TILT is looking for a PhD researcher in data protection and cybersecurity, within the Public-Private Partnership project INTERSECT (http://intersct.nl). 

The INTERSECT project maintains the need to re-think the current dominant ICT security paradigms by delegating (part of) the IoT stack’s security management to systems that can autonomously adapt to (and learn from) changes in their environment of reference, while remaining under human supervision and control. INTERSECT aims at developing novel and automated techniques to detect vulnerabilities in complex arrangements of cyber-physical systems and to address their exploitation. 

The goal of INTERSECT is to change IoT cybersecurity by adopting a completely new, foundational perspective in which security management is largely delegated to the system, which has to be autonomously adaptive, while remaining firmly under human supervision. 

The PhD candidate will be working on the Governance & Privacy perspective of the project, which inter alia aims at investigating good governance mechanisms to promote privacy and security in cyber-physical systems. Those good governance mechanisms include technical standards, codes of conduct, audit frameworks and certifications. Governance mechanisms in privacy and cybersecurity are entering the realm of EU data protection and cybersecurity law in current and upcoming horizontal and vertical legislation (GDPR, Cybersecurity Act, ePrivacy Proposal, AI Act Proposal). From a market perspective, there is a proliferation of such mechanisms, which has resulted in a complex landscape for privacy and security standards that apply to cyber-physical systems. However, there is much uncertainty on the actual added value of those governance mechanisms, their interrelationship, legal effects and effectiveness in different stakeholders and sectors. The PhD project will aim at addressing those questions with a view to contributing to the INTERSECT project objectives, by conducting doctrinal and empirical research, including in collaboration with project partners from the public and private sector.

Tilburg University believes that academic excellence is achieved through the combination of excellent research and education, whereby societal impact is achieved by means of sharing knowledge. In doing so, we recognize that excellence is achieved not only through individual performance, but primarily through team efforts where each team member acts as a leader connecting people. 

More specifically, we are looking for a candidate who has:  
Completed a Master in Law in the area of privacy, data protection, and/or cybersecurity;  
Post-graduate working experience in the area of privacy, data protection, and/or cybersecurity in the public or private sector, or research institute, would be an asset; 
Excellent research skills and experience and/or specific training on conducting (legal) empirical research; 
Project management and organisation skills; 
Demonstrable interdisciplinary mindset and team spirit; 
The ability to collaborate with non-academic partners, exchange ideas and communicate knowledge to non-expert audience;  
Excellent writing and communication skills in English. Knowledge of the Dutch language is an asset, but not required;  
The ability to supervise students in writing their Master thesis in Law & Technology and the ability to read and grade Master theses on a variety of topics; 
Awareness of ethical concerns and scientific integrity when conducting research;  
Ability to appreciate an open and diversified culture of excellence. 
Be present at Tilburg University at least 2 days a week in line with TILT's hybrid working policy office hours and commit to integrate in the environment provided by the department TILT and Tilburg Law School. 
The successful candidate is expected to manage the majority of the INTERSECT administrative tasks of TILT, join and present at project meetings, and may be asked to perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the PhD topic and position (e.g. assist with the organisation of the bi-annual TILTing conference).

The starting point is that all employees perform their work in the Netherlands. This means, among other things, that new employees are expected to move to the Netherlands before the start of their employment.
 

Tilburg University is among the top employers in the Netherlands and has excellent terms of employment.

This is a position for 0.8-1.0 FTE (32-40 hours per week) of full working time. 

The salary amounts to a minimum of €2.541 and a maximum of €3.247 gross per month for full-time employment, based on UFO profile PhD candidate and salary scale P of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system for salary scaling that is based on relevant education and work experience.

You will initially be appointed for a fixed period of 16 months with a statutory probationary period of two months. After 12 months, an evaluation will take place. If the performance evaluation is positive, your employment agreement will be extended for the remaining period of 32 months.

You are entitled to a vacation allowance of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3% of your gross annual income. If you work 40 hours per week, you will receive 41 paid days of leave per year.

Tilburg University offers excellent employment conditions with attention to flexibility and (personal) development and has excellent fringe benefits (one of the best non-profit employers in the Netherlands), such as an Options Model for employment conditions and an excellent reimbursement of moving expenses.

We make clear agreements on career paths and offer all kinds of facilities and arrangements to maintain an optimal balance between work and private life. You can also follow numerous training courses, for example, in the areas of leadership skills, personal effectiveness, and career development. 

All employees of the university are covered by the so-called General Pension Fund for Public Employers (Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP). Researchers from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a tax-free allowance of 30% of their taxable salary. The university applies for this allowance on their behalf. The university offers attractive fringe benefits (one of the best non-profit employers in the Netherlands),