About the opportunity
The IT Center University of Cologne (ITCC) is a central institution providing technical and scientific collaboration. Within the Research Infrastructure Services (RIS) department, the IT Center is part of the COSAI joint project with six partners to establish a sovereign, cross-state AI infrastructure. The University of Cologne is one of the largest and oldest universities in Europe, offering dynamic research priorities and diverse career opportunities in research, technology, and administration in the heart of Cologne.
Salary and benefits
- Varied and exciting project work
- Diverse and equal-opportunity work environment
- Support for balancing work and family life
- Flexible working hour models
- Comprehensive continuing education offerings
- Corporate health management programs
- Opportunity for mobile work
- Remuneration up to pay group 13 TV-L based on relevant tariff and personal requirements
Who can apply?
- Completed scientific university degree (Master's, Diploma, or comparable) in Computer Science, Business Informatics, or a related field
- Sound knowledge of container technologies and Kubernetes
- Experience with monitoring and observability tools as well as a basic understanding of IT security in cloud environments
- Desirable: experience operating language models (e.g., vLLM), working with MCP or agent-based AI systems, and familiarity with HPC environments
- Interest in scientific work and publishing results
- Independent and structured working method
- Enjoyment of collaboration in a distributed team and good communication skills
- Good German and English language skills
Required documents
- Meaningful application documents
- Supporting certificates and proofs for requested qualifications
- Applications should be submitted without a photograph
When to apply
- Position starts on January 1, 2027
- Application deadline is November 8, 2026
How to apply
- Prepare your application documents including proofs of qualifications without an application photo
- Submit your application online through the University of Cologne job portal at https://jobportal.uni-koeln.de referencing code TUV2610-02
Additional information
- Reference number (Kennziffer): TUV2610-02
- Employment is full-time with 39.83 working hours per week
- Position is fixed-term until September 30, 2029
- The University of Cologne promotes equal opportunities and diversity; applications from women are given preferential consideration in accordance with the LGG NRW
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Ideal for professionals and researchers with a background in computer science who want to combine systems engineering with cutting-edge AI infrastructure and scientific publishing.
- Well-suited for candidates experienced in Kubernetes and cloud environments looking to work on large-scale, collaborative academic and public-sector projects.
- Provides a balanced environment supporting remote work options and flexible scheduling while remaining embedded in a prominent European research university.
What should you think carefully about?
- The position is fixed-term until September 30, 2029, which means employment is not permanent.
- Proficiency in both German and English is required, along with relocation or commuting capability to Cologne, Germany.
- Salary is bound to public sector TV-L pay scales (up to group 13), which may differ from private-sector tech compensation.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This role fits professionals aiming to build deep expertise in sovereign AI infrastructure, federated learning systems, and cloud-native observability within an academic research setting. It offers a structured stepping stone for those interested in bridging applied software engineering with scientific research and academic publishing.
Our take
This opportunity is strongly recommended for system and platform engineers with container and Kubernetes expertise who want to contribute to public-sector AI sovereign initiatives in Germany. It is less suitable for candidates seeking indefinite permanent employment or those lacking proficiency in both German and English.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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