International Association
for Cryptologic Research

Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) allow users to run their software in a secure enclave while assuring the integrity and confidentiality of data and applications. However, cloud computing these days relies heavily on peripherals such as GPUs, NICs, and FPGAs. Extending the security guarantees of CPU-based TEEs to such accelerators is currently not possible. New technologies are being proposed to address this, notably the PCIe Trusted Device Interface Security Protocol (TDISP). In this project, together with researchers at the University of Southampton, we will thoroughly evaluate the security guarantees of this new PCIe standard and its ability to provide trusted execution against strong adversaries.

Suitable candidates need a strong background in system-level programming (e.g. Rust, C, C++) and/or embedded systems/hardware security. We also expect a first-class UG or PG degree in a relevant subject (e.g. computer science or electrical engineering).

Funding: The studentship covers a stipend and tuition fees (we might be able to cover overseas student fees depending on the candidate and circumstances). The stipend provides an annual maintenance allowance of £18,622. The allowance is paid as a (usually) tax-free stipend and its rate is usually incremented on 1 October each following year. We provide personal laptops and travel funding to attend conferences (subject to prior approval) and one summer school (or equivalent). Students will also be given the chance to participate in teaching activities, including creating and grading exercises as well as conducting laboratory and tutorial sessions, which are compensated separately.

How to apply: Please first send your CV, a transcript with a list of courses and grades, and a description of your research interests to d.f.oswald (at) bham.ac.uk before 15 March 2024, with the title of the position ("PhD IOTEE: Securing and analysing trusted execution beyond the CPU") in the subject line. We will then contact you about potential next steps.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: For informal enquiries, contact David Oswald d.f.oswald@bham.ac.uk

More information: https://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~oswalddf/phd-projects.php

The College of Computing at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Benguerir, Morocco is currently looking for motivated and talented Postdoctoral researchers in the area Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity, and Quantum Cryptography. The successful candidates will primarily be working on the following topics (but not limited to):
• Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity
• Quantum Cryptography
• Quantum Blockchain

Key duties:
The Postdoctoral researcher will be expected to:
• Publish in high impact journals in the field.
• Participate to the supervision of PhD students and research internships.

Criteria of the candidate:
• PhD in the field of Cryptography, Computer security or any related field.
• Strong publication record in high impact conferences / journals.
• Very good programming skills (e.g., C, C++, Python), familiarity with Linux
• Proficiency in English and ability to work in a team
• Outstanding analytical and problem-solving skills

Employment terms:
The successful candidate will be employed by Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) based at Benguerir (50 km north of Marrakech), Morocco. The net salary per month is 2000 USD. The initial appointment as Postdoctoral researcher will be for one-year renewable depending on satisfactory performance.

Applications and selection procedure:
Applications must be sent using a single electronic zipped folder with the mention of the job title in the mail subject. The folder must contain:
• A 1-page cover letter with main research interests.
• A detailed CV.
• A 1-page brief research statement.
• Contact information of 2 references (Applicants are assumed to have obtained their references’ consent to be contacted for this matter).

Contact: Prof. Mustapha Hedabou (mustapha.hedabou@um6p.ma)

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Prof. Mustapha Hedabou

We are looking for a talented and motivated engineer who will contribute to building the cryptographic infrastructure of our Web 3.0-enabled blockchain ecosystem. You will be involved in the design and implementation of blockchain scaling solutions, primarily based on zero-knowledge cryptography, with the aim of dramatically reducing the costs that blockchain operators incur when deploying their products. Our international team works in a stimulating and innovative environment, where technical expertise and experience contribute to the development of cutting-edge blockchain technology. You will be joining a small, deeply driven team of highly technical minds in a culture of openness, pragmatism, and ownership of challenging problems that span software engineering, systems design, cryptography, and computing.

What You’ll Own

• Design and implementation of blockchain-based cryptographic solutions leveraging modern cryptography (ZK, MPC, FHE).
• Assume technical responsibility of novel systems while identifying areas for innovative research and development.
• Writing reusable, testable, and efficient code with a focus on best practices and security.
• Help shape the future of the company where you will be intimately involved in the strategic decision making process and immediately see the impact of your contributions.
• Attend conferences and find opportunities in the on-chain ecosystem.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: People & Talent Team - recruiting@horizenlabs.io

More information: https://boards.greenhouse.io/horizenlabs/jobs/5075393004

Your mission

Collaborating with two experienced teams in security, digital hardware and software, you will contribute to the development of an embedded anchor of trust for future generation of sustainable IoT devices, enabling features such as post quantum cryptography, threshold cryptography, distributed architectures, or reconfigurability over the air. You will be working closely with a diverse team of engineers and researchers, and you will take a leading role in transforming a vision into tangible IPs.

