PHD POSITION IN DIVERSITY FOR SECURITY THREAT AND RISK ANALYSIS

Threat and risk analysis are routinely performed in organizations by experts to identify and mitigate security risks early-on in the software development life-cycle. This includes a systematic account of possible security attacks, attacker motives, state of the art security controls, and company assets. Due to its manual execution, the quality of the analysis heavily depends on the human analyst. Yet, little is known about human factors (such as gender diversity) and their effects on threat and risk analysis. Do you want to join this group and advance the state of the art in this field? Then, the Foundational and Experimental Security group of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (https://www.cs.vu.nl/en/research/computer-systems/foundational-and-experimental-security/index.aspx) has a vacancy for a PhD project to empirically study the effect of gender diversity (and other diversity parameters) on the execution of popular techniques to analyze security threat and risks in IT systems.

AMSTERDAM

0,8 - 1

Threat and risk analysis methods require a good understanding of security risk on the design level (confidentiality breach in a data store), as well as code-level vulnerabilities and attacks (e.g., DDOS). This birds-eye perspective is invaluable to industry as well as academia. Therefore, the candidate will have the opportunity to engage with researchers in different disciplines and have an actual impact on the state of practice.

• The interesting aspect of this project is its interdisciplinary flavor. Diversity theory and team dynamics will be at the forefront of the candidates research.
• The project will require the candidate to conduct empirical research, such as literature survey, diversity training, and controlled experiments including human participants.
• Through scientific rigour and sound empirical evaluation, the candidate will contribute to top publication venues in the field.

• We are looking for PhD candidates who have an outstanding education that is roughly equivalent to a MSc in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or other related topics with a proven interest in any of the above areas.
• We accept applications from students who do not have yet completed their master thesis but plan to do so within a few months.

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts € 2.395  per month (phd. scale) during the first year and increases to € 3.061 per month (phd. scale) during the fourth year, based on a full-time employment. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 0.8 FTE.

The appointment will initially be for 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a total duration of 4 years.

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

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 26,000 students. We employ over 4,600 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 around 6,000 students.

Are you interested in this position? Please apply via the application button and upload your curriculum vitae and cover letter until

Applications received by e-mail will not be processed.

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

Name: dr. Katja Tuma
Position: Assistant Professor
E-mail: [email protected]

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