Assistant Professor in Security and AI

Do you want to contribute to cybersecurity, with a focus on AI techniques: either for Security of AI or use of AI for Security? Do you want to work in close collaboration with our colleagues in system security, foundational security, software engineering and artificial intelligence? Then please apply for this Assistant Professor (tenure track) position at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU).

Location: AMSTERDAM
FTE: 0.8 - 1

Job description

We are interested in how AI, Data Science, or Machine Learning techniques can be used to quantify and assess software and system security from open source software to cloud services. We are also interested in researchers who work at making AI more secure and trustworthy. Understanding and quantifying large repositories of data and building artefacts is key to making security effective in practice and expertise in this area is an asset.

We consider collaboration with industry a plus as it is a great source of challenging problems to solve as well as data to analyze. 

Currently, the research in security at VU is mostly carried out by two research groups. The Foundational and Experimental Security Group is at the intersection between Security, Software Engineering, and Risk Analysis, while the VUSec System Security Research Group is at the intersection of computer systems, security, and formal verification.

We especially encourage women to apply. In the case of equal suitability of candidates, preference will be given to a female candidate.

Your duties

The tenure track/career track position includes research, education and management (40%, 40%, 20%) and contains among others the following responsibilities:

• performing research in AI and Security
• supervising PhD students
• teaching in the Bachelor and Master programmes of the Department of Computer Science and in particular support the growing number of students in the CS programs
• supervising MSc/BSc student research projects in the Department
• contributing to and write research grant proposals
• contributing to administrative tasks

Requirements

• a PhD degree in a relevant field and possibly some years of scientific experience in post-doctoral research
• expertise in the area of AI for security or Security for AI
• interdisciplinary mindset and a good team player; experience in collaboration across teams, e.g. in large collaborative projects is a plus
• ideally, experience in teaching at BSc or MSc level 
• ideally, some experience in PhD supervision

What are we offering?

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €3,974 (scale 11) and a maximum €5,439 (scale 11), depending on your education and experience. The job profile is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 0.8 FTE.

We offer a tenure track/career track position at the level of Assistant Professor. A career plan to grow from Assistant Professor lv. 2 (profile Universitair Docent 2, salary scale 11) to Assistant Professor lv. 1 (profile Universitair Docent 1, salary scale 12) will be made and formalized in a tailored tenure track/career track agreement. (with specific performance indicators).

The initial appointment will be for a period of 18 months including two months’ probation. 15 Months after the starting date, performance will be evaluated. After a successful evaluation permanent employment will be granted.

The starting package will include:

• One PhD student per new permanent staff member.

Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• contribution to commuting expenses
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package
• good paid parental leave arrangement
• the possibility to work partly from home (hybrid working)
• on campus child daycare, sport facilities, family support programs including: dual career workshops, Dutch language class, tax & insurance workshop (some might have additional costs)
• certain tax benefits (30% ruling) might apply to international candidates
• help and assistance with relocation (international candidates).

About Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 30,000 students. We employ over 5,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

The Faculty of Science
The Faculty of Science inspires researchers and students to find sustainable solutions for complex societal issues. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to medicines and from molecules to the moon: our teaching and research programmes cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. We share knowledge and experience with leading research institutes and industries, both here in the Netherlands and abroad.

Working at the Faculty of Science means working with students, PhD candidates and researchers, all with a clear focus on their field and a broad view of the world. We employ more than 1,250 staff members, and we are home to more than 11,000 students.

The VUA Department of Computer Science has approximately 170 members, including 35 tenured staff members and more than 90 PhD students. The tenured staff members form the essential basis for the functioning of the department. A tenured staff member is required to make significant contributions to the research and education programmes, and to spend effort on specific tasks at the department level. 

Application

Are you interested in this position? Please apply via the application button until 13/04/2023. Please include in your application a short motivation letter, your CV, a 1 page research statement and a 1 page teaching statement.

Applications received by e-mail will not be processed.

Vacancy questions
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy, you may contact:

Name: Fabio Massacci
Position: Chair of Foundational and Experimental Security
E-mail: f.massacci@vu.nl

No agencies

In your application, please refer to Polytechnicpositions.com