Category Archives: Jobs

Research Assistants and Associates in OS, Compiler and CPU Security

Jobs, Open-source security, Operating systems, Processors

We are pleased to announce a job ad for two new research assistants or post-doctoral research associates working on our CTSRD Project, whose target research areas include OS, compiler, and CPU security. This is a joint project between the University of Cambridge’s Security, NetOS, and Computer Architecture research groups, as well as the Computer Science Laboratory at SRI International.

Research Assistants and Associates in OS, Compiler and CPU Security
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 18 months in the first instance.

We are seeking multiple Research Assistants and Post-Doctoral Research Associates to join the CTSRD Project, which is investigating fundamental improvements to CPU-architecture, operating-system (OS), program-analysis, and programming-language structure in support of computer security. The CTSRD Project is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and SRI International, and part of the DARPA CRASH research programme on clean-slate computer system design for security. More information may be found at:

This position will be an integral part of an international team of researchers spanning multiple institutions in academia and industry. Successful candidates will contribute to the larger research effort by performing system-software, compiler, and hardware implementation and experimentation, developing and evaluating novel hypotheses about refinements to the vertical hardware-software stack. Possible areas of responsibility include: modifying OS kernels (e.g., FreeBSD), adapting compiler suites (e.g., Clang/LLVM); extending an open-source Bluespec-based research-processor design (CHERI); supporting an early-adopter user community for open-source hardware and software; and improving the quality and performance of hardware-software prototypes. The successful candidate must be willing to travel in the UK and abroad engaging with downstream user communities.
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Job ad: pre- and post-doctoral posts in processor, operating system, and compiler security

Jobs, Operating systems, Processors, Programmable logic, Programming languages, Security engineering

The CTSRD Project is advertising two posts in processor, operating system, and compiler security. The first is a research assistant position, suitable for candidates who may not have a research background, and the second is a post-doctoral research associate position suitable for candidates who have completed (or will shortly complete) a PhD in computer science or a related field.

The CTSRD Project is investigating fundamental improvements to CPU architecture, operating system (OS) design, and programming language structure in support of computer security. The project is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and SRI International, and part of the DARPA CRASH research programme on clean-slate computer system design.

These positions will be integral parts of an international team of researchers spanning multiple institutions across academia and industry. Successful candidate will provide support for the larger research effort by contributing to low-level hardware and system-software implementation and experimentation. Responsibilities will include extending Bluespec-based CHERI processor designs, modifying operating system kernels and compiler suites, administering test and development systems, as well as performing performance measurements. The position will also support and engage with early adopter communities for our open-source research platform in the UK and abroad.

Candidates should have strong experience with at least one of Bluespec HDL, OS kernel development (FreeBSD preferred), or compiler internals (LLVM preferred); strong experience with the C programming language and use of revision control in large, collaborative projects is essential. Some experience with computer security and formal methods is also recommended.

Further details on the two posts may be found in job ads NR27772 and NR27782. E-mail queries may be sent directly to Dr Robert N. M. Watson.

Both posts are intended to start on 8 July 2013; applications must be received by 9 May 2013.

PhD Position on Privacy Enhancing Technologies and Anonymous Communications

Jobs, Meta, Privacy technology

Applications are invited for one PhD position in the Security Group at the Computer Laboratory to work with Dr Steven Murdoch. Funding for this position is provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in collaboration with the Royal Society.

The successful candidate will undertake research on methods to analyse the security of anonymous communication systems and privacy enhancing technologies. This broad research topic falls within an EPSRC priority area and provides considerable scope for the PhD candidate to find his or her own research direction.

Further details can be found in the advertisement (NR27372). The closing date for applications is 31 May 2013.

Job opening: post-doctoral researcher in usable security

Authentication, Jobs, Security psychology, Usability

(post UPDATED with new job opening)

I am delighted to announce a job opening in the Cambridge Security Group. Thanks to generous funding from the European Research Council I am in a position to recruit several post-doc research associates to work with me on the Pico project, whose ambitious aim is ultimately to liberate the world from the annoyance and insecurity of passwords, which everyone hates.

