Doctoral Researcher in security enhancement and protection on LLM

Academic Positions; Finland; Sur place; EUR 28 000 - 30 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Fully funded doctoral position

Publish in top cybersecurity journals

Collaborate with European universities

Training in proposal writing and科研

Résumé du poste

University of Turku invites applications for a full-time Doctoral Researcher position focused on security enhancement and protection for LLMs within a Horizon Europe project. The role involves theoretical research, collaboration with top European universities and industrial partners, and supervision of MSc/Bachelor students within a dynamic, international team.

The position is funded as a fully funded doctoral researcher, with opportunities to publish in top cybersecurity journals and

Qualifications

• MSc degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related field.
• A solid foundation in theoretical machine learning or applied cryptography.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong English communication skills (written and spoken) with certificates such as IELTS/TOEFL as applicable.
• Experience in collaborative research with academia and industry.

Responsabilités

• Design and develop theoretical cryptographic protocols for secure and verifiable LLMs.
• Collaborate with leading European universities and industrial partners.
• Contribute to project implementation and reporting activities.
• Supervise MSc and Bachelor students and assist in teaching activities.
• Engage in training and dissemination, including proposal writing and high-impact scientific publishing.

Connaissances

Theoretical ML

Applied cryptography

English communication

Collaborative research

Formation

MSc degree in Computer Science / Mathematics

Description du poste

Organisation/Company University of Turku Research Field Computer science » Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 16 Dec 2026 - 14:00 (UTC) Country Finland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The Department of Computing at the Faculty of Technology invites applications for a full-time Doctoral Researcher position. This role focuses on security enhancement and protection on LLM. The fixed-term position starts based on mutual agreement and ends on 30.9.2029.

This position is integrated into a high-impact Horizon Europe research project. As a doctoral researcher, you will conduct deep-dive theoretical research into the security and protection on LLM. 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:

• Theoretical limits of differential privacy and other privacy enhancement in LLMs
• Cryptographic protocols for secure and robust LLM
• Provable unlearning for LLM

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement state-of-the-art, theoretical cryptographic 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.
• Supervise MSc and Bachelor students, and assist 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

Requirements

• MSc degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related field.
• A solid foundation in theoretical machine learning or applied cryptography.
• 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).
• Experience in collaborative research with both academia and industry.

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 beProject Researcher,and theemployment contract will be made until 31.7.2027 at the latest. The candidate is expected to apply for the study right in the next available call to e.g. the Doctoral Programme in Technology.

In exceptional cases, we may also consider applicants who have completednearly allthe studiesrequiredfor a master's degree in a relevant field. Insuch cases, the job title at the start of the employment will beResearchAssistantand the starting salary(OV1)is on average 2400 euros/month, depending on competence and experience.

We value collegiality and promote equality, diversity, and inclusivity. We encourage all qualified applicants with different backgrounds to apply for our open positions.

We Offer:

• 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.

The European Commission has awarded the University of Turku the right to use the HR Excellence in Research quality label . The label is a token of the University's commitment to continuous development of the position and working conditions of researchers according to the guidelines set forth in the European Charter for Researchers.

The university offers good support and orientation for international hires. Please learn more about the Finnish culture and relocation to Finland:

The University of Turku is among the top of the world’s universities in most rankings and among the best universities in the world in certain fields. Our high-quality basic research, a multidisciplinary research profile and close cooperation in research infrastructures creates the basis for international top research. Read more about University of Turku in international university rankings.

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.

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.

Department of Computing

The Department of Computing educates professionals for the modern digitalised society. Central themes of teaching and research include Digitalisation, Machine Learning, Autonomous and Intelligent Systems, Cybersecurity and Health Technology.

The Faculty of Technology is the newest faculty of the University of Turku, it was established in the beginning of 2021. The Faculty consists of the Department of Computing, Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. We have more than 2,500 graduate and postgraduate students and circa 600 employees, of whom more than 50 are professors. Our faculty is an international, multicultural and diverse work community.

The University of Turku is an inspiring and international academic community of 25,000 students and staff in Southwest Finland. We build a sustainable future with multidisciplinary research, education, and collaboration. With us, your work will have a significant impact and relevance in the changing world.