Job Reference
784_24_DIR_DIR_AID
Position
AI Institute Director
Closing Date
Friday, 31 January, 2025
Reference: 784_24_DIR_DIR_AID
Job title: AI Institute Director
About BSC
The Barcelona Supercomputing Center - Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS) is the leading supercomputing center in Spain. It houses MareNostrum, one of the most powerful supercomputers in Europe, was a founding and hosting member of the former European HPC infrastructure PRACE (Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe), and is now hosting entity for EuroHPC JU, the Joint Undertaking that leads large-scale investments and HPC provision in Europe. The mission of BSC is to research, develop and manage information technologies in order to facilitate scientific progress. BSC combines HPC service provision and R&D into both computer and computational science (life, earth and engineering sciences) under one roof, and currently has over 1000 staff from 60 countries.
Look at the BSC experience:
BSC-CNS YouTube Channel
Let's stay connected with BSC Folks!
We are particularly interested for this role in the strengths and lived experiences of women and underrepresented groups to help us avoid perpetuating biases and oversights in science and IT research. In instances of equal merit, the incorporation of the under-represented sex will be favoured.
We promote Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, fostering an environment where each and every one of us is appreciated for who we are, regardless of our differences.
If you consider that you do not meet all the requirements, we encourage you to continue applying for the job offer. We value diversity of experiences and skills, and you could bring unique perspectives to our team.
Look at the BSC experience:
BSC-CNS YouTube Channel
Let's stay connected with BSC Folks!
We are particularly interested for this role in the strengths and lived experiences of women and underrepresented groups to help us avoid perpetuating biases and oversights in science and IT research. In instances of equal merit, the incorporation of the under-represented sex will be favoured.
We promote Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, fostering an environment where each and every one of us is appreciated for who we are, regardless of our differences.
If you consider that you do not meet all the requirements, we encourage you to continue applying for the job offer. We value diversity of experiences and skills, and you could bring unique perspectives to our team.
Context And Mission
The Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS) is establishing a new Institute of Artificial Intelligence (AI Institute) and is seeking an experienced and dynamic AI Institute Director. Reporting to the BSC Executive Board, the selected candidate will lead the Institute's operations and strategic vision, driving research at the intersection of High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The primary mission of this role is to position BSC-CNS as a global leader in HPC and AI, leveraging BSC’s commitment to innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a "learning by doing" approach.
Key Duties
- Institute Leadership and Coordination:
- Oversee the creation and operational management of the BSC AI Institute, promoting a culture of innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Lead integration of research efforts across hardware, software, and model applications to advance AI and HPC technologies. - Strategic Development:
- Develop and execute strategic plans to establish BSC-CNS as a recognized leader in AI and HPC.
- Coordinate and promote BSC-CNS's large international activities. - Research Coordination:
- Drive synergy among BSC-CNS research groups to increase the impact and visibility of AI research efforts.
- Represent BSC-CNS in high-profile international research agreements and collaborations with institutions including Argonne and Columbia University (USA), Riken (Japan), Inpex, IISC (India), and C-DAC (India).
- Program Management:
- Oversee training and development programs across BSC’s research departments, aligning professional development initiatives with HPC and AI convergence.
- Collaborate in developing, deploying, and managing AI Factory initiative, focusing on providing advanced AI capabilities and resources to support research, innovation, and collaboration across various sectors.
Requirements
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Education
- A Ph.D. in Computer Science, AI, HPC, or a related field;
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Essential Knowledge and Professional Experience
- 8+ years of leadership experience managing research institutes or large-scale AI/HPC projects.
- Proven expertise in AI and HPC research with a strong record of interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Demonstrated experience in international collaborations and the management of research partnerships.
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Additional Knowledge and Professional Experience
- Fluency in English is essential. Proficiency in Spanish and other European languages would be advantageous.
- Experience working with and managing large-scale AI models and complex research consortia.
- Background in fostering an environment of innovation, particularly within AI/HPC sectors.
- Familiarity with strategic planning and execution within research-focused organizations.
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Competences
- An inclusive leadership approach and strategic planning abilities.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse international teams and stakeholders.
- A commitment to fostering a collaborative and innovative research environment.
Conditions
- The position will be located at BSC within the Directors' Department
- We offer a full-time contract (37.5h/week), a good working environment, a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructure, flexible working hours, extensive training plan, restaurant tickets, private health insurance
- Duration: Open-ended contract due to technical and scientific activities linked to the project and budget duration
- Holidays: 23 paid vacation days plus 24th and 31st of December per our collective agreement
- Salary: we offer a competitive salary commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate and according to the cost of living in Barcelona
- Target start date: January 2025
Applications procedure and process
All applications must be submitted via the BSC website and contain:
- A full CV in English, including contact details.
- A cover/motivation letter with a statement of interest in English, clearly specifying for which specific area and topics the applicant wishes to be considered. Additionally, two references for further contacts must be included. Applications without this document will not be considered.
Development of the recruitment process
The selection will be carried out through a competitive examination system ("Concurso-Oposición"). The recruitment process consists of two phases:
- Curriculum Analysis: Evaluation of previous experience and/or scientific history, degree, training, and other professional information relevant to the position. - 40 points
- Interview phase: The highest-rated candidates at the curriculum level will be invited to the interview phase, conducted by the corresponding department and Human Resources. In this phase, technical competencies, knowledge, skills, and professional experience related to the position, as well as the required personal competencies, will be evaluated. Also, a presentation/seminar will be compulsory during this phase - 60 points. A minimum of 30 points out of 60 must be obtained to be eligible for the position.
The recruitment panel will be composed of at least three people, ensuring at least 25% representation of women.
In accordance with OTM-R principles, a gender-balanced recruitment panel is formed for each vacancy at the beginning of the process. After reviewing the content of the applications, the panel will begin the interviews, with at least one technical and one administrative interview. At a minimum, a personality questionnaire as well as a technical exercise will be conducted during the process.
The panel will make a final decision, and all individuals who participated in the interview phase will receive feedback with details on the acceptance or rejection of their profile.
At BSC, we seek continuous improvement in our recruitment processes. For any suggestions or comments/complaints about our recruitment processes, please contact recruitment [at] bsc [dot] es.
For more information, please follow this link.
Deadline
The vacancy will remain open until a suitable candidate has been hired. Applications will be regularly reviewed and potential candidates will be contacted.
OTM-R principles for selection processes
BSC-CNS is committed to the principles of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers of the European Commission and the Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment principles (OTM-R). This is applied for any potential candidate in all our processes, for example by creating gender-balanced recruitment panels and recognizing career breaks etc.
BSC-CNS is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We are pleased to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or any other basis protected by applicable state or local law.
For more information follow this link
BSC-CNS is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We are pleased to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or any other basis protected by applicable state or local law.
For more information follow this link