The Sano Centre for Computational Medicine is a new International Scientific Foundation located in Kraków, Poland.
With substantial support from the Polish Foundation for Science and the European Commission, Sano aims to become a major driving force for European advancement in the rapidly growing field of computational medicine, developing sophisticated engineering methods for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, to meet the overarching worldwide need for efficient, effective and radically streamlined healthcare systems.
Sano now invites an experienced and visionary Scientific Leader with a background in Computational Medicine to take on the opportunity of leading this unique Centre of Excellence.
Sano , a major new translational scientific institute, will combine expertise in bioengineering, large-scale high-performance computing and machine-learning-based decision science with fundamental biomarker identification using advanced simulation and data analysis methods. As a core technology and expertise provider for industry, it will foster modernisation, innovation and increased productivity.
Operationally, Sano strategically combines the most prestigious scientific grant currently available from the national Polish Foundation for Science (FNP) – the International Research Agenda Programme (IRAP) – with one of the most competitive grants in the EU’s H2020 programme, Teaming for Excellence. Combined with additional Polish Ministry of Science guarantees, the Centre has secured investment exceeding €30M. With this scale of funding, and aided by an excellent European partnership network, we can be confident that Sano will bring a critical mass to this transformational field of research, in order to translate scientific advancement into clinical practice.
To be successful, Sano requires an ambitious, professional, passionate and experienced Director to lead the Centre and determine its research directions. This role will have significant impact on the successful implementation of Sano’s programmes of innovative research in applied computational medicine. The Director must therefore bring professional experience reflecting a broad scientific background in computational medicine, and possess an excellent track-record in research, particularly in the in silico domain.
The Role of Director
As the Director of Sano you will have a unique chance to lead change, in the field of computationally-enhanced diagnostics and treatment in the clinics of tomorrow. Your role will formally be threefold:
• As the President of the Sano Management Board you will be strategically responsible for the Centre – which is currently in its establishment phase – as a challenging yet rewarding endeavour; your leadership will be instrumental in acquisition of top talents for the Centre
• As a Research Group Leader you will lead your own research group within Sano
• As the International Research Agenda Project Manager you will design and oversee implementation of the ambitious programme of in silico medicine research and translation.
In all tasks you will be assisted by outstanding professionals in key fields, including science, medicine, healthcare, grant acquisition, IPR management and business development, together with clinical and regulatory specialists. When fully developed Sano will employ more than 50 permanent technical and professional staff, together with many other project-specific personel.
Your Tasks as Director
In order to fulfil the formal obligations of the role, your responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to, the commitment to:
• Oversee the definition, development and implementation of the research and development strategy of Sano.
• Provide scientific leadership for the Centre, embracing a range of disciplines and charting a coherent course of research and partnership development.
• Play key role in attracting best candidates for crucial positions at Sano.
• Propose research priorities for each of its five research teams (laboratories) for the coming four years, including clinical and industrial cooperation relationships.
• Establish new links with external partners (academic, industrial and clinical) and build upon existing relationships in cooperation with a dedicated, professional business development unit.
• Successfully translate the outputs of Sano’s development processes into clinical practice, whether through spin-offs, licensing agreements or long-term industrial partnerships.
• Lead personally one of the Centre’s research laboratories (teams).
• Actively develop the Centre’s international academic profile and enhance its international recruitment.
• Assist in development of entrepreneurial culture among the Centre’s scientists and encourage top innovators to pursue a spinoff career in cooperation with one of seed funds cooperating with Sano.
• Attract research funding and other revenues from a variety of sources (for the Centre and for your own research team).
• Produce high-quality peer-reviewed publications and oversee the preparation of papers by other members of the research team.
• Assume overall responsibility for annual financial and scientific reports which the Centre is mandated to submit to the relevant authorities.
• Engage in periodic evaluations of the institute by the International Steering Committee.
Essential Requirements for Applicants
As prerequisites for consideration for the post of Sano Director, you must be able to demonstrate:
• Recognized authority in your field, as an outstanding scientist with a research profile matching the leaders of the world’s most prestigious academic Centres of Excellence.
• A PhD in biomedicine, medicine, engineering or the natural sciences, with substantial academic experience, including 7 years of postdoctoral research and 4 years in senior scientific leadership, multiple publications in high-impact journals, and evidence of strategic thinking.
• An enduring field of expertise relating to bioengineering and computational biomedicine.
• Notable success in grant funding acquisition and international scientific project management, combining excellent leadership and team-building skills in creative working environments.
• The ability to forge alliances between academia and industry, with evidence of research translation and clinical impact.
• Excellent communication skills with a fluent command of English, Sano’s main language.
• Willingness to operate from Krakow.
Desirable Attributes
The appointment panel will be pleased to receive information on your additional skills, for example:
• Interest in one or more of the following healthcare technology trends: Modelling and Simulation, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and the Internet of Things.
• Specific product-related industrial collaboration success.
• Experience of intellectual property management, particularly patents.
• Knowledge of additional European languages.
Sano will offer the successful candidate:
• A full-time employment contract, initially for a period of four years, with the possibility of an extension based on the following assessment periods:
o As President of the Management Board you will report annually directly to the Sano Foundation Council (Sano’s supervisory body) whose members are appointed by our English, German and Polish partners.
o As Research Team Leader you will participate in an intermediate review after two years, and in an external review performed by the Sano International Scientific Committee after approximately four years.
• An attractive salary.
• An annual financial bonus, should you exceed key performance indicators for the Centre and your own research group (including the creation of new collaborations and alliances with external partners, acquisition of prestigious grants, extending global scientific competences, creating real impact on the clinical and medical technology environment).
• Social benefits, including private medical care for you and your immediate family, financial support for access to local sport and cultural facilities, language courses, technical and soft-skills training, social events, and more.
• Relocation support and access to an assigned expert to assist with legal matters related to relocation, including visas, work permits and taxation.
• A Start-up Package for your research team, which will include two full time PhD students, one MSc student on a stipend, and the support of a half-time scientific programmer. Further resource allocation can be obtained through exceptional performance or acquisition of your own grants. When your team reaches five PhD students, a full-time postdoctoral researcher will be affiliated to you, supported from the central budget.
The Application Process
Step 1: Expression of Interest
If you are interested in the position of Sano Director, and have not already done so, please register an Expression of Interest by emailing
k.jarosinska@sano.science with six key items of information:
• Your name
• Your current role
• Your total research income (grants/contracts)
• The number of your recent publications
• Your Google Scholar h-index
• Your agreement to our storing your data
or use our recruitment system: https://execmind.elevato.net/en/director-for-the-centre-for-computationa...
Step 2: Complete the Initial Application Process
Soon after your registration of an Expression of Interest you will receive an information pack, which will include an invitation to begin the formal process of application. This process consists of the provision of additional information, the supply of supporting documentation, and agreement that we can initiate the process of assessment. Sano’s formal requirements for documentation are additionally governed by conditions attached to FNP funding, and the provision of such materials is mandatory. The information pack will include templates to facilitate the provision of required data.
Candidates progressing to later stages of the recruitment process will be requested to supply additional materials, including an elaborated version of the International Research Agenda.
The recruitment process for the position of Sano Director is being conducted by the Sano International Scientific Committee, on behalf of the Sano Foundation and its International Partners:
The University of Sheffield (UK)
Fraunhofer Society (DE)
Research Centre Juelich (DE),
AGH University of Science and Technology (PL)
Kraków LifeScience Cluster (PL)
National Centre for Research and Development (PL).
We will support you in every stage of the recruitment process.