DistriNet is an international research group with extensive expertise in secure & distributed software. Embedded in the Department of Computer Science, Group Science, Engineering & Technology of KU Leuven, DistriNet brings together a substantial critical mass of over 100 researchers, including 15 full-time professors, 10 permanent research staff members, 15 postdoctoral researchers, and about 80 PhD researchers. The conducted research is systems-centric, always application-driven and often performed in close collaboration with industry. The know-how of DistriNet formed the basis of multiple spin-off companies (https://distrinet.cs.kuleuven.be/spinoffs/). The dominant expertise of DistriNet focuses on Secure Software and Systems, covering applications, services, middleware and systems, infrastructures, methods and tools.
Within DistriNet, a growing subgroup – task force – of researchers is focusing on rigorous cross-layer (or cross-stack) software security. They actively work on challenges related to software verification, secure compilation, ISA security primitives and the development of high assurance tools that come with rigorous end-to-end guarantees supported by formal proofs. Our research has led to novel program logics for high-level and low-level languages, the verified separation-logic-based verifier Katamaran, new secure compilation techniques and formal characterisations of ISA security properties, for example for RISC-V PMP.
Within DistriNet, a growing subgroup – task force – of researchers is focusing on rigorous cross-layer (or cross-stack) software security. They actively work on challenges related to software verification, secure compilation, ISA security primitives and the development of high assurance tools that come with rigorous end-to-end guarantees supported by formal proofs. Our research has led to novel program logics for high-level and low-level languages, the verified separation-logic-based verifier Katamaran, new secure compilation techniques and formal characterisations of ISA security properties, for example for RISC-V PMP.
Responsibilities
The research expert Verified Cross-layer Software Security will further extend DistriNet’s research at an international level.
This includes the following responsibilities:
- You initiate, attain and coordinate research project ideas. This includes knowledge acquisition of relevant national and international research programs, participation in project idea initiatives, negotiations with partners and defining project plans.
- By attending and organizing workshops and stakeholder meetings you expand DistriNet’s national and international network in research, industry and government.
- You follow and assess relevant internal and external developments within the research domain of programming language techniques and security; you cover a broad range of research topics directly coupled to verified cross-stack software security.
- You compare internal research results with those of other research centers.
- You stimulate and drive the creation and enhancement of security solutions through the use of advanced security analytics.
- You contribute to the development of the research strategy related to cybersecurity within the DistriNet research group.
Profile
- Ph.D. in Computer Science (Doctor in Engineering or in Sciences: Informatics, Computer Science), or equivalent based on experience.
- Knowledge and experience in one or more of the following research subdomains related to cross-stack software security:
Software Verification, Program Logics, Separation Logic
Compiler Techniques, Intermediate Representations, Control Flow Reconstruction
Proof Assistants, Dependent Type Systems, Proof Engineering, Extraction
ISA-level Security Primitives - Ability to define, manage and coordinate research projects.
- Affinity with the national and international research community.
- The ability to work independently as well as part of a research organization.
- The ability to coach junior researchers and to collaborate in a peer-to-peer fashion.
- Fluent in English, both written and oral.
Offer
We offer a permanent position as Research Expert at KU Leuven in a very dynamic and internationally oriented research group at one of the best universities in Europe.
Interested?
For more information please contact Prof. dr. Dominique Devriese, tel.: +32 16 32 04 38, mail: dominique.devriese@kuleuven.be or Prof. dr. ir. Wouter Joosen, tel.: +32 16 32 76 53, mail: wouter.joosen@kuleuven.be.
You can apply for this job no later than March 17, 2025 via the online application tool
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