Special Consultant in IT Architecture and Data Management at the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen

The Department of Computer Science at the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, is looking for a Special Consultant in IT Architecture and Data Management to work within the project ‘Deep Fetal Development: AI for Fetal Development Analysis and Impact on Future Health of Mother and Child’ with effect from 1 February 2025 for a limited period until 30 June 2029.

About the Project

This project aims to study the impact of maternal health and parental genetics on the healthy development of children during pregnancy. The project will analyze pregnancies in Denmark since 2009 using a comprehensive dataset of more than 700,000 babies, which includes over 20 million ultrasound images from the first, second, and potentially third trimesters. These images are combined with electronic health records from national registers for both mothers and babies.

Additionally, we have in-depth healthcare records for 200,000 pregnancies and genetic data from 20,000 mothers and 10,000 fathers. Leveraging this unique dataset, we aim to develop cutting-edge deep learning algorithms to analyze fetal development, identify patterns, and classify various types of growth progressions.

These AI-driven models will also link genetic information to health outcomes, allowing us to assess risks of future diseases for both the child and mother. Ultimately, this research could lead to improved prenatal screenings, enabling early detection and intervention in cases where fetal development is at risk. Furthermore, it may help identify mothers at risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

The project includes prospective clinical trials to validate the findings, testing enhanced screening methods in 1,000 pregnancies. Our goal is to ensure healthier outcomes for both mothers and children by improving prenatal care and early disease detection.

About Us

The Department of Computer Science at the University of Copenhagen is a leading research and teaching institution in Denmark. The department is known for cutting-edge research in areas such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data science. Our research group is dedicated to advancing computational methods and applying them in various scientific domains. We work closely with industry and other academic institutions to foster innovation and knowledge-sharing.

The Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen is Denmark's largest science research and education institution with 4,000 employees and 9,700 Bachelor and Master students in 12 departments. The faculty has an annual budget of DKK 3 billion. Here you can learn more about The Faculty of Science www.science.ku.dk.

Tasks

As a Special Consultant, you will play a crucial role in supporting and advancing the technical infrastructure for research in our department. You will be responsible for designing and managing systems that enable high-quality, reproducible research in collaboration with multiple stakeholders.

• Developing and supporting machine learning frameworks for computer vision, natural language processing and multimodal applications
• Consulting on data usage with domain-specific knowledge
• Supporting grant applications and EU tenders
• Serving in compute steering committee and designing HPC clusters
• Technical counseling in programming with e.g. Python and PyTorch; HPC Clusters using Moab, Slurm, Torque, LSF; Collaborative programming practices using GitHub; Managing CUDA and virtual environments.

Your tasks will include:

IT-architecture

• Develop architecture to support the machine learning projects of the group
• Maintain existing software (Yucca, PsyBrain, EHR)
• Design sustainable processes for reproducible, high-quality research
• Manage and support collaborative projects with programming standards and protocols (e.g. Yucca and EHR)

Data Management

• Develop and maintain data processing pipelines for machine learning and statistical analysis
• Manage databases, accesses, references, and metadata
• Support integration into multimodal projects and downstream tasks
• Store and document previous projects (such as our GitHub organization, keeping track of all previous projects etc.)

HPC

• Organize tenders to buy computers
• Design the scheduling and data protocols and manage access according to the needs of the users
• Be the link between users and hosts (NGC)
• Technical responsible in GDPR-compliant environment

We Expect

• Educational Background: A relevant academic background in computer science, IT architecture, or a closely related field
• Experience: Proven experience in IT-architecture, software development, and data management, preferably in an academic or research setting for large scale Machine Learning projects
• Management Experience: Experience managing collaborative projects, especially those involving machine learning, data processing, and high-performance computing (HPC)
• Managing GitHub organizations and collaborative GitHub repositories
• Technical Expertise: Strong competence in designing sustainable research processes and managing GDPR-compliant environments
  • Machine Learning in Python using PyTorch, PyTorch Lightning and CUDA environments. Using HPCs running LSF, Slurm, Torque and Moab
• Personal Qualities: Excellent communication skills, the ability to work in a collaborative environment, and strong organizational abilities

We Offer

• The opportunity to be part of the Pioneer Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Denmark's leading research hub for AI innovation, which fosters groundbreaking research in machine learning, data science, and AI technologies
• Access to cutting-edge AI infrastructure, state-of-the-art high-performance computing resources, and collaborations with top researchers and industry partners
• Opportunities for professional development and collaboration on cutting-edge machine learning and data science projects
• A dynamic and interdisciplinary research environment that promotes creativity, learning, and technological advancement

Terms of salary and employment

The employment and salary is made in accordance with the Circular on the Collective Agreement concerning academics in the state sector concluded between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations).

You will be employed as a special consultant. Negotiation for salary supplement is possible. The working time is 37 hours per week on average.

UCPH is in the process of designing a new shared administrative organization at UCPH, which is expected to lead to changes within the next 12 - 18 months. The purpose of the administrative reform is, among other things, to strengthen cross-organizational cooperation, increase efficiency, and ensure good career paths for administrative staff members at UCPH. The reform will lead to cutbacks on administration. You are encouraged to contact interim head of administration Katja Thorseth at [email protected] to learn more about the connection between this position and the administrative reform.

Your application

If you find the job interesting, please send an electronic application with attachment via the university’s job portal (click on the link "Apply Now" at the bottom of the post) no later than Tuesday 29 October 2024.

Interviews will take place soon after the application deadline.

The University of Copenhagen seeks to reflect society and encourages applications irrespective of personal background.

Further questions

Further information on the Department is linked at https://di.ku.dk/english.

Inquiries about the position can be made to Professor Mads Nielsen, e-mail: [email protected].