Research Associate/ Research Engineer

Title:
Special Scientist for Research (Research Engineer or Research Associate)

No. of Positions:
One (1)

Category:
Employment contract

Location:
University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus

The KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence at the University of Cyprus announces
one (1) Special Scientist for Research (Research Engineer or Research Associate) position, for full-time employment.
The successful candidate will conduct research and development in hardware design, including the development of custom hardware and embedded software frameworks, benchmarking and evaluation, as well as hardware-level validation of benchmarking models.

Who we are:

The KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence is the largest research center at the University of Cyprus and in 2017 was upgraded to a European Research Center of Excellence through the KIOS CoE Teaming project. Currently, the Center employs more than 200 people who are supported by externally funded research and innovation projects. The KIOS CoE operates in a diverse environment as an equal opportunity employer.

What we do:

KIOS provides an inspiring environment for carrying out top level research and innovation in the area of Information and Communication Technologies, with emphasis on the Monitoring, Control and Security of Critical Infrastructures. Such infrastructures include power and energy systems, water networks, transportation networks, telecommunication networks and emergency management and response. The Center instigates interdisciplinary interaction and promotes collaboration between industry, academia, and research organizations in high-tech areas of global importance.

Why work at KIOS:

You will have the opportunity to work on various high-profile projects with great impact on society and the environment, not only on a local but also on a global scale.

In KIOS we strive to create a multicultural, diverse and inclusive workplace and we strongly support the continuous personnel evolvement and development, both personally and professionally, to fulfill your long-term goals. We offer internal and external professional training, covering both technical and soft skills.

Job Details

The successful candidate is expected to:

• Design, implement, and evaluate hardware solutions for secure and dependable edge AI accelerators.

• Implement processes and algorithms on custom hardware.

• Perform installations, set-up and deployment of hardware and software.

• Review and maintain existing modules, tools and systems.

• Prepare manuals and guidelines.

• Assist in the preparation of reports and project deliverables.

The following duties are applicable only for the Research Associate position:

• Conduct and publish research on embedded hardware systems, dependable and secure edge computing, and digital systems and architectures.

• Contribute to scientific publications, reports, project deliverables, and collaborative proposals within research consortia.

• Support graduate student mentoring and knowledge transfer within the research team.

The required skills and expertise for the announced position include one or more of the following areas:

– Digital Hardware, FPGA, and Processor Architecture

• Strong experience in digital hardware design using VHDL or Verilog/SystemVerilog, with experience in FPGA-based system development (synthesis, simulation, timing closure, and validation).

• Solid understanding of EDA tools (i.e. Vivado, Quartus, ModelSim), and hardware–software co-design methods.

•Solid understanding of computer architecture, microprocessor/microcontroller design, and SoC integration, fundamental knowledge of hardware acceleration, reliability, and security aspects in embedded and edge systems, and understanding of digital logic, timing, and memory hierarchy.

– Embedded Systems Design, Programming, and Toolchains

• Hands-on experience with embedded platforms (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson, etc.) and bare-metal or RTOS-based firmware (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or Linux device drivers).

• Familiarity with cross-compilation, board bring-up, debugging, and integration of sensors or communication peripherals.

• Proficient in hardware/software debugging (oscilloscope, logic analyzer, JTAG, GDB) and version control / CI-CD workflows (Git).

– Desirable / Additional Skills that will be considered as an advantage

• Knowledge of high-level synthesis (HLS), hardware acceleration frameworks (OpenCL, SYCL), and dependable or fault-tolerant hardware design.

• Practical experience with RISC-V ISA (custom extensions, performance analysis) and bus/interconnect protocols (AXI, AHB, APB, Wishbone).

• Familiarity with hardware security, trusted execution, and participation in open-source hardware projects(RISC-V, OpenHW Group, etc.).

Profile of the ideal candidate:

• Attention to detail

• Problem solver with strong analytical skills

• Team-player as well as able to work independently

• Reliable and trustworthy

• Flexible and eager to learn

• Able to adapt to a fast-paced dynamic environment

• Have good communication, organizational and self-management skills

• Excellent knowledge of the English language

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or/and Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering or a related field from an accredited institution.

• Doctorate degree or equivalent (necessary for the Research Associate position while in the case of the Research Engineer position will be considered as an advantage) in the subject areas directly related to Information and Communication Technologies or Engineering and Technology or Natural and Applied sciences or other relevant degree from an accredited institution.

Employment Terms:

The position is on a contract basis. Initially, a one-year contract will be offered, with a 6-month probation period, which is renewable based on performance. The gross monthly salary depends on the candidate's qualifications and experience and will be between €1900 – €2700 for Research Engineer, and between €2300 – €3500 for Research Associate. From this amount, employee contributions to the Cyprus government funds will be deducted. A 13th salary bonus is incorporated in the monthly salary. Maternity leave will be granted based on Maternity Protection Law 1997(Ν.100(Ι)/1997), and the existing amendment laws.

Application:

Interested candidates should submit the following items online through the link:

• Cover letter explaining the interest of the applicant in pursuing a career at the KIOS CoE, along with employment availability date, in English

• Short summary of prior work experiences, activities and accomplishments (can be combined with the cover letter), in English (2 pages maximum)

• A detailed curriculum vitae in English

• Copies of transcripts of BSc/MSc/PhD or other degree(s)

• Copy of an English language certificate

• Identify at least two referees that can provide reference letters

The applications should be submitted as soon as possible, but not later than
Monday, 5th of January 2026, at 5 pm.
The evaluation of the applications will begin immediately. At least the best three candidates per position that satisfy the required qualifications will be interviewed by a 3-member Selection Committee. Candidates will be informed of the result of their application by the KIOS CoE.

Applicants need not be citizens of the Republic of Cyprus. Applicants should however ensure, before applying, that in case they are selected they will be residing in Cyprus on a full-time basis during the employment period and submission of application implies acceptance of this condition.

The University of Cyprus shall collect and process your personal data according to the provisions of the General Regulation on Personal Data 2016/679 (EU).

For more information, please contact the KIOS Center of Excellence, by phone at or via e-mail