The Information Security Research Group at University College London offers a full-time PhD position in applied cryptography under the supervision of Dr. Philipp Jovanovic. This 4-year position is fully funded and has a starting date of September/October 2023 or shortly thereafter.

Our offer

The position provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop cryptographic tools to improve the privacy, scalability, and security of next-generation decentralized systems. Candidates with research interests in one or more of the following areas are particularly encouraged to apply: blockchains and cryptocurrencies, threshold cryptography, multiparty computation, zero-knowledge proofs, consensus, distributed systems, cryptoeconomics. Successful applicants will work in an exciting international environment, conduct cutting-edge research in the above-mentioned fields, and publish and present their results at top venues for research in blockchains, cryptography, and IT security.

Your Profile

Applicants should have the following qualifications:

• MSc degree in computer science, applied mathematics, or a related field from a top university with excellent grades
• Strong analytical, technical, and problem-solving skills
• Background in applied cryptographic, information security, or distributed systems is a plus
• Good programming skills (e.g., Rust or Golang) are a plus
• Willingness to work in a highly international team and interact with researchers from different disciplines
• Fluent written and verbal communication skills in English

Your Application

Please submit your application through UCL’s CS PhD program portal. Make sure that your application includes the supervisor’s name (Dr. Philipp Jovanovic) and the scholarship’s title (The WebN Scholarship in Information Security). The application has to include at least the following documents:

• A cover letter describing the candidates motivation
• A research proposal
• Curriculum Vitae
• Transcripts of BSc and MSc grades