"PhD Position: Digital Privacy and Security"

Are you a computer scientist eager to strengthen the privacy and security of billions of internet users? Do you want to conduct research with real societal impact while advancing open science? If so, come and join our collaborative research environment at the intersection of web security, privacy and open science.

The Digital Security group at Radboud University’s Institute for Computing Sciences is seeking a PhD candidate to work on the NWO Vidi-funded Web Security and Privacy Observatory (WeSPO) project under the supervision of Dr Gunes Acar, tackling critical threats in online privacy and security such as malicious advertising, digital skimming and stealthy online tracking. By leveraging recent advances in machine learning and browser automation, the project aims to provide tools, techniques and datasets to effectively address these threats.

As a PhD candidate, you will play a key role in the Observatory, actively contributing to pioneering research with high societal and scientific impact. You will also have the opportunity to collaborate with other researchers both within the group and internationally. Your teaching load may be up to 10% of your working time.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate.

Requirements

You hold or are nearing completion of an MSc degree in computer science or a related field. You possess solid knowledge of core web technologies. You have solid experience in Python and JavaScript programming languages. You preferably have experience with building and using machine learning models. You care deeply about privacy and are keen to create. You have a good command of spoken and written English. You are motivated to publish at top-tier academic venues.

Conditions of employment

We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract). You will receive a starting salary of €3,059 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,881 in the fourth year (salary scale P). You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus. We offer Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.

Additional employment conditions: Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

Employer

Radboud University, Faculty of Science: The Faculty of Science (FNWI), part of Radboud University, engages in groundbreaking research and excellent education. In doing so, we push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and pass that knowledge on to the next generation. We seek solutions to major societal challenges, such as cybercrime and climate change and work on major scientific challenges, such as those in the quantum world. At the same time, we prepare our students for careers both within and outside the scientific field. Currently, more than 1,300 colleagues contribute to research and education, some as researchers and lecturers, others as technical and administrative support officers. The faculty has a strong international character with staff from more than 70 countries. Together, we work in an informal, accessible and welcoming environment, with attention and space for personal and professional development for all.

Radboud University: At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. We advocate for an inclusive community and welcome employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Will you also contribute to making the world a little better? You have a part to play.

Department

You will be a member of the Digital Security group working with Dr Gunes Acar and fellow PhD candidates. Recent contributions of Dr Acar's group include the widely publicised 'localmess' disclosure that revealed a global covert tracking campaign: https://localmess.github.io. The Digital Security group is one of the largest security research groups in the Netherlands focusing on a range of topics in cryptography, privacy and cyber security. Tackling the societal challenges of security and privacy goes beyond just the technical field of computer science. Therefore, some of our group’s research is carried out as part of the Radboud iHub, our university’s interdisciplinary research hub on digitalisation and society.

Additional information

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Gunes Acar. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application. We look forward to receiving your application. The first interviews will take place on Thursday 27 November. You will preferably start your employment on 1 February 2026.