Research Assistant

Full Time: 35 hours per week

Fixed term: for 12 months with possibility of extension depending on performance and funding availability

Four positions available

The opportunity:

Push the boundaries of Agentic AI trustworthiness at the intersection of cryptography, privacy enhancing technologies (PETS), agentic systems, and automated verifiable design.

We are hiring four research assistants (pre-doc or equivalent) to join our teaming working building/implementing an agentic security stack that decomposes tasks by security/privacy risks/requirements and functionality boundaries, translates sub-task user requirements into formal specifications, selects or generates suitable cryptographic protocols (e.g. secure comms, MPC, ZK), and verifies their properties (with LEAN, Proverif, etc.). Its goal is an end-to-end workflow in which agents (from orchestrators to sub-agents) can negotiate security needs and connect verified protocol descriptions to executable multi-agent interactions.

The University of Edinburgh is a world-class organisation. We look for the best in the field across all disciplines and provide a working environment where academics can develop their careers and passion for their chosen subject area. We offer the full range of academic roles and have a genuine focus on our researchers’ performance and wellbeing.

As a research assistant, you will significantly contribute to the project deliverables for the work steams you will work within (Cryptography, Formal verification, Agentic systems, and/or Security/Privacy) as well as contribute to academic outputs such as research publications, datasets, and dissemination activities (e.g. presentations and posters). You will work closely with the Investigator team and senior researchers in the planning and execution of project artefacts and deliverables.

People have always been at the heart of our work. Our people are at the centre of the University community and everything we do. We value colleagues with drive, determination and a passion for what they do. We are a place where everyone is welcome and offer a range of policies and benefits designed to support you in building the right meaningful flexibility that works for you.

A career with us has a range of other benefits that can be tailored to your lifestyle:

• Professional development and subject matter expertise.
• Opportunities to develop new skills and broaden your experience.
• Leading-edge research.
• Opportunities for publication. 

This post is full-time (35 hours per week); however, we are open to considering part-time or flexible working patterns. We are also open to considering requests for hybrid working (on a non-contractual basis) that combines a mix of remote and regular on-campus working.

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