PhD in Security enhancement and protection on LLM

University of Turku; Turku; On-site; EUR 28,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully funded position

Opportunities to publish in top-tier J

Training courses for researchers

Job summary

The Department of Computing at the Faculty of Technology invites applications for a full-time Doctoral Researcher position in Turku, Finland. This fixed-term role focuses on security enhancement and protection for large language models (LLMs) and is part of a Horizon Europe research project.

The position starts by mutual agreement and ends on 30 September 2029. You will conduct theoretical research, collaborate with European universities and industry security teams, supervise MSc and Bachelor

Qualifications

• MSc in Computer Science, Mathematics, or related field.
• Solid foundation in theoretical machine learning or applied cryptography.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Good communication in English (written and spoken).
• Programming skills in Python, C++, Rust; collaboration with academia and industry.

Responsibilities

• Conduct deep theoretical research on security and protection for LLMs.
• Collaborate with European universities and industrial security architects.
• Supervise MSc and Bachelor students and assist in teaching.
• Engage in proposal writing, high-impact publishing, and collaborative research.
• Participate in project implementation and reporting activities.

Skills

Analytical thinking

English proficiency

Team collaboration

Theoretical ML

Applied cryptography

Research experience

Education

MSc in Computer Science or Mathematics

Tools

Python

C++

Rust

Job 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.

Job description 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
• 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 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). Programming skills (e.g., Python, C++, Rust). Experience 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 31.7.2027 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. 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).

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.

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.

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 University of Turku has several high-quality research infrastructures required for cutting-edge research. Learn more about the roadmap of research infrastructures and how the research infrastructure and expert teams offer tailored solutions for businesses and organizations.

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.

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]. 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.