Computer Science

Location: Guildford
Salary: £32,344 to £42,149 per annum
Fixed Term
Post Type: Full Time
Closing Date: 23.59 hours BST on Sunday 03 July 2022
Reference: 009622-R

Applications are invited for a 3-year Research Fellow in adaptive online safety and privacy, to work full-time on an EPSRC-funded project “AP4L: Adaptive PETs to Protect & emPower People during Life Transitions”. The successful post holder is expected to start on 1st September 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter and will be based in the Department of Computer Science and its highly regarded Surrey Centre for Cyber Security (SCCS), reporting to the project PI (Prof. Sastry).

The aim of the project is to undertake research in online privacy & vulnerability challenges that people face when going through major life transitions such as relationship breakdowns; LBGT+ transitions or transitioning gender; entering/leaving employment in sensitive sectors such as the Armed Forces; and developing a serious illness or becoming terminally ill.

The post holder will be responsible for designing and developing privacy enhancing technologies and privacy sensitive machine learning techniques to adapt and meet the changing needs of citizens during significant life transitions. They will also work with psychology and human factors researchers to develop immersive simulation environments that explore and develop a new understanding of how online privacy and safety and can be compromised during life transitions.

The post holder will be part of a cohort of researchers working with the REPHRAIN National Research Centre on Privacy, Harm Reduction and Adversarial Influence Online. A key aspect of the project is working closely with 26 core partners spanning legal enforcement agencies (e.g., Surrey Police), tech companies (e.g., Facebook, IBM), support networks (e.g., LGBT Foundation, Revenge Porn Helpline, Macmillans Cancer Care), financial agencies (Mastercard, Lloyd’s) and regulators such as Ofcom. A six-part radio series has been commissioned by the BBC for disseminating the key project messages.

The successful applicant is expected to have a PhD (gained or near completion) or equivalent professional experience in computer science or a related subject, in topics relevant to online privacy and safety. Experience conducting empirical research, including software development, in one or more of the following areas is necessary: Online Harms, Privacy Enhancing Technologies, Usable Security and Privacy or Privacy Sensitive Machine learning. Interdisciplinary research experience, working with researchers from psychology and human factors, sociology or criminology will also be desirable.

For informal inquiries about the position, please contact Prof. Nishanth Sastry (n.sastry@surrey.ac.uk).

This role is a fixed term contract for up to 36 months.

Further details: Job Description

Please note, it is University Policy to offer a starting salary equivalent to Level 3.6 (£32,344) to successful applicants who have been awarded, but are yet to receive, their PhD certificate.  Once the original PhD certificate has been submitted to the local HR Department, the salary will be increased to Level 4.1 (£33,309).