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PhD Position in Digital Investigation

Employer
NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - NTNU
Location
Gjøvik, Norway
Salary
2020/17759
Closing date
30 Sep 2020

About the position

The Department of Information Security and Communication Technology has a vacancy for a position as a PhD Candidate at the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (IE), in the cross-disciplinary field of cyber security. This is a researcher training position aimed at providing promising researcher recruits the opportunity of academic development in the form of a doctoral degree. The position is a part of a national effort to develop the Norwegian knowledge base in cyber security according to the directions given in the newly announced Norwegian strategy for digital security .

The positions working place is in on NTNUs campus in Gjøvik and reports to Head of Department

Duties of the position

The appointment is for 4 years including 25% duty work.

Performing digital investigations requires deeper and deeper technical knowledge. Systems and devices become more complex and harder to access, and wide spread use of encryption makes data storage and data collection increasingly more difficult. This is good for privacy, but when there is a security incident and/or a police investigation there will be a need for performing digital forensics and investigation on compromised or confiscated equipment. In addition more and more digital evidence today only exists online, and this is contributing to new and constantly evolving challenges for both data localization, collection and analysis. Machine learning and artificial intelligence is making a significant impact also in this area of research, therefore deep knowledge of the complex digital investigation area and machine learning techniques will be an advantage.

The position will be addressing research challenges inside the area of digital investigation, preferably with interest in anonymity forensics, computational forensics, machine learning, and/or network forensics.

Depending on the skills of the candidate, different aspects may be emphasized, for instance by focusing on:

  • Internet anonymity challenges
  • Dark net investigations
  • Censorship-resistant technologies

The research will be carried out as an integrated part of the NTNU Digital Investigation Group, and under guidance of Associate Professor Lasse Øverlier.

This PhD is expected to collaborate closely with the researchers in the NTNU Digital Investigation Group and the new NORCICS center, and will be an integral part of the relevant research groups.

While this position has a defined roadmap and duties, both the roadmap and duties can be subject to significant changes depending on background, expertise and interest of the candidates, on research outcomes both in our group and in the field, and on needs arising in the research group.

Required selection criteria

Qualification requirements

The PhD-position's main objective is to qualify for work in research positions. The qualification requirement is completion of a master’s degree or second degree (equivalent to 120 credits) with a strong academic background in one or more of:

  • Digital investigations
  • Internet anonymity and dark nets
  • Network security

or equivalent education with a grade of B or better in terms of NTNU’s grading scale. Applicants with no letter grades from previous studies must have an equally good academic foundation. Applicants who are unable to meet these criteria may be considered only if they can document that they are particularly suitable candidates for education leading to a PhD degree.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants and national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant. NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

Other qualifications

  • Publication activities in the aforementioned disciplines will be considered an advantage
  • High motivation for research work and ability to work independently
  • Good organization and communication skills with interest in wider context of own research and ability to engage in cross-disciplinary teams.
  • Eager to disseminate research results through publications and presentations at international conferences.
  • Good written and oral English and Norwegian language skills. Applicants who do not master a Scandinavian language must provide evidence of good English language skills, written and spoken. The following tests can be used as such documentation: TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE). Minimum scores are:
    • TOEFL: 600 (paper-based test), 92 (Internet-based test)
    • IELTS: 6.5, with no section lower than 5.5 (only Academic IELTS test accepted)
    • CAE/CPE: grade B or A.

Personal characteristics

We are searching applicants who are

  • highly motivated by fundamental scientific research of practical relevance
  • highly motivated by deep technical research
  • highly comfortable picking apart bits and bytes to extract knowledge about the data
  • able to work independently
  • well organized and have interests beyond their own research and ability
  • eager to disseminate research results through publications and presentations at international conferences

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal suitability, as well as motivation, in terms of the qualification requirements specified in the advertisement

We offer

Salary and conditions

PhD candidates are remunerated in code 1017, and salary is gross NOK 479 600 per year. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is for a term of 4 years including 25% duty work.

Appointment to a PhD position requires admission to NTNUs PhD programme in Information Security and Communication Technology.

As a PhD candidate, you undertake to participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period. A condition of appointment is that you are in fact qualified for admission to the PhD programme within three months.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.

Appointment takes place on the terms that apply to State employees at any time, and after the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application

Publications and other academic works that the applicant would like to be considered in the evaluation must accompany the application. Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify the individual applicant's contribution to joint works, the applicant must include a brief description of his or her contribution.

Please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates. Applicants invited for interview must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Include the following in the application:

  • A cover letter (1 page) explaining your motivation and how your skills and experience relate to the research associated with the position
  • A draft research proposal (1 page).
  • CV with list of publications and GRE scores or other supporting documents (as proof of the candidates’ study and language abilities)
  • Relevant transcript of grades, diplomas, and certificates. The documents have to be translated to English unless they are in Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German or English.
  • A copy of the master thesis (in PDF), or, for those who are near to completion of their MSc, an extended abstract combined with a statement of how and when the applicant plans to complete the thesis.
  • Names and contact information of at least two references, preferably from academic supervisor(s).
  • Applicants from universities outside Norway are kindly requested to send a diploma supplement (for European Master Diplomas outside Norway) or a similar document that describes in detail the study and grading system and the rights for further studies associated with the obtained degree.

General information

Working at NTNU

A good work environment is characterized by diversity. We encourage qualified candidates to apply, regardless of their gender, functional capacity or cultural background. Under the Freedom of Information Act (offentleglova), information about the applicant may be made public even if the applicant has requested not to have their name entered on the list of applicants.

The city of Gjøvik has a population of 30 000 and is a town known for its rich music and cultural life. The beautiful nature surrounding the city is ideal for an active outdoor life! The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world.

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.

Information Act (Offentleglova), your name, age, position and municipality may be made public even if you have requested not to have your name entered on the list of applicants.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Lasse Øverlier, email lasse.overlier@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Stine Terese Ruen Nymoen, e-mail: stine.t.r.nymoen@ntnu.no

Please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Diploma Supplement is required to attach for European Master Diplomas outside Norway. Chinese applicants are required to provide confirmation of Master Diploma from China Credentials Verification (CHSI).

If you are invited for interview you must include certified copies of transcripts and reference letters. Please refer to the application number 2020/17759 when applying.

Application deadline: 30.09.2020

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering

The Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering is Norway’s largest university environment in ICT, electrical engineering and mathematical sciences. Our aim is to contribute to a smart, secure and sustainable future. We emphasize high international quality in research, education, innovation, dissemination and outreach. The Faculty consists of seven departments and the Faculty Administration.

Deadline 30th September 2020
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Gjøvik
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service Campus Gjøvik

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