University of Delaware

Post Doctoral Researcher – Trustworthy Computing Group

Context of the position

The Trustworthy Computing Group in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the University of Delaware (UD) invites applications for a post-doctoral researcher position. Led by Prof. Nektarios Tsoutsos, the Trustworthy Computing Group specializes in the broader areas of cybersecurity, applied cryptography, computer architecture, hardware security, and encrypted computation. The post-doctoral researcher will take the lead in research projects supported by the National Science Foundation to advance the performance and usability of modern cryptographic primitives (such as homomorphic encryption, zero-knowledge proofs, and multi-party computation), address challenges in hardware security, and develop novel solutions to advance the field of cybersecurity.

Major Responsibilities

• Conduct high-quality research on the broader areas of cybersecurity, hardware security, privacy-preserving machine learning, and applied cryptography.
• Investigate methodologies, protocols and architectures for private and trustworthy processing of sensitive information using modern cryptographic primitives (such as homomorphic encryption, zero-knowledge proofs, multiparty computation).
• Develop working prototypes of the proposed methodologies in software and perform research experiments in comparison to related works and the state of the art.
• Prepare scientific data for publication and prepare manuscripts for submission to conferences and journals.
• Attend national and/or international conferences to represent the lab and present results.
• Assist in the preparation of grant proposals to support the group’s research.
• Support the research activities of graduate and undergraduate students in the group.
• Assist the peer review of research manuscripts for conferences and journals.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field at the time of hire.
• Exceptional promise or proven record of cross-disciplinary research achievements in the broader areas of cybersecurity, applied cryptography, and/or hardware security.
• Experience with Linux and high-performance computing environments.
• Excellent programming skills in modern programming languages.
• Excellent written and oral English communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and contribute to a collaborative team environment.
• Willingness to train and mentor undergraduate and graduate students.
• Commitment to fostering a positive and supportive laboratory environment.

Application Materials

Applicants should submit the following materials in PDF format:

1. A cover letter mentioning the applicant’s primary research area, career goals and motivation for applying to this position at UD.
2. A complete CV including education, professional positions, scholarly works and publications, awards, professional service, and major projects.
3. Names of four references with contact information.
4. A statement of research vision and how it complements the group’s strengths.
5. Three sample publications.

Application Process

Questions may be addressed to Prof. Nektarios Tsoutsos, at tsoutsos@udel.edu. Review of applications will begin on January 15th, 2025 and will continue until the position is filled.

About the University of Delaware

The University of Delaware combines a rich historic legacy in science and engineering with a commitment to undergraduate education and scholarly excellence. A Carnegie R1 institution with external funding exceeding $200 million, the College of Engineering ranks among the top 40 nationally. The ECE Department has active undergraduate and graduate programs in electrical engineering, computer engineering and cybersecurity (including a BSc in Cybersecurity Engineering), and a diverse portfolio of research in the areas related to cybersecurity and computer engineering. In addition to state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities on Main Campus, faculty in ECE and the Department of Computer and Information Sciences share approximately 11,000 sqft at UD’s new FinTech Innovation Hub, bringing together research groups in areas of machine learning, AI, cybersecurity, and high-performance computing.

The University of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity Employer which encourages applications from Minority Group Members and Women.