FBK is looking for a two junior developers for the Digital Industry Centre; this position is partially funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR)

Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR)

Missione 4 - Istruzione e ricerca

Componente 2 (M4C2) – Dalla ricerca all’impresa

Investimento 2.3 – Potenziamento ed estensione tematica e territoriale dei centri di trasferimento tecnologico per segmenti di industria

Progetto : NEXTGENERATIONEU AgrifoodTEF - CUP C63C22001180007

Responsabile del Procedimento : Alessandro Dalla Torre

FBK is looking for a two junior developers for the Digital Industry Centre; this position is partially funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR)

Fondazione Bruno Kessler (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 twelve totals. Information regarding the research Centres, their activities and production are available at http : / / www.fbk.eu / research-centers.

The Digital Industry Center is one of the Centers of the Bruno Kessler Foundation (FBK). It focuses its research on digital technologies for the various domains in industry (e.g., manufacturing, aerospace, railway, automotive, energy, agriculture) by creating applications for critical systems, adaptive and autonomous systems, advanced perception, diagnostics, quality control and prediction systems. Further research areas include precision farming, robotics, metrology, cultural heritage and geomatics.

Workplace Description

The candidates will be working in the OpenIoT Research Unit (RU) focusing its research activities on gaining leading knowledge and supporting the design and creation of innovative, standard-based and interoperable IoT-based solutions. The unit’s main competencies cover enabling technologies for the IoT and developing cutting-edge tools, infrastructural solutions and related reference architectural models at the device, edge, and cloud levels. By using cutting-edge AI-based methodologies, the final objective is to make these devices self-configurable, more autonomous and thus enduring. In particular, the research activities focus on the following research topics : (1) Fog / Edge-based IoT services, platforms and infrastructures; (2) Edge analytics through adaptation of AI techniques to embedded devices; (3) IoT Decentralization through Blockchains. Such research and knowledge are complemented by hands-on competencies in relevant application domains and novel use cases, such as precision agriculture and industrial IoT.

More information about the OpenIoT RU is available at https : / / openiot.fbk.eu / .

Background information and description of research projects

This position is offered within the AgrifoodTEF project, a TEF co-funded by the European Commission with the Digital Europe Programme and the Ministry for Industry and MADE in Italy (MIMIT) with RRP funds. The mission of the project is to empower innovators in the agrifood sector with customized tools for the validation of their AI and robotics solutions. The DI Center is the coordinator of this project and offers services to test and experiment innovative solutions to European SMEs.

Depending on organizational needs, the selected candidate may also be involved in additional activities or projects.

Job Description

The OpenIoT RU is seeking Two (2) Junior Developers to collaborate closely with our multidisciplinary team of researchers, engineers, and developers. The primary objective of these roles is to drive innovation within the RU’s portfolio of research and industrial projects. The successful candidates will collaborate on the integration and validation of AI components in real-world agricultural scenarios, ensuring research-grade quality, traceability, and scientific rigor while writing clean, well-documented, and testable code in a collaborative environment.

While sharing these core objectives, the positions are specialized into two distinct profiles : Profile A : Junior AI Developer : Focused on advancing scientific research and development in LLM-based autonomous agents and intelligent decision-support systems within the Agritech domain, with the following specific tasks : Design, implement, and validate LLM-based agent architectures, including prompt engineering, tool-use orchestration, and multi-agent workflows. Explore and experiment with tool integration standards (e.g., Model Context Protocol) and apply Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) techniques to ground agent responses in domain-specific agricultural knowledge. Maintain robust evaluation frameworks, such as automated benchmarks and regression tests, to ensure agent reliability and reproducibility. Profile B : Junior MLOps / Edge AI Developer : Focused on the development of edge-computing-oriented MLOps methodologies and tools to support the lifecycle of ML models, with the following specific tasks : Contribute to the implementation and documentation of modules to enhance an internal MLOps platform and support the research unit’s ML workflows. Design and implement benchmarking tools for the evaluation of modules on resource-constrained devices, such as single-board computers and microcontrollers. Support the technical setup and monitoring of testing activities for edge computing and AI solutions.

Job requirements

The ideal candidate must have the following requirements : Academic background in computer science, artificial intelligence, or related engineering fields; Good knowledge of at least one programming language (Python, Java, or C / C++) and software design patterns (e.g., SOLID principles); Familiarity with software version control systems (e.g., Git). Language assessment according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) : level of knowledge required. Knowledge of English will be verified during the interview on a technical or scientific topic and must be equal to or exceed level B2. Definitions of levels can be found at the following link https : / / www.coe.int / en / web / common-european-framework-reference-languages / level-descriptions; Teamwork approach, good communication and relational skills; Strong orientation to results, determination, flexibility and aptitude for problem-solving.

