Machine Learning Security Research Fellow

Trail of Bits; United States; On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Fully company-paid insurance packages

401(k) plan with 5% match

20 days of paid vacation

4 months of parental leave

$10,000 relocation assistance to NYC

$1,000 working-from-home stipend

$750 annual learning & development stipend

Philanthropic contribution matching up to $2,000 annually

Job summary

A leading cybersecurity firm is seeking a Machine Learning Security Research Fellow to engage in groundbreaking AI/ML security research. This one-year fellowship offers a unique blend of academic rigor and real-world impact, targeting PhD candidates or recent graduates keen on industry research. Key responsibilities include conducting original research, evaluating cutting-edge AI systems, and contributing to meaningful security initiatives. The successful candidate should have a strong background in AI/ML, excellent programming skills, and the ability to work independently. Competitive salary and benefits package offered.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing or recently completed a PhD in relevant field.
• Track record of high-quality research through publications.
• Strong hands-on experience with modern AI/ML frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to think adversarially about systems.
• Proficient in Python and comfortable with systems programming.
• Self-directed researcher capable of defining research questions.
• Can explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Pursue independent AI/ML security research interests.
• Gain hands-on experience evaluating AI/ML systems.
• Design and implement new attack methodologies.
• Build and release AI/ML security tools.
• Produce publishable research and technical blog posts.

Skills

PhD-Level AI/ML Expertise

Research Excellence

AI/ML Systems Proficiency

Security Mindset

Strong Programming Skills

Intellectual Independence

Communication Ability

Education

PhD in machine learning, computer science, statistics, or related field

Tools

PyTorch

JAX

TensorFlow

Job description

Machine Learning Security Research Fellow

About Trail of Bits

Founded in 2012 by 3 expert hackers with no investment capital, Trail of Bits is the premier place for security experts to boldly advance security and address technology’s newest and most challenging risks. It has helped secure some of the world’s most targeted organizations and devices. Our combination of novel research with practical solutions reduces the security risks that our clients face from emerging technologies. Our work helps drive the security industry and the public understanding of the technology underlying our world.

Role

Trail of Bits is launching a Machine Learning Security Research Fellowship designed for researchers seeking high-impact industry experience. This one-year fellowship positions the researcher at the intersection of cutting‑edge AI/ML research and real‑world security, working with the world’s most advanced AI/ML systems deployed by leading AI organizations. The fellow will conduct original security research on frontier AI/ML systems while collaborating with our AI Assurance team on high‑stakes client engagements. This fellowship offers the intellectual rigor of academic research combined with direct impact on production AI/ML systems at scale, making it ideal for PhD candidates exploring alternatives to academic careers or recent graduates seeking industry research experience. No traditional security background required— we’re looking for exceptional AI/ML researchers who can think adversarially about complex systems.

What You’ll Achieve

• Independent Research Agenda: Pursue your own AI/ML security research interests with support from Trail of Bits’ research team, with opportunities to publish findings and present at leading conferences
• Frontier System Assessment: Gain hands‑on experience evaluating the security of state‑of‑the‑art AI/ML systems deployed by top AI organizations, working on problems that represent the cutting edge of AI/ML security
• Novel Attack & Defence Development: Design and implement new attack methodologies, defensive techniques, and evaluation frameworks for adversarial AI/ML scenarios including model poisoning, adversarial examples, jailbreaks, and data extraction
• Open‑Source Impact: Build and release AI/ML security tools and frameworks that benefit the broader research community, with support for open‑source contribution as a core fellowship objective
• Mentorship & Collaboration: Work alongside Trail of Bits’ security research team, gaining exposure to security engineering practices while maintaining focus on research excellence
• Research Output: Produce publishable research, technical blog posts, and open source tools that advance the state of AI/ML security understanding—with explicit support for academic publication

What You’ll Bring

• PhD‑Level AI/ML Expertise: Currently pursuing or recently completed (within 2 years) a PhD in machine learning, computer science, statistics, or related field, with strong research credentials
• Research Excellence: Track record of high‑quality research through publications, pre‑prints, workshop papers, or significant open‑source contributions that demonstrate deep AI/ML expertise
• AI/ML Systems Proficiency: Strong hands‑on experience with modern AI/ML frameworks (PyTorch, JAX, TensorFlow), foundation models, and the full AI/ML research workflow including experimentation, training, and evaluation
• Security Mindset: Demonstrated ability to think adversarially about systems, identify edge cases, or explore failure modes—even without formal security training. Interest in adversarial AI/ML, robustness, or AI safety highly valued
• Strong Programming Skills: Proficient in Python and comfortable with systems programming. Experience implementing research prototypes and experimental frameworks
• Intellectual Independence: Self‑directed researcher capable of defining research questions, designing experiments, and driving projects to completion with minimal supervision
• Communication Ability: Can explain complex technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences and synthesize research findings into actionable insights

Fellowship Structure

• Duration: One‑year commitment with potential pathway to full‑time position
• Research Time: Dedicated time allocated for independent research and publication
• Conference Support: Travel funding for conference presentations and research community engagement
• Mentorship: Regular collaboration with Trail of Bits researchers and exposure to client work
• Flexibility: Opportunity to shape the fellowship around your research interests within AI/ML security

Reporting Manager: Dan Guido, CEO

Salary & Benefits

Base salary range: $100,000 – $120,000 per year. Various factors influence our salary ranges, including specific role, level of seniority, geographic location, and the nature of the employment contract. Individual offer determined within this range. This range encompasses start salaries for all U.S. locations.

Benefits, Perks & Wellness

Empowered Living

• Competitive salary complemented by performance‑based bonuses
• Fully company‑paid insurance packages, including health, dental, vision, disability, and life
• A solid 401(k) plan with a 5% match of your base salary
• 20 days of paid vacation with flexibility for more, adhering to jurisdictional regulations

Nurturing New Beginnings

• 4 months of parental leave to cherish the arrival of new family members
• Team is global and remote‑first. If interested in moving to NYC, we offer $10,000 in relocation assistance

Work & Life Enrichment

• $1,000 working‑from‑home stipend to create a comfortable and productive home office
• Annual $750 learning & development stipend for continuous personal and professional growth
• Company‑sponsored all‑team celebrations, including travel and accommodation, to foster community and recognize achievements

Community Impact

• Philanthropic contribution matching up to $2,000 annually

Trail of Bits, Inc. participates in E‑Verify, the U.S. federal electronic employment eligibility verification program. Learn more.

Equal Employment Opportunity statement: Trail of Bits is a community of innovators, risk‑takers, and trailblazers who celebrate individual differences. We actively seek applicants who can bring a variety of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds to the team. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, genetic testing results, military status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Our team values diversity in experience and backgrounds and we do our best work when we create space for different voices and perspectives.