digital future by conducting interdisciplinary research on integrative AI, intelligence at the edge, and socio-technical systems. The center actively collaborates with public institutions, companies, and universities to develop practical and impactful digital solutions.


Planned Activities:
The intern will focus on the design and implementation of a query-adapter interface through the following pillars:
  • Design a software engine capable of mapping unified search queries into specific syntax and API constraints required by distinct academic databases (e.g., Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, PubMed).
  • Develop scalable backend services and frontend components to allow researchers to construct, refine, and execute complex queries across multiple data sources seamlessly.
  • Conduct robust unit, integration, and user-acceptance testing to verify search accuracy and system reliability under varying query constraints.
  • Contribute to the authorship of scientific papers showcasing the interface architecture and performance.

Requirements
  • Enrollment in a bachelor's or master’s degree program in computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, or a related field is required.
  • Strong experience in Software Engineering, Backend Development, or Frontend Development.
  • Good knowledge of web API integration (REST/GraphQL), database query handling, and web development frameworks (e.g., Python, Node.js, React, or Vue).
  • Interest in research automation tooling, software architecture, and developer experience.
  • Ability to work collaboratively in a research setting.
  • luency in written and spoken English (minimum B2 level).

Internship Information
  • Type: Curricular internship (no allowance).
  • Duration: 3 to 6 months, depending on the candidate's needs and experience.
  • Location: Remote, hybrid, or in-person at Povo (Trento, Italy).
  • Other benefits:
    • Access to the internal canteen (except for UniTN students);
    • Opportunity to work on co-authored scientific publications;
    • Collaboration with interdisciplinary teams and other FBK research units;
    • Support for the search for accommodation at the affiliated structures (no allowance).

Additional Opportunities: This internship may be extended into a full research thesis for interested candidates.


How to Apply
Interested candidates should fill out the online form in the "Internship Opportunities" section at https://jobs.fbk.eu/, attaching the following documents in PDF format:
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Motivation letter

For any information, contact Simone Bassanelli (sbassanelli@fbk.eu), and Federico Bonetti (fbonetti@fbk.eu).