Specific Technical Requirements : For Profile A : Familiarity with LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic), agent frameworks (LangChain, LangGraph), and web technologies (REST APIs, JavaScript / TypeScript). For Profile B : Familiarity with MLOps methodologies and experiment tracking tools (e.g., MLFlow, Tensorboard, Weight & Biases).

Furthermore, the following elements will be positively evaluated : Experience with Agile methodologies and Test-Driven Development (TDD). Domain knowledge in agriculture or precision farming.

Specific further requirements : For Profile A : Experience with data engineering practices (ETL) and both structured and unstructured data systems. For Profile B : Familiarity with containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes.

Employment

Type of contract : fixed-term contract

Working hours : full-time (38 h per week)

Start date : May / June 2026

Duration : 12 months

Contract type : CCPL Research Foundation Personnel (https : / / trasparenza.fbk.eu / ita / Personale / Contrattazione-collettiva / Rinnovo-CCPL-delle-Fondazioni) for a fourth level tecnichan , the current gross annual remuneration is Euro 31.654,24.

Workplace : Povo, Trento (Italy)

Benefits : flexi-time, company subsidized cafeteria or meal vouchers, internal car park, welcome office support for visa formalities and for research in accommodation, supplementary pension (Resaver, Laborfonds) and health fund (Sanifonds), family-work balance, free training courses, support on bank account opening, discount on public transport, sport, language course fees, counseling and psychological support service. More info 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; cover letter indicating why the candidate is suitable for this position.

Application deadline : 30 / 04 / 2026

Selection process and assessment criteria

The Evaluating Committee will be appointed by the People Innovation for Research Director at the end of the application deadline. The recruiting process will be handled in accordance with the “Gender and generational equal opportunities, as well as the employment inclusion of people with disabilities in public contracts financed with the resources of the PNRR and PNC” guidelines and with the Foundation's Gender Equality Plan. The Committee may compile the short-list of the candidates admitted to the interview, remotely or in presence. The short-list shall be compiled based on the requirements set out in the call (contained in the requirements of the job description), with the support of the screening of CVs and any other required documents. Candidates with a minimum score will be admitted to the interview phase. Shortlisted candidates must do at least one interview with the Committee.

In case of specific need, the Selection Committee can also meet remotely, by teleconference or videoconference, provided that all members can be identified and that they are able to follow and intervene in the discussion, as well as to receive, transmit and view documents.

During the evaluation step, evaluation support tools such as tests or questionnaires may be used. Furthermore, group tests and / or practical tests may be administered.

Evaluation criteria

The selection process includes two evaluation moments led by the Commission : the screening and the interview phase. The screening process will be based on the evaluation of the qualifications and expertise that the candidate expresses on the resume. A maximum of 40 points will be allocated to this assessment phase and only candidates obtaining at least 25 points will be admitted to the interview. The interview scores will be assigned to candidates by the Commission according to the following criteria : the presentation of their personal research profile; the knowledge about the scientific domain, the experience in working for research projects and the language skills. A maximum of 60 points will be allocated to this assessment phase. The interview is considered as “passed” if the applicant obtains at least 45 points.The final score will be used to generate the final suitability list for each job position.

Results of the selection process

All candidates will be notified via email once the selection process has been completed. The suitability list may be used to fill the position in case the successful candidate doesn’t accept the job offer. At the website https : / / jobs.fbk.eu / in the "Selection results" section, will be published the details of the selection process and the final results.

Diversity & Inclusion policy

FBK actively seeks diversity and promotes inclusion in the workplace. The main aims of the FBK Diversity & Inclusion policy are to : promote gender equality across the research domains and on all levels by encouraging qualified female candidates to apply for job positions and by implementing specific improvements and measures as stated in the Gender Equality Plan (GEP) foster young talents development by offering opportunities to grow become a disability-inclusive organization by encouraging applications from candidates with a disability (Law 68 / 99). We provide special assistance to applicants during the recruitment procedure and reasonable arrangements for disabled staff promote a healthy work-life balance by offering a package of flexible working arrangements and facilities (telework, individual working time, parental leave, etc).

The FBK operates in compliance with current legislation concerning fixed-term contracts. Candidates with disabilities are invited to state whether they belong to the categories referred to in Law 68 / 99, and to indicate this in the curriculum vita sent in application for recruitment.

Processing of personal data

Pursuant to art. 13 of EU Regulation No. 2016 / 679 (GDPR), we inform you that your personal data shall be processed for the management of the selection process and of the obligations connected to it, through manual, electronic and informatic means and will be guaranteed within privacy and security standards as indicated in the full privacy policy. In order to ensure and respect the principles of publicity, transparency and impartiality, the name of the successful candidate and the names of suitable candidates will be published on the FBK website following acceptance of the position.

For further information, please contact the People Innovation for Research Department at jobs@fbk.eu.