OLD PhD studentship in Privacy and Machine Learning
Deadline: 30 September 2022 (or until position is filled)
One fully funded, full-time PhD position to work with Dr Marc Juarez Miro in the Security, Privacy and Trust group at the University of Edinburgh.
The PhD student will be conducting original research in the intersection between Security and Privacy, and Machine Learning (ML). More specifically, they will be working on one of these topics:
- ML-Based Traffic Analysis: the development and evaluation of traffic analysis defences from both a practical and theoretical point of view.
- Security and Privacy of ML: the design of methods to audit the privacy and security of ML models, and the development of privacy-aware ML techniques.
- Privacy and Fairness: the study of disparate privacy risks across demographic groups, and the privacy challenges that arise from identifying and mitigating algorithmic bias.
Candidate’s profile
- A good Bachelor's degree (2.1 or above or international equivalent) and/or Master's degree in a relevant subject (mathematics, engineering, computer science, or related subject).
- Proficiency in English (both oral and written)
- Applicants should have a solid mathematical background, some familiarity with the fields of Machine Learning and Privacy and, ideally, previous research experience.
- Programming skills are required. More specifically, expertise in Python is highly valued.
Studentship and eligibility
The studentship starting in the academic year 2022/23 covers:
- Full time PhD tuition fees for a student with a Home fee status (£4,596 per annum) and/or overseas fee status (£28,000 per annum).
- A tax-free stipend of GBP £16,062 per year for 3.5 years.
- Additional programme costs of £1,000 per year.
Application Information
Applicants should apply via the University’s admissions portal (EUCLID) and apply for the following programme: Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust with a start date of 01 January 2023 (home applicants) or 01 May 2023 (international/overseas applicants).
Applicants should state “Privacy and Machine Learning” and the research supervisor (Dr Marc Juarez Miro) in their application and Research Proposal document.
Complete applications submitted by 30 September 2022 will receive full consideration; after that date applications will be considered until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is 01 January 2023 but later start dates can be considered.
Applicants must submit:
- All degree transcripts and certificates (and certified translations if applicable)
- Evidence of English Language capability (where applicable).
- A short research proposal (max 2 pages)
- A full CV and cover letter describing your background, suitability for the PhD, and research interests (max 2 pages).
- Two references (note that it the applicant’s responsibility to ensure reference letters are received before the deadline).
Only complete applications (i.e., those that are not missing the above documentation) will progress forward to Academic Selectors for further consideration.
Environment
The Security, Privacy and Trust group, located at the School of Informatics of the University of Edinburgh, provides a vibrant research environment and hosts several research institutes that are relevant to the research that the PhD student will be conducting.
The School of Informatics is one of the largest in Europe and currently the top Informatics institute in the UK for research power, with 40% of its research outputs considered world-leading (top grade), and almost 50% considered top grade for societal impact. The University of Edinburgh is constantly ranked among the world’s top universities and is a highly international environment with several centres of excellence.