Your responsibilities

• Research in applied cryptography and implementations for embedded devices.
• Implement cryptography and security primitives for embedded devices; mainly HW/SW co-design.
• Develop Proof of concepts based on advanced cryptography topics.
• Harden security modules against side channel attacks, software attacks and other threats.
• Adopt a holistic approach to design and implement robust features yielding solid foundations for end-to-end security.
• Propose innovative security IPs, challenge them against state of the art and review them with peers.

Your profile
Know-how

• PhD graduate or an MSc graduate.
• Background in one or more of these fields: digital design, embedded software design and applied cryptography.
• A high motivation to progress and excel in the field of applied cryptography and embedded security.
• Experience in digital hardware or embedded software development.
• Programming skills in VHDL, C, Python (or equivalent).
• Fluent in English. French or German are an advantage.

Interpersonal skills

• Natural curiosity and ability to adapt to new situations.
• Autonomous and hands-on, motivated to take initiative in the development of innovative solutions.
• Open-minded attitude and well-developed team-spirit.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Damian Vizar

More information: https://www.csem.ch/en/jobs/151354/

The Digital Security Group at ICIS, Radboud University, is looking for a PhD candidate in post-quantum cryptography (PQC) as part of the NWO-funded PQstrong project. The goal of the project is to aid NISTs and other standardization efforts for PQ digital signatures by providing new cryptanalytic methods and techniques for scrutinizing the proposed designs and improving confidence in the security of the standards that come out at the end. The position is under the supervision of Simona Samardjiska. For more information see the post on the website of Radboud University where you can also apply using an online form.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Simona Samardjiska

More information: https://www.ru.nl/en/working-at/job-opportunities/phd-candidate-in-post-quantum-cryptography

Vac builds public good protocols for the decentralized web. We do applied research based on which we build protocols, libraries and publications.

This role is within the Vac Nescience unit, which develops Nescience A zkVM leveraging hiding properties.

The role

In this role, you will be responsible implementing and analysing components of zero knowledge argument systems and architectures for private computation. The ideal candidate should be well-versed in zero-knowledge circuits written in Rust, with the ability to adapt to evolving research needs.

Your responsibilities will include implementing zero-knowledge circuits and writing comprehensive specifications. Additionally, your role will involve measuring the performance of circuits, while also possessing the skills to debug and optimize as needed.

Join us in pushing the boundaries of private computation technology and contribute to groundbreaking advancements in the field of zkVMs.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Maya

More information: https://grnh.se/0ee4300f1us

We have postdoc and PhD residency positions available at SandboxAQ [1]. We seek people interested in doing research in the areas of post-quantum cryptography, privacy, and machine learning applied to cybersecurity. The positions are remote, but allow for travel to collaborate with team members. The postdoc residencies are initially for two years, but with the option to extend it to up to three years, on mutual agreement. PhD residencies are up to one year.

We are open to strong candidates that reinforce existing expertise of the team as well as candidates extending our expertise.

We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where we have zero tolerance for discrimination. We invest in our employees' personal and professional growth.

Learn more about what we’ve been doing so far by checking out our publications page [2] or the individual DBLP pages of our permanent researchers listed below for each of the teams associated with these residencies.

[1] www.sandboxaq.com [2] pub.sandboxaq.com

Rolling deadline. More information: https://www.sandboxaq.com/careers.

PQC members’ information:

• Carlos Aguilar Melchor: https://dblp.org/pid/71/4606.html
• Martin Albrecht: https://dblp.org/pid/92/7397.html
• Nina Bindel: https://dblp.org/pid/167/3021.html
• James Howe: https://dblp.org/pid/163/8680.html
• Andreas Hülsing: https://dblp.org/pid/27/1744.html

Privacy members’ information:

• Nicolas Gama: https://dblp.org/pid/49/4575.html
• Sandra Guasch Castelló: https://dblp.org/pid/86/8292.html

ML for Cybersecurity contacts:

• Raphael Labaca-Castro: raphael.labaca@sandboxaq.com
• Parth Mishra: parth.mishra@sandboxaq.com

Closing date for applications:

Contact:

• PQC: martin.albrecht@sandboxaq.com and james.howe@sandboxaq.com
• Privacy: nicolas.gama@sandboxaq.com and sandra.guasch@sandboxaq.com
• ML: raphael.labaca@sandboxaq.com and parth.mishra@sandboxaq.com

