The world is changing at an ever-faster pace. At the Johannes Kepler University Linz, we work on technologies and the ideas of tomorrow on a daily basis. At the same time, we educate over 27,000 young people to meet the demands of today’s job market. In short, we are Upper Austria’s largest institution for education and research. Are you interested in being a part of shaping the future of Austria’s most attractive campus university? We currently have a job opening for a:

Graduate Project Assistant (must hold a Diploma/Master’s degree) in the new Christian Doppler Lab “3rd Party Security Risk Management in Critical Infrastructures” for a full-time, temporary position (can be extended)

Organizational unit::

LIT Secure and Correct Systems Lab

Entry date::

11/03/2026

Term from:

11/03/2026

Temporary employment to::

11/02/2028

Job Reference Number::

151050-2026-002051

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This project develops practical methods for quantified security by constructing attack graphs from knowledge already present in organizational risk management, closing the gap between security professionals and domain experts. It will research AI-supported modelling (e.g., LLMs) to propose new attack vectors and enable optimization-based mitigation strategies, producing explainable security scores with assurance. Research spans three levels: business processes, service provisioning, and software engineering, and feeds results back into risk estimation, evaluation, and treatment via simulation and game-theoretic optimization on attack graphs acting as digital twins. The goal is to produce explainable security scores and test their effectiveness in a real-world piloting environment to enhance daily security operations.
Initial appointment is a 2 year fixed term PhD contract, with the possibility of extension for an additional 3 years following a positive evaluation at year 2 and, subject to performance, project continuation, and funding availability, further renewal up to a maximum total duration of 7 years.

Job Duties::

Scientific work with the aim of writing a dissertation
Build on the project’s existing review to deepen and complete the evidence base (via systematic literature review, engagement with industry partners, and analysis of current tools and workflows) to inform the project’s research questions
Applying selected tools and methods in piloting environments to identify system components, dependencies, and assets, and verifying the results with human experts
Constructing and analysing attack graphs from dependency data, using and adapting algorithms to run simulations and optimizations
Integrating project results into partners' processes, identifying new research questions from practical feedback, and contributing to the scientific and commercial exploitation of the findings

Your Qualifications::

Expected Qualifications: A completed Master's degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Business Informatics, Mathematics or Electronics and Information Technologies with a specialization in software development
Expected Knowledge in one or more of the following: A strong background in cybersecurity, security risk management, formal methods/verification, game-theoretic security analysis, and artificial intelligence methods. Familiarity with standards like ISO31000 or MITRE ATT&CK is a plus
Programming Skills: Proficiency in programming is essential for software prototype development, graph analysis, and experimentation with virtualized setups. Preferred languages are strongly typed and memory safe, like Rust, C, or Java. Knowledge of Python is welcome, but not sufficient without skills in other languages. Ability to work with virtualized/experimental setups and collaborate via institutional GitLab for prototype work
Other Experience: You should possess strong analytical skills and the ability to conduct systematic research. The role involves close collaboration with academic and industrial partners, requiring good communication skills and a team-oriented mindset. You are expected to present findings at international conferences
Very good language skills in English (at least level C1); German language skills are a plus

What We Offer::

On the basis of full-time employment (40 hours/week) the minimum salary in accordance with the collective agreement is € 3,776.10 gross per month (14 x per year, CA Job Grade: B1)
Work within a consortium consisting of two universities (Johannes Kepler University Linz, Montanuniversität Leoben) and industry partners (Dynatrace, ASFiNAG, evon Automatisierung, Sparkasse Oberösterreich)
Stable employer
Attractive campus environment with good public transportation connections
Attractive continual educational opportunities
State-of-the-art research infrastructure
Dynamic research environment
Broad range of on-campus dining services/healthy meals (organic food at the cafeteria)
Exercise and sports classes (USI)
…and much more

Application due date::

08/31/2026

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The Johannes Kepler University wishes to increase the proportion of academic female faculty and, for this reason, especially welcomes applications by qualified women. If applicants are equally qualified, a woman will be given preference for this position. The university welcomes applications from qualified applicants with disabilities. These applications will be given special consideration.

Space for your future? We look forward to receiving your application via our job portal. For further information, please contact: Univ.Prof. Dr. Stefan Rass, E-mail: stefan.rass@jku.at or Univ.-Prof. Dr. Robert Galler, E-mail: robert.galler@unileoben.ac.at.

Location::

Altenberger Straße 69, 4040 Linz