Barkhausen Institut gGmbH

The Barkhausen Institut performs research on the latest hardware, software and communication technologies and demonstrates their application in tomorrow's society. Our goal is to build a flexible and trustworthy IoT platform based on reliable electronics and secure communication methods.

The Trustworthy Data Processing group at the Barkhausen Institut is seeking a highly motivated candidate to pursue a PhD in secure and privacy-preserving machine learning and AI.

PhD Position in Secure and Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning / AI (m/f/d)

The position combines academic research with practical system development, including developing new methods, implementing prototypes, and evaluating their security, privacy, and efficiency. The position will initially be filled for a period of 2 years and will be remunerated in line with TV-L E-13. The position aims at supporting further academic qualification (e.g. PhD).

Your responsibilities will include

• Conduct research in secure and privacy-preserving machine learning and AI towards a PhD.
• Develop and evaluate methods and prototypes and publish research findings.
• Contribute to collaborative research projects, including preparing project deliverables and reports.
• Present research findings at conferences, workshops, and project meetings.

We expect the following

• Above-average university degree in the field of our research focus (cryptography, security, privacy)
• A strong academic background and relevant research experience;
• Programming experience and an interest in developing research prototypes;
• An interest in combining scientific research with practical system development.
• Very good written and spoken English skills

We especially welcome applicants with a background in both of the following areas:

• Privacy-enhancing technologies, such as homomorphic encryption, trusted execution environments, and secure computation;
• Machine learning and AI

What we provide

• An open and creative team
• Agile working hours and workflows
• Cross-disciplinary projects
• Work on future technologies
• Flat hierarchies for your ideas and flexible teams

Our remuneration is based on the collective agreement for the federal states. If you meet all the professional requirements ( diploma/master's degree ), this position is classified as TV-L E 13. Depending on your professional experience, the basic monthly salary ranges between €4,629 and €6,580. We will be happy to provide more details during the interview.

Life and science are compatible at our institute. We offer a range of recognised family-friendly measures, such as part-time work, mobile working and flexible working hours that take family needs into account. We also offer support for arriving in Dresden (all formalities, apartment etc.).

Barkhausen Institut strives for gender and diversity equality. We welcome applications from all backgrounds. Severely disabled persons are given preference in the event of equal suitability.

Please apply until October 31, 2026.

Kurzinfo zum Unternehmen

Das Barkhausen Institut ist ein international anerkanntes Forschungsinstitut, das die Brücke zwischen Grundlagenforschung und der praktischen Umsetzung der Vertrauenswürdigkeit vernetzter elektronischer Systeme schlägt.

Wir erforschen innovative Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien, um die Vertrauenswürdigkeit für eine vernetzte Welt zu ermöglichen. Unser Fokus liegt auf Eigenschaften wie Integrität, Zurechenbarkeit, Authentizität, Verfügbarkeit und Datenschutz.

Neben unserer anwendungsorientierten Grundlagenforschung engagieren wir uns als Kooperationspartner und als Meinungsführer im Diskurs zum Thema Vertrauenswürdigkeit. Wir legen besonderen Wert auf eine professionelle Wissenschaftskommunikation und suchen den Dialog mit der Öffentlichkeit.