More information: https://www.sandboxaq.com/careers

We are looking for a self-motivated postdoc in key-evolving cryptography and blockchain supported under ARC Discovery project. The project is planned to start in July 2024 and for four years. The candidate is required to have a PhD qualification in relevant research fields in cryptography, cybersecurity, computer science or blockchain. Please send your CV and related documents to the contact below.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Dr Yannan Li (first_name@uow.edu.au)

We are looking for self-motivated students in blockchain, especially in blockchain regulation. The position is planned to start in July 2024 and for a 3-year term (can be extended). The student requires a background in computer science or cryptography and holds Master's degree in computer science or equivalent, excellent English, communication, and teamwork skills. Experience in research and knowledge of zero-knowledge proofs will be a big plus. If you are interested in this position, please don't hesitate to send your CV and transcript to the contact below.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Dr Yannan Li (first_name@uow.edu.au)

We are looking for a talented and motivated engineer who will contribute to building the cryptographic infrastructure of our Web 3.0-enabled blockchain ecosystem. You will be involved in the design and implementation of blockchain scaling solutions, primarily based on zero-knowledge cryptography, with the aim of dramatically reducing the costs that blockchain operators incur when deploying their products. Our international team works in a stimulating and innovative environment, where technical expertise and experience contribute to the development of cutting-edge blockchain technology. You will be joining a small, deeply driven team of highly technical minds in a culture of openness, pragmatism, and ownership of challenging problems that span software engineering, systems design, cryptography, and computing.

What You’ll Own

• Design and implementation of blockchain-based cryptographic solutions leveraging modern cryptography (ZK, MPC, FHE).
• Assume technical responsibility of novel systems while identifying areas for innovative research and development.
• Writing reusable, testable, and efficient code with a focus on best practices and security.
• Help shape the future of the company where you will be intimately involved in the strategic decision making process and immediately see the impact of your contributions.
• Attend conferences and find opportunities in the on-chain ecosystem.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: People & Talent Team - recruiting@horizenlabs.io

More information: https://boards.greenhouse.io/horizenlabs/jobs/5075393004

The team require specialized role to bring in-depth knowledge and experience with ZK proofs and related tools and frameworks. This expertise will facilitate expedited prototyping, research, design of the proving system, and help in developing ZK-friendly solutions for the requirements of multiple components of the Nomos blockchain. The constant flux of tasks, varying in size and scope, requires a team member who can seamlessly integrate into the team and contribute immediately.

Key Responsibilities

Develop an in-depth understanding of the multi-layered architecture of Nomos and how Zero Knowledge proofs can be effectively utilized at various stages. Collaborate with other researchers and developers to ensure that Nomos's systems and protocols are efficiently designed and implemented. Address and solve upgradeability concerns related to ZK schemes and ensure consensus proofs are ZK-friendly. Design and help implement privacy-centered protocols that require the use of ZK proofs. Evaluate and integrate ZK tools and frameworks to optimize the performance and efficiency of our systems. Stay abreast of the latest developments and trends in the field of Zero Knowledge proofs and blockchain technology. Provide support and guidance to the team on ZK proofs related issues.

You ideally will have

A strong technical background, preferably with a degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related field (PhD-level or equivalent in industry); relevant research experience.

Extensive knowledge and experience with Zero Knowledge proofs, cryptography, and blockchain technology.

Deep understanding of Zero-Knowledge proof systems (zk-SNARK, circom, Plonk/Halo2, zk-STARK), elliptic curve cryptography, and circuit design.

Previous experience in a similar role, where you successfully contributed to the development of complex systems using ZK proofs.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Angel

More information: https://grnh.se/60ae0cb71us

The SandboxAQ team is looking for a Research Scientist to help functionalize the next generation of cryptographic systems. A successful candidate will be comfortable with research in post-quantum cryptography. We are open to strong candidates that reinforce existing expertise of the team as well as candidates extending our expertise. They will be part of a team of diverse cryptographers and engineers, where they will play a key role in efficient and effective enablement of the technologies being developed. They can learn more about what we’ve been doing so far by checking out the publications of our permanent researchers: Carlos Aguilar Melchor, Martin Albrecht, Nina Bindel, James Howe, Andreas Hülsing, and Anand Kumar Narayanan

Core Responsibilities

• Research and design of new post-quantum cryptography primitives and protocols
• Engage in team collaborations to meet ambitious product and engineering goals
• Present research discoveries and developments including updates and results clearly and efficiently both internally and externally, verbally and in writing

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD in Mathematics or Computer Science or equivalent practical experience
• Strong background in post-quantum cryptography with a proven publication record at flagship conferences
• Deep understanding of cryptographic primitives and protocols
• Capacity to work both as an individual contributor and on collaborative projects with strong teamwork skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in C, C++, Rust or Go, or equivalent skills to implement and validate innovative cryptographic constructions and/or protocols
• Experience with the real-world aspects of cryptography
• Experience contributing to open source projects and standardization bodies
• Curiosity in a variety of domains of cryptography, security, privacy, or engineering

