Visiting Research Mobility for Kenyan Researchers
High-Performance Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Data-Intensive Life Sciences
Area Science Park invites researchers of Kenyan nationality to apply for three visiting research fellowships at its Data Engineering Laboratory in Trieste, Italy. Fellows will work with ORFEO, the digital backbone of the PRP@CERIC research infrastructure, with access to high-performance computing, storage, GPU and cloud-native resources, alongside scientific mentoring in data engineering and artificial intelligence.
At a glance
| Fellowships available | 3 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 consecutive months |
| Location | Area Science Park, Padriciano Campus, Trieste, Italy |
| Host | Data Engineering Laboratory, within the PRP@CERIC ecosystem |
| Allowance | €3,000 per month, flat rate |
| Start window | January 2027 |
| Application deadline | 15 November 2026, 12:00 CET |
| Questions until | 08 November 2026 |
The call document is the only binding text of this selection procedure. Where this page and the call document differ, the call document prevails.
ORFEO
a high-performance data centre offering scalable storage, state-of-the-art CPU and GPU resources, and advanced services deployed on Kubernetes.
PRP@CERIC
the Pathogen Readiness Platform for the CERIC-ERIC Upgrade, a distributed research infrastructure supporting integrated, multidisciplinary research on human, animal and plant pathogens.
LAGE Genomics Laboratory
a genomics facility whose data flows provide a practical setting for developing reproducible, automated and FAIR-by-design data pipelines.
Each fellow receives scientific mentoring, technical support for the computing environment, and assistance with the administrative and logistical aspects of the stay.
Track A — FAIR-by-design data pipelines for genomics and HPC
Design and optimise automated workflows for secure, reliable data transfer from the LAGE Genomics Laboratory to the ORFEO data centre, embedding FAIR principles into workflow design, metadata capture, provenance and reproducibility, and evaluating orchestration and containerised execution in Kubernetes and HPC environments.
Track B — Benchmarking generative Large Language Models
Design reproducible benchmarks for generative LLMs covering performance, scalability, accuracy and resource use, comparing computational and energy efficiency across models, hardware configurations and inference strategies, and developing transparent reporting methods and reusable benchmark pipelines for research infrastructures.
Track C — AI-augmented numerical simulation for biological applications
Configure and implement numerical simulation services enhanced by machine-learning methods, applied to biologically relevant use cases such as data-driven acceleration, surrogate modelling, parameter estimation or optimisation, and assess their accuracy, reproducibility and scalability on ORFEO resources.
What is offered
Financial and Practical Support
The fellowship is funded at a flat-rate allowance of €3,000 per month, covering all expenses including travel, accommodation, meals and local transport. Where Area Science Park purchases airline tickets directly, the corresponding amount is deducted from the allowance.
Area Science Park also provides:
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insurance coverage as required by the funding programme
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scientific supervision, technical onboarding and specialist training;
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access to ORFEO computing and storage resources and relevant software services, subject to technical assessment and resource availability;
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administrative and logistical support throughout the mobility period.
Participation in the programme does not establish an employment relationship and does not entail any obligation to offer future employment.
Expected outcomes
What You Will Produce
Each fellow agrees a work plan with their scientific supervisor, defining concrete outputs. These may include a documented and reproducible software pipeline, benchmark suite or simulation service; technical documentation, metadata and code prepared according to FAIR and open-science principles; a final technical and scientific report with an end-of-stay presentation; and, where appropriate, a joint publication, conference contribution, training resource or a follow-up project concept involving Kenyan and Italian institutions.
Eligibility
Who Can Apply
Applicants must meet all the following requirements by the application deadline.
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Kenyan nationality
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Current engagement in research at a university, research organisation or comparable institution, or an equivalent active research profile
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Sufficient proficiency in English for research, training and scientific communication
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Compliance with Italian immigration requirements and with Area Science Park's safety, cybersecurity, data-protection and acceptable-use policies
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Enrolment in a PhD programme, or a PhD or equivalent scientific or professional qualification under the applicant's national system corresponding to EQF Level 8, relevant to the proposed research activities
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Research experience relevant to at least one of the three tracks
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Availability to reside in Trieste and undertake the fellowship within the dates established by Area Science Park
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Proposed activities qualifying as non-economic research activities under European Commission Communications C/2016/2946 and 2022/C 414/01
Applications from early-career researchers and women researchers are particularly encouraged. Area Science Park applies the principles of equal opportunity and non-discrimination.
How to Apply
1
Read the call
Download the call document and check the eligibility requirements, the research tracks and the evaluation criteria.
2
Choose your track
Identify the primary research track your proposal addresses. You may indicate a secondary track if your proposal is interdisciplinary.
3
Prepare your documents
All documents must be in English: Copy of a valid Kenyan passport, Curriculum vitae, Research proposal and work plan, Motivation letter, Letter of support from your home institution.
4
Submit the online form
Complete the form, upload your documents and confirm the eligibility declarations. You will receive confirmation of receipt.
Applications close on 15 November 2026 at 12:00 CET. Applications received after the deadline, submitted through a different channel, or missing mandatory documents may be excluded.
How applications are assessed
Evaluation
Eligible applications are assessed by an evaluation committee of three members appointed by Area Science Park.
| Criterion | Maximum score |
|---|---|
| Scientific and technical profile | 20 |
| Quality of the proposed work plan | 30 |
| Expected impact | 20 |
| Motivation and fit | 20 |
| English communication | 10 |
A minimum of 70/100 is required for selection. Shortlisted applicants may be invited to an online interview. A reserve list may be established.
Contacts
Questions?
Questions about this call can be sent to visitingfromkenya@areasciencepark.it until 08 November 2026.
