Full-Time, Fixed-Term (until June 2023)

The Information Security Group (ISG) at Royal Holloway, University of London, is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral research fellow for the EU Horizon2020-funded EXFILES project. The successful candidates will join the Smart Card and IoT Security Centre (SCC), of the ISG, supporting the SCC research activities related to mobile phone forensics.

EXFILES focusses on mobile forensics and specifically targets modern handheld communication devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers. The goal of the EXFILES project is to explore modern mobile devices used in organised crime. Existing side-channel-analysis (SCA) and reverse engineering (RE) techniques will be revisited and new ones will be explored. Lessons learned from recent advances in Common Criteria Security Evaluations, Trusted Execution Environments (TEE), Firmware and Systems-on-Chip (SoC) will also enable academic partners to enhance mobile forensics science. Equally important, the project will evaluate the ethical issue of how consumers’ rights to privacy should be weighed against the requirements of LEAs in mobile and digital forensics research. EXFILES brings together the unique expertise of the project participants and the core of the EU legal frameworks in order to fulfil the project’s goals and make Europe a safer place by protecting its citizens while also safeguarding their rights. Αnother unique dimension of EXFILES is the clear focus on the ethical and legal aspects of research and exploitation as well as dissemination and training activities for the next generation of forensic experts.

Applicants should possess (or close to obtaining) a PhD degree relevant to the project’s research areas (e.g., Information Security, Computer Science), and be fluent in English. The ideal candidate should have a strong research track record in an area relevant to Information security, Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) and software development skills (low level assembly language will be an asset), mobile device security and application development skills, a proven ability to find innovative solutions

This is a full-time post, available from 27th January 2023, for a fixed term period until the end of the project (end of June 2023). Royal Holloway, University of London is one of the fourteen Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the UK recognised by the UK National Security Centre (NCSC) as a Centre of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security Research, and only one of the two HEIs awarded with a Centre for Doctoral Training in Cyber Security.

The successful candidate will work under the direction of Prof. Konstantinos Markantonakis (PI) from the Smart card and IoT Security Centre and Dr Jonathan Seglow (CI) from the departments of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy. For an informal discussion about the post, please contact k.markantonakis@rhul.ac.uk.

Please quote the reference: 1222-556-R

Closing Date: 23:59, 30 January 2023

Interview Date: TBC

It will not be possible for the College to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for successful candidates as the pro-rata salary will not meet the minimum threshold set by UK Visas and Immigration. Successful candidates will therefore need to be eligible to work in the UK or have limited leave to remain in the UK and associated right to work for the duration of their employment with the College, in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.

Royal Holloway, University of London

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Post-Doctoral Research Fellow on Mobile Phone Forensics (EU Horizon 2020 Project EXFILES)