Associate Professor in Cyber Security

University of Waikato - School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences

Placed On: 1st April 2026
Closes: 13th May 2026
Job Ref: 1003234

• Continuing (permanent) position
• Join New Zealand's leading Cyber Security Research group
• Drive impactful research and contribute to the future of cyber security education in New Zealand.

About the role

Join a leading Cyber Security research group and help shape the future of digital resilience.

We are seeking a highly motivated and established academic to join our Cyber Security team as an Associate Professor. In this senior role, you will contribute to high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, supervise honours, Masters, and doctoral students, and play a key role in advancing our research profile.

You will provide academic leadership within the Cyber Security discipline, helping to shape its strategic direction, mentoring colleagues, and fostering a high-performing research culture. The role also involves building strong industry connections, establishing international collaborations, and contributing to outreach and engagement activities.

Salary will be in the range of $150,661 to $166,176 per year based on skills, knowledge and experience brought to the position. This is a full-time role (37.5 hours a week), based at our Hillcrest Campus.

For more information on the role please see the position description. For a confidential conversation about the role, please contact Professor Annika Hinze, Head of School, School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, annika.hinze@waikato.ac.nz

Who are you?

You are an experienced and forward-thinking senior academic with a strong track record in Cyber Security research and teaching. You bring a collaborative leadership style and a passion for developing the next generation of talent.

You will have:

• A relevant PhD and ideally at least 10 years' academic experience
• A strong research profile, including high-quality publications
• Proven success in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching
• Experience supervising Masters and doctoral students
• The ability to secure research funding and build collaborations
• Demonstrated academic leadership or readiness to step into a leadership role

Experience leading academic teams and a willingness to contribute across both our Hamilton and Tauranga programmes will be highly regarded.

Who are we?

Au Reikura - The School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Waikato comprises four discipline groups, with significant strength in Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence and Human-Centered Computing. The school has a well-established postgraduate programme in Cyber Security and will soon offer a major in Cyber Security at the undergraduate level. Our current research strengths are in Cyber Deception, DDoS mitigation, IIoT Security, Malware analysis, etc. More information about the group can be found here.

Why should you apply for this position?

We want you to be part of our success! Our University stands proudly on the world stage as a provider of future-focused, international education and an active player in global research. Our rankings reflect these strengths. Working with us means you'll enjoy a satisfying work environment with many benefits.

The University of Waikato is distinctive for the diversity of its staff and students and encourages applicants with the relevant capabilities from all backgrounds to apply.