PROFET


Open PhD Position

November 23, 2018 | 2 Minute Read

Open PhD Position at AIT Austrian Institute of Technology

Project

The cryptography group at AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is looking for a Ph.D. student to work on the FWF netidee SCIENCE research project PROFET (Cryptographic Foundations for Future-proof Internet Security), led by Dr. Daniel Slamanig (AIT) in cooperation with the Security and Privacy group at TU Wien (Prof. Matteo Maffei). The project is planned to start in Q1 2019 and has a duration of 3 years.

PROFET targets at designing public-key cryptography capable to secure tomorrow's Internet which will encompass paradigms such as cloud computing, the IoT and distributed ledgers as essential ingredients. It specifically puts a focus on two highly important issues for the future: (1) designing security models and cryptographic schemes that are surveillance and subversion resilient by design, e.g., provide strong notions such as forward security and post-compromise security, and (2) designing cryptographic schemes that remain secure in the presence of powerful quantum computers, i.e., schemes that provide post-quantum security (either via generic or direct constructions). The project on the one hand covers foundational aspects, but also investigate the application of the developed techniques to certain problems encountered in the IoT, cloud application scenarios or distributed ledgers.

Research group

This project will be carried out as a three year Ph.D. project within the cryptography group at AIT. The applicant will have a 30h/week employment at AIT in Vienna working in close collaboration with other members of the cryptography group. During the whole project there will be a strong interaction with the Security and Privacy group at TU Wien and in particular with another PhD student working on the same project at TU Wien.

Profile

Eligible candidates will hold a Master’s degree in Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Security or similar discipline. Students who are expected to receive their MSc degree (or equivalent) by the end of 2018 are also encouraged to apply. We prefer candidates who can demonstrate that they have developed their research skills during their master’s studies. Adequate English (written and verbal communication) for scientific interactions is required.

Skills

  • Knowledge in cryptography and strong programming skills is desirable.

  • High motivation for research work and ability to work independently.

  • Good organisation and communication skills.

  • Eager to disseminate research results through publications and presentations at top-tier conferences.

Contact

Interested candidates should send their detailed CVs, cover letter and references. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview. Contact: Daniel Slamanig, daniel.slamanig (at) ait.ac.at.

The application will be held open until position is filled.