Doctoral Researcher in Secure GenAI

University of Turku; Turku; Vor Ort; EUR 28.000 - 30.000; Vollzeit

Benefits dieser Stelle

Fully funded

Publish opportunities

Collaborations

Training courses

International team

Flexible hours

Well-being services

Zusammenfassung

University of Turku's Department of Computing invites applications for a full-time Doctoral Researcher position focusing on privacy protection, security enhancement, and vulnerability research in Generative AI. The fixed-term project ends on 31.8.2029 and offers a fully funded doctoral role within a vibrant European research environment.

You will conduct deep-dives into GenAI security, supervise MSc/Bachelor students, and publish in top cybersecurity venues while collaborating with academic and

Qualifikationen

• MSc in Computer Science or closely related field.
• Strong foundation in cybersecurity and adversarial ML.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Good written and spoken English.

Aufgaben

• Conduct deep research into GenAI security, privacy & post-quantum aspects.
• Supervise MSc/Bachelor students and assist teaching activities.
• Publish high-impact research and engage in proposals.
• Collaborate with European universities and industrial partners.

Kenntnisse

Python

C++

Rust

Cybersecurity

Adversarial ML

English comms

Ausbildung

MSc in Computer Science

Jobbeschreibung

The Department of Computing at the Faculty of Technology invites applications for a full‑time Doctoral Researcher position. This role focuses on the privacy protection, security enhancement, and vulnerability research of Generative AI. The fixed‑term position starts based on mutual agreement, and ends on 31.8.2029, which is the estimated end date of the project. The project end date may change, in which case the position ends accordingly.

Job description

As a PhD candidate, you will conduct deep‑dive research into the security of GenAI, in particular quantum‑secure, federated GenAI framework. You will join an elite, interdisciplinary team, collaborating closely with leading academic experts and industrial security architects across Europe.

The successful candidate will focus on one of following aspects:

• Privacy Preservation: Investigating the integration of Federated Learning, Differential Privacy (DP), and post‑quantum cryptographic primitives within GenAI training and inference workflows to effectively mitigate sensitive data leakage risks.
• Vulnerability Attack & Defense on GenAI: Developing robust defense mechanisms against adversarial threats and verifiable secure ML solutions. Design, develop, and implement state‑of‑the‑art, post‑quantum secure GenAI protocols and algorithms that feature built‑in verifiability and robust defensive capabilities. Collaborate closely with top‑tier European universities and industrial partners. Participate in project implementation and reporting activities.

Contribute to academic life by supervising MSc and Bachelor students, and assisting in teaching activities. Engage in training opportunities including proposal writing, high‑impact scientific publishing, and collaborative research with international teams.

Who we are looking for

• MSc degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• A solid foundation in cybersecurity and adversarial machine learning.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Good communication skills in English (written and spoken, e.g., with a valid International English certificate, IELTS or TOEFL).
• Programming skills (e.g., Python, C++, Rust).
• Interest in collaborative research with both academia and industry.

Qualification requirements

The eligibility criteria for prospective applicants are defined in the University of Turku Rules of Procedure: university-of-turku-rules-of-procedure.pdf. A person selected for the post of Doctoral Researcher is required to have a right to pursue a doctoral degree at University of Turku. In addition, when acquiring their degree or otherwise, they are required to have demonstrated the ability to undertake postgraduate studies and the capacity to complete a doctoral degree in accordance with the research plan. Please note that before obtaining the study right for a Doctoral Program, the job title will be Project Researcher, and the employment contract will be made until 31.3.2027 at the latest. The candidate is expected to apply for the study right in the next available Autumn 2026 call to e.g. the Doctoral Programme in Technology. Thus, please check the student information and application criteria Doctoral Programme in Technology - Admission Criteria and Instructions for Applicants | University of Turku (please pay attention to the mandatory skill level in English). In exceptional cases, we may also consider applicants who have completed nearly all the studies required for a master's degree in a relevant field.

In such cases, the job title at the start of the employment will be Research Assistant and the starting salary (OV1) is on average 2400 euros/month, depending on competence and experience.

Benefits

• A fully funded Doctoral researcher position in an internationally recognized research environment.
• Opportunities to publish in top‑tier cybersecurity journals and flag‑ship conferences.
• Opportunities to collaborate with and visit outstanding European universities and industrial partners.
• Training courses for academic researchers, e.g., proposal writing, scientific writing, project development, teaching qualification.
• A vibrant, international, and supportive research community.
• We offer you responsible and interesting tasks and the opportunity to develop your professional skills in a versatile operating environment.
• You get a professional and inspiring team to support your work.
• We take care of your well‑being at work and the functionality of your everyday life, e.g. with the help of flexible working hours and our well‑being services.

Salary and trial period

The salary is determined in accordance with the university salary system for teaching and research personnel and will depend on the degree and qualifications of the applicant. For a doctoral/project researcher (OV02-OV04), the salary will be in the beginning of the employment on average 2500–2700 euros/month, depending on previous experience and skills. The amount of the salary is defined when the employment contract is prepared. A six (6) month trial period applies to the position.

Further information

Home page of the research group: http://www.utu.fi/cyber

For further information about the position, please contact: Associate Professor Kaitai Liang, [e-mail]. With questions about the application process, please contact: HR Specialist Nina Reini, [e-mail].

The position will be filled if the project is implemented.

University of Turku reserves the right for justified reasons to leave the position open, to extend the application period, reopen the application process, and to consider candidates who have not submitted applications during the application period.