Ph.D. position in secure and privacy

About the SnT

SnT is a leading international research and innovation centre in secure, reliable and trustworthy ICT systems and services. We play an instrumental role in Luxembourg by fueling innovation through research partnerships with industry, boosting R&D investments leading to economic growth, and attracting highly qualified talent.

The SnT, the international research and innovation centre in secure, reliable and trustworthy systems and services, of the University of Luxembourg, is looking for motivated PhD candidates in the field of secure and privacy information extraction and processing, for robot navigation indoor.

We're looking for people driven by excellence, excited about innovation, and looking to make a difference. If this sounds like you, you've come to the right place!

Your Role

Research context

The position is linked to INVISIMARK, a multidisciplinary research project carried out by three research groups: (a) the Interdisciplinary Research in Sociotechnical Cybersecurity (IRiSC), led by Prof. Gabriele Lenzini; (b) the Experimental Soft Matter Physics (ESMP) led by Prof. Jan Lagerwall, and (c) the Automation & Robotics Group (ARG), led by Prof. Holger Voos.

The project is about a new generation of fiducial markers (as those used in robotics and Augmented Reality to encode information about objects on which they are applied), designed to carry encrypted messages interpretable only by authorized parties. The markers are made using polymerized Cholesteric liquid crystal Spherical selective Retroreflectors (CSRs), allowing them to be invisible to humans while easy to detect by machine vision.

The PhD candidate will be hosted by the IRiSC and working under the supervision of Prof. Lenzini, in close collaboration with the other 2 Ph.D. candidates of the ESMP and ARG recruited simultaneously.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. in Computer Science in the context of secure and privacy information extraction and processing, in the context of navigation of robots in indoor environments. The candidate will be required to perform the following tasks:

• Contribute to the project's success
• Carry out research in the field of secure and privacy information extraction and processing
• Disseminate results through scientific publications
• Present results in well-known international conferences and workshops

Your Profile

The candidate should be familiar with:

• Computer and information security
• Applied cryptography (visual cryptography, an added value)
• Security protocols design and analysis

Must-Have:

• Nationality from a NATO country
• Master's degree in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or, any related field
• Programming skills, e.g., Python, C++, etc.
• Openness to interdisciplinary research and commitment to teamwork
• Commitment and capacity to critical thinking and good research ethics
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Inquisitive and critical mind
• Collaborative attitude and teams spirit

Here's what awaits you at SnT

• A stimulating learning environment. Here post-docs and professors outnumber PhD students. That translates into access and close collaborations with some of the brightest ICT researchers, giving you solid guidance
• Exciting infrastructures and unique labs. At SnT's two campuses, our researchers can take a walk on the moon at the LunaLab, build a nanosatellite, or help make autonomous vehicles even better
• The right place for IMPACT. SnT researchers engage in demand-driven projects. Through our Partnership Programme, we work on projects with more than 55 industry partners
• Multiple funding sources for your ideas. The University supports researchers to acquire funding from national, European and private sources
• Competitive salary package. The University offers a 12 month-salary package, over six weeks of paid time off, meal vouchers and health insurance
• Be part of a multicultural family. At SnT we have more than 60 nationalities. Throughout the year, we organise team-building events, networking activities and more
• Boost your career. Students can take advantage of several opportunities for growth and career development, from free language classes to career resources and extracurricular activities

But wait, there's more!

• Complete picture of the perks we offer
• Discover our Partnership Programme

How to apply

Candidates MUST submit the following documents:

• Motivation letter answering the following questions:
  • What is your motivation to pursue a PhD degree?
  • Why are you interested in cybersecurity?
  • What are your ideas and ambitions for working on this project?
• PDF version of your master thesis (< 20MB; compress images if necessary)
• Curriculum vitae
• List of publications (if available)
• Digital copies of diplomas and complete course grade transcripts (B.Sc. and M.Sc.)

Incomplete, unrelated, and unmotivated applications will be rejected.

We ensure a full consideration for applications received by 31/01/2024. Please apply formally through the HR system. Applications by email will not be considered.

The University of Luxembourg embraces inclusion and diversity as key values. We are fully committed to removing any discriminatory barrier related to gender, and not only, in recruitment and career progression of our staff.