UP TO (2) RESEARCH ASSISTANT A’ POSITIONS AT THE BIG EARTH DATA ANALYTICS DEPARTMENT


ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (www.eratosthenes.org.cy) of Cyprus University of Technology (www.cut.ac.cy) invites applications for up to two (2) positions at the Research Assistant A’ level at the Big Earth Data Analytics Department of ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence. The positions are open either on a full-time (100%) or part-time employment basis. The successful candidates will conduct research and develop products under multiple Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence projects funded by the European Union, including the flagship Excelsior H2020 Teaming project (https://excelsior2020.eu/) and the recently commenced CEREBRA-AI and BORDERFORCE projects.

ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence is an autonomous Centre of Excellence with Cyprus University of Technology as its sole stakeholder, specializing in earth observation, space technology and geospatial analysis. Cyprus University of Technology has a 13-year experience in earth observations and geospatial analysis. Through the “EXCELSIOR” H2020 Teaming Project (https://excelsior2020.eu/), ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence aspires to become a Digital Innovation Hub for Earth Observation and Geospatial Information by offering knowledge, responsible research, open innovation and application services capable of sustaining Cyprus’ development. ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence aspires to actively contribute to the European Research Area (ERA) priorities in Atmosphere and Climate, Resilient Societies and Big Earth Data Analytics, as well as to become the reference Earth Observation/Geoinformation Centre for research and innovation in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA) region.

A core activity of ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence is to conduct high caliber, state-of-the-art research, both basic and applied. A central task is to acquire research funding for the Centre, to provide facilities to the researchers, and to support them to acquire funding for their research independently and via international and local collaborations. Collaborations with industrial partners are particularly encouraged and facilitated.

Appropriate measures of success will be collaboratively determined based on the Centre’s strategic growth plan and sustainability targets. These will be revised periodically by the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors.

Description of the Position

The positions concern University graduates (holding B.Sc. and M.Sc.) with studies and background knowledge in Computer Science or Computer Engineering or related disciplines that will participate in the CEREBRA-AI and/or BORDERFORCE projects.

The ‘CEREBRA-AI’ project will deliver a sovereign, trustworthy-by-design general-purpose AI platform built around four pillars: (1) a hybrid neurosymbolic reasoning core for verifiable multi-step inference; (2) a continual-learning orchestrator that composes specialist models, detects drift, and balances accuracy, latency, and energy; (3) an embodied and relational interface that grounds knowledge through interaction with robots and high-fidelity digital twins; and (4) a transversal trust framework embedding explainability, provenance, fairness auditing, uncertainty handling, and AI Act–aligned compliance. The architecture is operationalised via an integration substrate that connects to European data spaces, orchestrates retrieval-augmented and agentic workflows, and provides conformity tooling for interoperable, evidence-backed deployments from edge to cloud. Impact will be demonstrated across sectoral pilots in healthcare, mobility, energy, environment, and manufacturing, targeting ≥20% performance gains while maturing assets to TRL-5 and reporting safety and trust metrics. The project commits to open assets, openaccess publications, and large-scale training, with deposits on AI-on-Demand and sustained engagement with European ecosystems and standards bodies to drive uptake. A rigorous risk and exploitation plan underpins sustainability: resource-aware design and access to compute mitigate data and scaling bottlenecks; a clear KER portfolio, tech-transfer agreements, and open-source stewardship ensure post-project continuity and market traction. By coupling reasoning, lifelong adaptation, embodiment, and built-in compliance in a single EU-aligned stack, CEREBRA-AI advances the state of the art and strengthens Europe’s digital autonomy with a practical, auditable path to trustworthy GPAI.

The 'BORDERFORCE' project (https://eratosthenes.org.cy/funded-projects/borderforce/) is funded under the HORIZON-CL3-2021-BM-01 call and aims to enhance the resilience of EU borders by developing cutting-edge Earth Observation and geospatial analysis tools. It integrates advanced AI-based solutions to improve border management and security, focusing on real-time monitoring, data fusion, and early warning capabilities. This initiative strengthens the overall security infrastructure by providing an effective system for the detection, prevention, and response to cross-border threats and emergencies.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The successful candidates will be placed in the Big Earth Data Analytics Department of ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, and are expected to contribute towards shaping and advancing its research and innovation agenda by: 

1. Conduct applied and/or fundamental research;
2. Working towards fulfilling ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence mission goals;
3. Participation in the preparation and submission of projects’ deliverables;
4. Assisting in the definition of research goals and writing research proposals with the assistance of the Coordinator of the Department;
5. Assisting in the establishment of local, regional, and international research networks that can support the long-term research agenda and priorities of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence;
6. Ensuring that the KPIs and other performance targets as set by the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence are met;
7. Undertaking any other relevant duties deemed necessary.

Qualifications and Experience:

1. BSc and MSc Degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering, or relevant field;
2. Strong computer programming skills (e.g., Python, Java, C/C++) are a must;
3. Proven data analysis skills, including experience with data manipulation, statistical analysis, and data visualization tools;
4. Usage of Machine Learning and Deep Learning libraries (e.g., Pytorch, Tensorflow) will be considered a significant advantage;
5. Previous research experience will be considered an advantage.

Profile of the ideal candidate:

• Very good analytical skills.
• Problem solving skills.
• Hand-on and results driven.
• Team-oriented attitude.
• Excellent time-management skills.
• Have good communication skills.
• Very good knowledge of English, both written and oral.

Minimum Requirements for the post of Assistant Researcher A’

The appointment will be for a period of one year (12 months) with the prospect of renewal for another one year. The annual gross salary for the (full-time) position will range from €25468.08 to €35778.08, depending on qualifications. It is noted that there is provision for 13^th salary (the cost of the 13^th salary is proportionally incorporated in the monthly remuneration).

Interested candidates must submit their application comprising of all documents listed below not later than31 March 2026 at 14.00 CYPRUS TIME, which is the deadline for the submission of the applications.

• A cover letter in English clearly specifying availability date;
• Scanned or electronic copies of degree certificates and relevant qualifications. True copies of the originals will be requested for the shortlisted candidates;
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae in English (including contact details);
• The shortlisted candidates may be asked to submit Letters of Reference by three referees.

* Please combine all necessary documents in one PDF file and then upload them to the "Resume" section.

Apply here: https://eratosthenes.peopleforce.io/careers/v/189690-assistant-researcher-a-at-the-big-earth-data-analytics-department