Are you a technical expert in Machine Learning technology and are you interested in improving the security of ML systems? Are you looking for a new job opportunity in this field? Would you like to develop innovative technology with superb colleagues who are top experts in cybersecurity and machine learning? Do you want to build an excellent science career and work at the interface of academy and industry? Are you enthusiastic about working with fascinating projects in state-of-the-art research facilities? VTT might be just the place for you.
VTT is one of the leading applied research organisations in Europe. What unites us are curiosity, a passion for learning, and a purpose: to solve the biggest challenges of our time and turn them into sustainable growth and well-being. Get to know us further by exploring VTT's tech & infra.
We are now looking for Research Scientist to join our Cybersecurity research team.
As a Research Scientist, you have a role in performing cutting edge research to improve the security and resilience of ML systems. This research covers both the exploration of attacks against ML system and the design of defenses to protect them. You will design, develop, study and test attacks against and defenses for ML systems. In this position, you will work under the guidance of experts in adversarial machine learning. You can also contribute to the definition of the long-term roadmap for ML & cybersecurity research and contribute to its execution. You will work in customer projects and collaborative research projects with industrial and academic partners. You will write and communicate about your research results through peer-reviewed publications, reports, patents and oral presentations.
Our team counts 15+ researchers working on applications of ML to solve cybersecurity problems, the security of ML systems, cybersecurity testing and the security of future networks (e.g., 6G). It is a main contributor to VTT’s mission for building digital trust in society.

As a Research Scientist, you will:

• Perform research on the security of ML systems aka. adversarial machine learning.
• Contribute to our strategy on ML & cybersecurity research.
• Participate in research projects, commercial and public, on both a national and international level.
• Communicate your research results through peer-reviewed papers, reports, patents and oral presentations.
• Support knowledge building for ML in the team.
• Continuously acquire knowledge and learn new skills.

Who we are looking for:

• You have an MSc or a Ph D degree in machine learning, cybersecurity, computer science, mathematics or another relevant field.
• You have theoretical knowledge of conventional supervised and unsupervised ML techniques such as SVM, Random Forest, Boosting methods, DNNs, DBScan, etc.
• You have hands-on experience with Python ML libraries such as Scikit Learn, Pytorch, Keras, Numpy, etc. and ML development platforms.
• You know or are keen to learn about adversarial machine learning.
• You have critical thinking and an adversarial thinking mindset.
• You have good problem-solving skills
• Optional: You have good scientific writing and presentation skills.
• Optional: You are knowledgeable and have practical experience with LLMs
• Optional: You have a track record of research publications in machine learning, cybersecurity, or other relevant publication venues.

As a person, we hope that you are:

• Visionary and motivated
• Committed and flexible
• A team player with good collaboration skills
• Project management skills and experience are considered as a plus.
• Experience with customer projects is considered as a plus.

With VTT, you’ll enjoy:

• Visionary work in technology. We offer positions at the cutting-edge of technology and engineering, from next-generation microelectronics and quantum technology to automation and robotics, energy systems, and more. Our research agenda is dedicated to creating sustainable growth by solving systemic and technological challenges, so your work will go towards creating a real, positive impact. Read more about our strategy – the path of exponential hope.
• Fascinating projects, excellent research environment. Our researchers get to work on a combination of cutting-edge academic research and applied customer projects locally and internationally. At VTT, you'll have state-of-the-art research facilities, such as Micronova, the Finnish research infrastructure for micro-, nano-, and quantum technologies.
• Great career opportunities, superb colleagues. At VTT, excellence in research is a strategic priority. We offer long-term positions and stable career paths in top-level research. People tend to stay with us for over ten years since there are always new roles and responsibilities to grow into. Collaborating in a cross-disciplinary community with superb colleagues is a source of learning, inspiration, and fun. Read more about our organisational culture as the builder of the world's most meaningful place to work.
• Support for your well-being. Our people are our main asset, so we take good care of them. We aim to nurture excellent team spirit and leadership and offer versatile well-being services to enable a good work-life balance. On top of 6 weeks of paid holidays annually (after one year of work), we offer exercise and culture benefits, hobby clubs, and voluntary well-being services such as meditation and cognitive ergonomics training.

Apply now and join our community of brilliant minds!
Please send your CV and application with your salary request via our recruitment system as soon as possible but at the latest by 15 September 2024. We will process applications as they come in and fill the position as soon as we find the right candidate. A security clearance procedure may be conducted during the recruitment process.
Interested and want to know more?
For further information, please contact Research Team Leader Samuel Marchal, samuel.marchal@vtt.fi, +358 50 433 4884.
We look forward to hearing from you!