In previous posts I hinted at why it’s going to be quite difficult (Oakland paper) and what my vision for Pico is (SPW paper, USENIX invited talk). What I want to do, now that I have the investment to back my idea, is to assemble an interdisciplinary team of the best possible people, with backgrounds not just in security and software but crucially in psychology, interaction design and embedded hardware. We’ll design and build a prototype, build a batch of them and then have real people (not geeks) try them out and tell us why they’re all wrong. And then design and build a better one and try it out again. And iterate as necessary, always driven by what works for real humans, not technologists. I expect that the final Pico will be rather different, and a lot better, than the one I envisaged in 2011. Oh, and by the way, to encourage universal uptake, I already promised I won’t patent any of it.

As I wrote in the papers above, I don’t expect we’ll see the end of passwords anytime soon, nor that Pico will displace passwords as soon as it exists. But I do want to be ready with a fully worked out solution for when we finally collectively decide that we’ve had enough.

Imagine we could restart from zero and do things right. Have you got a relevant PhD or are about to get one? Are you keen to use it to change the world for the better? Are you best of the best, and have the track record to prove it? Are you willing to the first member of my brilliant interdisciplinary team? Are you ready for the intellectually challenging and stimulating environment of one of the top research universities in the world? Are you ready to be given your own real challenges and responsibilities, and the authority to be in charge of your work? Then great, I want to hear from you and here’s what you need to do to apply (post UPDATED with new opening).

(By the way: I’m off to Norway next week for passwords^12, a lively 3-day conference organized by Per Thorsheim and totally devoted to nothing else than passwords.)

Job ad: post-doctoral researcher in security, operating systems, computer architecture

Jobs, Operating systems, Processors, Programming languages

We are pleased to announce a job opening at the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory for a post-doctoral researcher working in the areas of security, operating systems, and computer architecture.

Research Associate in compiler-assisted instrumentation of operating system kernels
University of Cambridge – Faculty of Computer Science and Technology
Salary: £27,578-£35,938 pa

The funds for this post are available for up to two years:

We are seeking a Post-doctoral Research Associate to join the CTSRD and MRC2 projects, which are investigating fundamental revisions to CPU architecture, operating system (OS), programming language, and networking structures in support of computer security. The two projects are collaborations between the University of Cambridge and SRI International, and part of the DARPA CRASH and MRC research programmes on clean-slate computer system design.

This position will be an integral part of an international team of researchers spanning multiple institutions across academia and industry. The successful candidate will contribute to low-level aspects of system software: compilers, language run-times, and OS kernels. Responsibilities will include researching the application of novel dynamic instrumentation techniques to C-language operating systems and applications, including adaptation of the FreeBSD kernel and LLVM compiler suite, and evaluation of the resulting system.

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Job ad: post-doctoral researcher in security, operating systems, computer architecture

Hardware & signals, Jobs, Operating systems, Processors

We are pleased to announce a job opening at the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory for a post-doctoral researcher working in the areas of security, operating systems, and computer architecture.

Research Associate
University of Cambridge – Faculty of Computer Science & Technology

Salary: £27,428 – £35,788 pa
The funds for this post are available for one year:

We are seeking a Post-doctoral Research Associate to join the CTSRD Project, which is investigating fundamental improvements to CPU architecture, operating system (OS), and programming language structure in support of computer security. The CTSRD Project is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and SRI International, and part of the DARPA CRASH research programme on clean-slate computer system design.

This position will be an integral part of an international team of researchers spanning multiple institutions across academia and industry. The successful candidate will contribute to low-level aspects of system software: compilers, language run-times, and OS kernels. Responsibilities will include researching the application of novel dynamic techniques to C-language operating systems and applications, including adaptation of the FreeBSD kernel and LLVM compiler suite, and measurement of the resulting system.

An ideal candidate will hold (or be close to finishing) a PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, or similar with a strong background in low-level system software development, which should include at least of one of strong kernel development experience (FreeBSD preferred; Linux acceptable), or compiler internals experience (LLVM preferred; gcc acceptable). Strong experience with the C programming language is critical. Some background in computer security is also recommended.

Candidates must be able to provide evidence of relevant work demonstrated by a research publication track record or industrial experience. Good interpersonal and organisational skills and the ability to work in a team are also essential. This post is intended to be filled as soon as practically possible after the closing date.

Applications should include:

  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Brief statement of the particular contribution you would make to the project
  • A completed form CHRIS6

Completed applications should be sent by post to: Personnel-Admin,Computer Laboratory, William Gates Building, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0FD, or by email to: personnel-admin@cl.cam.ac.uk

Quote Reference: NR10692
Closing Date: 10 January 2012

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