Postdoc in 'Cybersecurity' (m/f/x, 1.0 FTE)

Your position
The Postdoc position in Cybersecurity will be based in the Department of Intelligent Systems (DIS) at Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences (TSHD) and the Data Science Centre of Excellence of the Netherlands Defence Academy (Mindlabs, Tilburg). The Postdoc will contribute to the research project “NEPTARGOS: Nautical Empowerment for Proactive Threat Analysis and Resilience with Guardian Oversight Systems”. NEPTARGOS aims to enhance cyber risk management of the North Sea maritime infrastructure through AI-enabled, human-centred, and data-driven cyber-physical threat intelligence. Specifically, NEPTARGOS will employ an interdisciplinary approach, using insights from network science, game theory, law, data engineering, Artificial Intelligence (AI), governance, organization sciences and serious gaming to help Dutch governmental organizations, critical maritime infrastructure operators, and cyber-physical security professionals to design and implement effective defense and resilience models and measures for adversarial attacks. More information about the project can be found here and here.

The postdoc will play a key role in the research team. The key responsibilities include:

• Design and implementation of a Security and Vulnerability Assessment (SVA) module;
• Research and implement key components to simulate adversarial attacks against CPS with the help of AI-generated scenarios;
• Implementation of threat modeling techniques;
• Creation and documentation of a Vulnerability Assessment Toolkit (VAST) to guide recovery, recommend mitigation strategies, and ensure alignment with regulatory and industry standards.

Your profile
We are looking for a highly motivated candidate who meets the following criteria:

• Have a PhD. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, Mathematics, or a related discipline;
• Experience in cybersecurity, preferably with a focus on cyber-physical systems (CPS);
• Understanding of vulnerability assessment and penetration testing methodologies, including the design, deployment, and evaluation of automated vulnerability scanners;
• Advanced skills in adversarial attack analysis and mitigation, ideally involving AI-generated scenarios or machine learning-driven attack/defense strategies;
• Experience in developing comprehensive security assessments, producing technical reports, and contributing to toolkit documentation;
• Good scientific communication skills, both written and verbal, tailored for academic publications and technical documentation;
• Possess strong programming skills.

Our offer
Tilburg University offers excellent benefits in a pleasant working environment:

• Employment of 1,0 fte (40 hours per week).
• Salary between €3.546 and €5.538 gross per month for full-time employment (UFO-profile researcher 4, salary scale 10). Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system based on relevant work experience.
• This is a vacancy for a temporary position in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 5 CLA DU. You will be given a temporary contract for the duration of a maximum of 24 months.
• Vacation pay of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• Over 8 weeks of vacation leave.
• Hybrid working with home working allowance (€2 p/day) and internet allowance (€25 p/month).
• Reimbursement sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, and public transport.
• Options model for additional leave, pension, a bicycle or personal training.
• Moving allowance (subject to conditions).
• 30% rule for international employees (if applicable).
• Pension through ABP.
• Ample training offer: personal development, leadership, education, research or language courses.
• Inclusive work culture: everyone welcome, equal opportunities.
• A green, inviting campus that’s easily accessible by public transport.

For more information, please see our website and the CLA Dutch Universities.

Tilburg University is an academic, inclusive, and engaged community. Together with nearly 3,000 employees, we are committed to broad prosperity, sustainably, and inclusion. For current and future generations. We develop and share knowledge for the requirements of people and our society. This is how we contribute to solving complex social issues and help society move forward.

We educate our 19,500 students of 110 nationalities to become responsible leaders with knowledge, skills, and character. With our education and research for broad prosperity, we exceedingly focus on themes such as mental and preventive care, an inclusive labor market, the energy transition, and digitalization.

Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences

Research and education at the Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences (TSHD) has a unique focus on humans in the context of the globalizing digital society, on the development of artificial intelligence and interactive technologies, on their impact on communication, culture and society, and on moral and existential challenges that arise. The School of Humanities and Digital Sciences consists of four departments: Communication and Cognition, Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence, Culture Studies and Philosophy; several research institutes and a faculty office. Also the University College Tilburg is part of the School. Each year around 275 students commence a Bachelor or (Pre) Master Program. The School has approximately 2000 students and 250 employees.

Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences

Want to know more?

Would you like to know more before applying? Feel free to contact Prof. Dr. Ir. Roy Lindelauf (R.H.A.Lindelauf@tilburguniversity.edu) and/or Dr. Giusseppe Cascavilla (G.Cascavilla@tilburguniversity.edu).