Doctoral Student in Software Supply Chain Security

Project description

The doctoral student will contribute to the project WASP NEST ShiftLeft, a framework project conducted jointly with Chalmers University of Technology, Lund University, and Umeå University to explore code-centric solutions to secure the software supply chain. NESTs are flagship projects of the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP).

ShiftLeft seeks to transform the security of software supply chain by introducing a declarative code-centric platform supporting continuous security analysis. It incorporates foundational frameworks, novel abstractions combining static and dynamic techniques, and human-in-the-loop feedback with AI-driven prioritization metrics. The doctoral student will conduct research in developing foundational models  and scalable code-centric analysis for a range of vulnerability classes, including code injection, sensitive information disclosure, insecure deserialization and more.  They will explore a range of technologies including taint analysis, code property graphs, program slicing, and runtime monitoring. The doctoral student will also have the opportunity to apply the research results by building demonstrators that showcase their potential in real-life contexts, in collaboration with  Cparta Cyber Defense, Debricked, Ericsson, Recorded Futures, and SEB.

Read more: Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP) and The graduate school within WASP

Third-cycle subject: Computer Science

Supervision: Associate Professor Musard Balliu
Read more: https://shiftleft.proj.kth.se/

What we offer

• The possibility to study in a dynamic and international research environment in collaboration with industries and prominent universities from all over the world.Read more
• A workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH’s Doctoral student salary agreement.
• A postgraduate education at an institution that is active and supportive in matters pertaining to working conditions, gender equality and diversity as well as study environment.
• Help to relocate and be settled in Sweden and at KTH.

Admission requirements

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a second cycle degree (for example a master's degree), or
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6, read more here

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• independently pursue his or her work
• collaborate with others,
• have a professional approach,
• analyse and work with complex issues and
• demonstrate very good knowledge in computer science and computer security.

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal competency. 

Target degree: Doctoral degree

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years ' time. An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. In the case of studies that are to be completed with a licentiate degree, the total period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for two years.

Union representatives

KTH's website.

Doctoral section (Students’ union on KTH Royal Institute of Technology)

section's website.

To apply for the position

Apply for the position and admission through KTH's recruitment system. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

Applications must include:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Application letter with a brief description of why you want to pursue research studies, about what your academic interests are and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. (Maximum 2 pages long)
• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages. Copies of originals must be certified.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

Other information

The position may include security-sensitive activities. To become authorized, you therefore need to pass a possible security check.

Striving towards gender equality, diversity and equal conditions is both a question of quality for KTH and a given part of our values.

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process please read here.

We firmly decline all contact with staffing, recruitment agencies and job ad salespersons.

Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.