Department of Information Security and Communication Technology has a vacancy for a tenure-track position associate Professor in Post-quantum Cryptography as a part of the Onsager Fellowship Programme – Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway.

Qualification Details

You must have the qualifications required for the position of Associate Professor in the field of cryptology, as outlined in the regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts. Your PhD, or comparable academic work, must be within the field of post-quantum cryptography, and of particular interest are candidates with a documented academic track record within one or several of the following topics:

Post-quantum cryptography within secure network protocols (TLS, QUIC, IPsec, WireGuard, DNSSEC, MLS, SSH, ...)
Post-quantum secure cryptographic implementations: protocol layer and side-channel security (attacks and resistance)
Efficient implementations of post-quantum cryptography (hardware and software)
Post-quantum cryptography for embedded devices and IoT
Design and analysis of post-quantum cryptographic primitives
Design and analysis of post-quantum cryptographic protocols
Post-quantum cryptography and biometrics

Relevant academic fields include mathematics, computer science and communication technology. The PhD should have been awarded no more than 5 years to the application deadline, excluding law entitled leave. If you can document that you are in the final stages of your PhD studies, your application may also be considered. Good written and oral English language skills. You must document relevant basic competence in teaching and supervision at a university/higher education-level, as referenced in the Norwegian national Regulations. If this cannot be documented, you will be required to complete an approved course in university pedagogy within two years of commencement. NTNU offers qualifying courses. New employees who do not speak a Scandinavian language by appointment are required, within three years, to demonstrate skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language equivalent to level three of the course for Norwegian for speakers of other languages at the Department of Language and Literature at NTNU. Our knowledge production has civilian objectives. However, the position is likely to be involved with or generate dual use products, technology or services restricted by export licenses or ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations). Applicants that are citizens of Norway, Australia, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, EU or NATO countries are eligible. Other applicants are required to provide evidence of eligibility to use such equipment for their application to be considered. Furthermore, all international applicants will be subjects to induvial assessments according to the applicable guidelines for export control.

Preferred qualifications

Experience with leading research and supervising students at Bachelor, Master and PhD level
Experience with initiating and leading research projects and writing grant proposals
Experience with industrial/external/international collaboration
Experience in teaching

Personal qualities

Ability to anticipate problems and identify logical solutions
Adapts quickly and efficiently to achieve goals, overcome setbacks
Seeking new perspectives and ideas to improve performance and stimulate innovation
Sets challenging goals and works hard to reach these
Gives directions to projects and stimulates collaboration and interaction in a positive way
Consistently dedicates time and energy to achieve the desired results

In the qualification assessment we emphasize education, experience, personal suitability as well as your motivation for the position.

Responsibilities/Job Description

About the position

At the Department of Information Security and Communication Technology there is a vacant tenure-track position as associate professor in cryptology within our Cryptology Discipline. After six years of standardisation efforts to solicit, evaluate, and standardise one or more quantum-resistant public-key cryptographic algorithms, in the summer of 2022, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) from the USA has selected a portfolio of several algorithms. Those algorithms will be the new standards for Public-key Encryption and Key-establishment and for Digital Signatures. We are now entering a phase where those post-quantum cryptographic standards must be efficiently implemented and deployed. The deployment phase faces challenges such as high-performance implementations, protocol updates with the post-quantum primitives, and levels of robustness and trustworthiness. The workplace, depending on the interest of the applicant, can be either Gjøvik or Trondheim. You will report to the Head of Discipline.

Duties of the position

Teaching cryptology, information security and related subjects at undergraduate and graduate level
Developing and maintaining internationally recognized research activity within the area Deployment of Post-Quantum Cryptography
Take part in interdisciplinary research collaborations, both within NTNU and with other national and international partners
Securing research funding from national and international funding agencies
Contribute with developing an innovative course portfolio at the undergraduate and graduate level in cryptology
Educate and supervise students at BSc and MSc level, and supervising PhD and postdoctoral fellowships
Disseminate relevant research to a wider audience (public outreach)
Participate in the management of research, education and other relevant academic activities in agreement with the department

How to Apply?

Application Method: online_applicationRef. No. -

Application Procedure

Your application and supporting documentation must be in English. Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above. If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result. Your application must include:

CV, diplomas, and certificates
A teaching portfolio, in which your teaching competence is compiled and presented systematically, (See guidelines for applicants: Documentation of teaching qualifications in applications and appointments to academic positions at NTNU)
Academic works – published or unpublished – that you wish to be considered during assessment of your application (up to 10 items)
A description of the scientific/artistic works you consider most relevant, which you particularly wish to be factored into the assessment
A list of your previous works, with details on where they have been published
A research plan
Details of projects for which you have served as project manager, including information on financing, duration, and scope
Names and contact information for three relevant referees

Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project, you must include evidence of your contributions. In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. Our assessment of the pedagogical skills will be based on documented pedagogical material, forms of presentation in your academic works, teaching experience, PhD, and Masters supervision, and any other relevant pedagogical background. Both quality and scope will be taken into consideration. NTNU is obliged by the evaluation criteria for research quality in accordance with The San Fransisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA. This means that we will pay particular attention to the quality and academic range demonstrated by your scientific work to date. We will also pay attention to research leadership and participation in research projects. Your scientific work from the last five years will be given the most weight. Your application will be considered by an expert committee. Candidates of interest will be invited to an interview, and to deliver a trial teaching session. You can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

About the Department

Department of Information Security and Communication Technology, Research is vital to the security of our society. We teach and conduct research in cyber security, information security, communications networks and networked services. Our areas of expertise include biometrics, cyber defence, cryptography, digital forensics, security in e-health and welfare technology, intelligent transportation systems and malware. The Department of Information Security and Communication Technology is one of seven departments in the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering .

The Onsager Fellowship programme

The Onsager Fellowship programme at NTNU is designed to attract talented early-career scholars with a track-record of high quality published research, ready to work independently and with the potential to become a research leader. The tenure-track associate professor’s duties will primarily include research, but also include supervision, teaching, and other duties necessary to qualify for a permanent professor position within 6-7 years. In the NTNU tenure-track programme, associate professors are subject to two types of review during the tenure-track period:

a mid-career assessment after 3-4 years
a final tenure assessment at the end of the tenure track period.

If the ‘final tenure assessment” is positive, s/he will be employed as a full-time professor. The overall purpose of the review system is to ensure and maintain the high academic standards of the university’s senior faculty staff. To help meet these standards, the associate professor is offered an international mentor and favourable terms. NTNU is now announcing 16 tenure-track positions.

Other details

We offer

exciting and challenging tasks in a strong international academic environment
an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
employee benefits

Salary and conditions

As a Associate Professor (code 1011) you are normally paid from gross NOK 615 000 – NOK 775 000 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. As required by law, 2% of this salary will be deducted and paid into the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. 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. 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.

Contact Details

If you have any questions regarding the position, please contact discipline leader of Professor Danilo Gligoroski, tel. +47 73 59 46 16, e-mail danilo.gligoroski@ntnu.no. If you have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact Katrine Rennan, tel. +47 922 81 772, e-mail katrine.rennan@ntnu.no.