Chief Director, AI Platform & Solutions

The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) was founded by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2000 with the mission of enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness through applied research. ASTRI’s core R&D competence in various areas is grouped under five Technology Divisions: Communications Technologies, Artificial Intelligence and Trust Technologies, Advanced Electronic Components and Systems, IoT Sensing and AI Technologies, and Intelligent Perception and Control Technologies.

It is applied across six core areas which are Smart City, Financial Technologies, New Industrialisation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Digital Health, Application Specific Integrated Circuits, and Metaverse.

Over the years, ASTRI has nurtured a pool of research, I&T talents and received numerous international awards for its pioneering innovations as well as outstanding business and community contributions. ASTRI has transferred about 1,600 technologies to the industries and has been granted close to 1,200 patents in the Mainland, the United States, and other countries.

To support our constant endeavour to position Hong Kong as a world-class smart city and an international hub of innovation and technology, we are seeking qualified professionals to fill the following position(s):

The Opportunity

We are looking for a seasoned technology leader to define and execute the strategic vision for this TD. In this role, you will lead a sizable, high-caliber research team in building foundational technologies—specifically a base Agentic AI platform—and leveraging that platform to create differentiated, domain-specific solutions. While the AI platform will support other TDs, you will also lead the Digital Health and Intelligent Manufacturing solution domains as well as Trusted Technologies (e.g., cybersecurity and privacy) and FinTech.

This is not just a research management role. It is a strategic leadership position where you will be responsible for the entire lifecycle of innovation, from roadmap planning and project execution to stakeholder management and the critical "1-to-10" journey that amplifies the impact of our technologies.

Reports To: Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Location: Hong Kong

Job Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Vision & Technology Roadmap

• Develop and maintain a forward-looking research strategy and technology roadmap for the sector, with a core focus on LLM/LVLM, Agentic AI, and Generative AI technologies, as well as their application within Digital Health, Intelligent Manufacturing, Trusted Tech and FinTech.

• Identify emerging trends and translate them into actionable research programs that ensure the institute remains at the cutting edge of trusted and responsible AI.

• Champion the adoption of AI advancements across the entire institute, enabling other TDs to enhance their research productivity and solution capabilities.

2. Research and Solution Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and grow a large, multidisciplinary team of top-tier AI researchers, engineers, and domain experts, fostering a culture of technical excellence and collaboration.

• Oversee the design and development of a core base Agentic AI platform. This platform will serve as the foundational layer for all solution teams, ensuring reusability, scalability, and robustness.

• Guide solution teams in building vertically integrated AI applications for Trusted Technologies and FinTech, ensuring technical alignment with the core platform.

• Possess a working knowledge of system deployment architectures and methodologies to guide the team in building solutions that are not only innovative but also feasible for real-world piloting and integration.

3. Commercialization & Impact Acceleration (0→1→10)

• Help guide the technology commercialization, ensuring that research outputs are not only innovative but are developed with a clear path to market.

• Possess a deep understanding of the "1-to-10" phase. While not responsible for full-scale productization, you will ensure that the "0-to-1" research planning explicitly incorporates the requirements, constraints, and feedback from early-stage validation, pilot projects, and customer engagements.

• Work closely with the business development and partnerships teams to identify and secure opportunities for pilot deployments and market validation.

4. Stakeholder & Ecosystem Management

• Serve as the primary technical ambassador for the sector to a diverse range of stakeholders, including:

  • Government Funding Agencies: Articulate the technical merit, strategic alignment, and potential economic impact of research programs to secure funding.

  • Strategic Clients: Understand their operational challenges and translate them into technological requirements, building trust in the ASTRI’s ability to deliver secure and trusted solutions.

  • Commercial Customers & Solution Integrators: Effectively communicate the value proposition of our technologies, build strong relationships, and secure their interest and trust as partners in the "1-to-10" journey.

• Navigate complex multi-party collaborations, ensuring alignment of interests and smooth project execution.

Job Requirements:

Required Experience:

• Proven Leadership: A minimum of 15+ years of experience in technology research and solution development, with at least 8+ years in a senior leadership role managing large, high-performing, and multidisciplinary teams in an applied research, corporate R&D, or advanced solution development environment.

• Technical Depth: A strong technical background in AI/ML with a demonstrated ability to keep pace with the latest advancements in LLMs, LVLMs, Agentic AI, and GenAI. Experience architecting and building scalable AI platforms and solutions is essential.

• Domain Application: Proven experience applying AI to Trusted Technology domains (e.g., cybersecurity, privacy-preserving tech) and/or FinTech. Experience in other verticals like Digital Health and Intelligent Manufacturing is a plus.

• Deployment Acumen: A solid working knowledge of modern software/system deployment practices (e.g., cloud architecture, containerization, CI/CT pipelines for ML). Hands-on experience with solution development and system deployment is strongly preferred.

• Commercial Acumen: Demonstrated success in taking technologies from the lab to the market. You must have a track record of navigating the "0-to-1" to "1-to-10" transition, working with commercial partners, and understanding product requirements.

• Stakeholder Management: Exceptional ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences, including government officials, funding bodies, and C-level executives. Experience in a publicly funded or highly regulated environment is a strong plus.

Required Competencies & Attributes:

• Strategic Visionary: Ability to think 3-5 years ahead and build a roadmap that aligns technological possibility with market and societal needs.

• Operational Excellence: Strong project management skills with experience in overseeing a portfolio of complex research projects.

• Influencer & Communicator: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills; adept at ensuring high-quality proposals, white papers, and presenting to large audiences.

• Collaborative Leader: A natural networker who can build bridges internally (across TDs) and externally (with partners).

• Adaptability: Comfortable with ambiguity and able to pivot strategies based on rapid technological advancements and market feedback.

Why Join Us?

• Mission-Driven Impact: Play a pivotal role in shaping the applied AI landscape and solving problems that matter.

• Cutting-Edge Environment: Work with state-of-the-art technology and collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the ecosystem.

• Strategic Aspiration: The mandate to build a leading AI research TD from a position of strength.

• Public Service with Entrepreneurial Spirit: The stability of a public institution with the drive and agility of a tech startup focused on impact.

The appointment will be on renewable contract terms with a competitive salary and performance-linked gratuity. Fringe benefits include paid leave, medical, insurance coverage and contribution to MPF. The incumbent will normally work a five-day week.

For interested parties, please submit your application with detailed CV within two weeks of the post date. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible. The review of applications will continue until the post is filled.

The resume should not include any sensitive personal information such as ID card no. or travel document number, etc.

Position offer is subject to the applicant’s experience and academic qualification. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. ASTRI reserves the right not to fill the position.

ASTRI is an Equal Opportunities Employer. Personal data provided by job applicants will be used exclusively for recruitment only. For details, please refer to ASTRI Privacy Policy Statement.