SandboxAQ is committed to equal employment opportunities and offers competitive compensation. For more details have a look at the official job offer https://www.sandboxaq.com/careers-list?gh_jid=5072034004

Closing date for applications:

Contact: carlos.aguilar@sandboxaq.com

More information: https://www.sandboxaq.com/careers-list?gh_jid=5072034004

The UCLouvain Crypto Group is opening two short-term positions (3 to 6 months) in the field of side-channel secure cryptographic implementation. This project consists in either developing a masked hardware implementation of the Ascon AEAD, or developing a software masking of Dilithium for micro-controllers (with possibly other countermeasures). The goal of the project is to research and develop high-quality and well-documented open-source implementations, along with preliminary side-channel security evaluations, as part of the SIMPLE-Crypto (https://simple-crypto.org) initiative. The work will take place in the dynamic research environment of the Crypto Group at UCLouvain (Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium) and the SIMPLE-Crypto team, in collaboration with other Ph.D. students, post-doctoral researchers and professors. The candidates should have experience in physical side-channel security and have strong implementation skills (hardware or micro-controller programming, depending on the chosen project). Remote work is possible. Applications will be examined continously.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Candidates are invited to send a resume and motivation letter to Dr. Gaetan Cassiers and Pr. Francois-Xavier Standaert (email: first name dot last name at uclouvain.be).

More information: https://simple-crypto.org

Our modern society relies upon numerous electronic devices that use encryption to communicate and operate securely. However, even strong cryptography can break when the device hardware is attacked. Thus, the University of Amsterdam is looking for a strong MSc graduate that is interested in Side-Channel Analysis, Hardware Security and Cryptographic Implementations.

What are you going to do?

Conduct high-quality research in the field of Side-Channel Analysis and Cryptographic Engineering, resulting in academic publications in peer-reviewed international conferences

Contribute to the open-source teaching material in our Bachelor and Master courses (in English)

Meet regularly with your academic supervisor and the international team to discuss and analyse the technical details of your ongoing research

Perform research-oriented internships in the industry

Your experience and profile:

Completed or soon-to-be-completed MSc in Computer Security, Computer Science, Mathematics, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering or related discipline

Strong interest in learning hardware security, applied cryptography and side-channel analysis, through regular tutoring by the academic supervisor

Background in Machine Learning, Signal Processing and/or background in Cryptography, Computer Security

Fluency in oral and written English, good presentation skills

Apply using the link:

https://vacatures.uva.nl/UvA/job/PhD-in-Side-Channel-Analysis/786914702/

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Kostas Papagiannopoulos, k.papagiannopoulos@uva.nl, kostaspap88@gmail.com

More information: https://vacatures.uva.nl/UvA/job/PhD-in-Side-Channel-Analysis/786914702/

The Young Investigator Group “COSYS - Control Systems and Cyber Security Lab” at the Chair of IT Security at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg has open PhD/Postdoc positions in the following areas:

• Privacy-enhancing technologies in cyber-physical systems.
• AI-based network attack detection and simulation
• AI-enabled penetration testing

The available positions are funded as 100% TV-L E13 tariff in Germany and limited until 31.07.2026, with possibility for extension. Candidates must hold a Master’s degree (PhD degree for Postdocs) or equivalent in Computer Science or related disciplines, or be close to completing it. If you are interested, please send your CV, transcript of records from your Master studies, and an electronic version of your Master's thesis (if possible), as a single pdf file. Applications will be reviewed until the positions are filled.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Ivan Pryvalov (ivan.pryvalov@b-tu.de)

We are looking for two motivated PhD students in the area of cryptography. The candidates will work at the Institute of Cybersecurity and Cryptology at the University of Wollongong. The research topic is public-key cryptography, especially about post-quantum cryptography and privacy-preserving cryptography. The positions are fully funded and will start at 1st July 2024 or thereafter. The period of the position is 3 years. The applicants should have a solid background in Computer Science or Mathematics (or relevant fields). Furthermore, it is preferable that the applicants have some research experience in the field of (public-key) cryptography. If interested, please send your CV, transcripts and a short paragraph about your research background and research interest to contact.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Dr. Zuoxia Yu (given name_first name at uow.edu.au)

The Security and Privacy Research Unit at TU Wien is offering a fully funded PhD position in Formal Methods for Security and Privacy under the supervision of Univ.-Prof. Dr. Matteo Maffei.
Your profile:

• Master degree in computer science or equivalent (degree completion by employment start)
• Excellent English, communication, and teamwork skills
• Background in formal methods (e.g., automated reasoning, type systems, or proof assistants) or cryptography
• Experience in research is a plus

We offer:

• A job in an internationally renowned group, which regularly publishes in top security venues, and consists of an international, diverse, and inclusive team with expertise in formal methods, cryptography, security, privacy, and blockchains
• Diverse research topics in formal methods for security and privacy, with a specific focus on cryptographic protocols and blockchains
• An international English-speaking environment (German not required)
• A competitive salary
• Flexible hours

Applications are to be performed online (https://tools.spycode.at/recruiting/call/5). The application material should include:

• Motivation letter
• Bachelor/Master’s transcripts
• Publication list (if available)
• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information for two referees

We strongly encourage applications from underrepresented groups. Applications are welcome until the position is filled. The applications will be evaluated in a bi-weekly fashion, and applicants will be contacted only in case they are selected for an interview.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Matteo Maffei

More information: https://tools.spycode.at/recruiting/call/5

We are looking for a junior professor (tenure track) in privacy technologies. More specifically this research will concentrate on privacy technologies with an integrated view on technical, legal and user aspects. The research program should address privacy enhancing technologies focusing on one or more of the following areas: computing on encrypted data (MPC, FHE, ..), zero-knowledge protocols, identity management, privacy-friendly authentication protocols, network level privacy, distributed ledgers, and context-based services. It is expected that the research touches a broad range of application areas. As a junior researcher you will be appointed as tenure track assistant professor (“tenure track docent”) for a period of 5 years, starting in 2024Q4. After this period and a positive evaluation, you obtain a tenured position as associate professor.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Bart.Preneel@kuleuven.be, Vincent.Rijmen@kuleuven.be

We are looking for a postdoc with expertise on electronic-voting or related topics. The successful post holder is expected to start 1 May 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter and will run until 31st October 2026. The position will be based in the Department of Computer Science and its highly regarded Surrey Centre for Cyber Security (SCCS), working with Dr. Cătălin Drăgan.

The Surrey Centre for Cyber Security (SCCS) is a widely recognized centre of excellence for cyber security research and teaching. There are approximately 17 permanent academic members and 15 non-academic researchers with expertise on voting, formal modelling and verification, applied cryptography, trust systems, social media, communication and networks, and blockchain and distributed ledger technologies over key sectors such as government, finance, communications, transport and cross-sector technologies.

Qualifications:

• We are looking for applicants that demonstrate strong research and analytical skills, have strong communication skills and enthusiasm for developing their own research ideas.
• Applicants should have expertise in one of the following areas: e-voting, or formal verification of cryptographic protocols, or provable security.
• A PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, or other closely related area (or be on course of getting one very soon at the time of application).

To apply use https://jobs.surrey.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=13834

For informal enquiries and further information please contact Dr. Cătălin Drăgan.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Dr. Cătălin Drăgan c.dragan@surrey.ac.uk

More information: https://jobs.surrey.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=13834

Description
As Cryptographic Engineering Lead you are responsible for defining the roadmap for cryptographic innovation consistent with the requirements of different projects that are developed in the company and delivering of the cryptographic primitives implementation.
Duties

Define a short, mid and long term roadmap for implementation of cryptographic primitives.

Synchronize with the Technical Manager, and CTO to validate the roadmap, requirements and strategy for the cryptographic engineering team.

Interact and coordinate with research, engineering and product management teams.

Define and structure the team that is required to satisfy this roadmap.

Manage a team of cryptographers, organize the development methodologies and enforce the best practices defined by the engineering division.

Provide secure implementations of the cryptographic primitives that are required by IO projects.

Read and review cryptographic research papers and contribute when possible to implement them as prototypes.

Design, specify, implement, improve cryptographic primitives in production-grade software.

Review, integrate, improve common cryptographic primitives, and translate them to other programming languages
Key Competencies

Senior expertise in developing cryptographic primitives in C/C++ and Rust

Senior expertise in standard cryptography domains Ability to learn new domains like zero knowledge proofs and MPC and project innovation roadmaps

Understanding and experience of implementing cryptographic primitives delivered by researchers

Experience with formal verification and security audits of cryptographic libraries

Expertise in security best practices

Experience with quick check or other property-based testing Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
Education / Experience

A Master or PhD degree such as computer science, software engineering, mathematics or a related technical discipline. A solid experience in managing small teams of cryptographic engineers.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: marios.nicolaides@iohk.io

More information: https://apply.workable.com/io-global/j/A7EE304D9F/