Assistant Professor Security, Cloud Computing and Big Data

Assistant Professor Security, Cloud Computing and Big Data. Do you want to contribute to foundational and experimental security with a focus on Cloud computing, the use of data analysis and AI techniques to quantify, evaluate, and understand security? The Foundational and Experimental Security Group works at the intersection between Security, Software Engineering, and Risk Analysis. We aim at the formalization and sound empirical evaluation of security methodologies and solutions from risk assessment and threat analysis to mining software vulnerabilities and analyzing Java and cloud microservices. We are particularly interested in how AI, Data Science, or Machine Learning techniques can be used to quantify and assess software and system security from open source software to cloud services. Understanding and quantifying large repositories of data is key to making security effective in practice, and expertise in this area is a prerequisite. Collaboration with industry is a plus.

We invite applications for this Assistant Professor (career track) position at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). The duties include research, education, and management (40%, 40%, 20%).

• Conducting research in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and data analytics, software engineering, and security
• Supervising PhD students
• Teaching in the Bachelor's and Master's programmes of the Department of Computer Science, either in computer science or artificial intelligence
• Supervising MSc/BSc student research projects in the Department
• Contributing to and writing research grant proposals
• Contributing to administrative tasks

• A PhD degree in a relevant field and possibly some years of scientific experience in post-doctoral research
• Expertise in the application of cloud services, large-scale data and repository collection, or human subject studies in the context of software and security
• Interdisciplinary mindset and a good team player; experience in collaboration across teams, e.g., in large collaborative projects is a plus
• Ideally, experience in teaching at the BSc or MSc level
• Ideally, some experience co-supervise students

• A challenging career track position in a socially engaged organisation from Assistant Professor 2 to Assistant Professor 1. The initial contract will have a duration of 18 months. After a successful evaluation in your 15th month, permanent employment will be granted.
• a salary of minimum € 4.728,00 (Scale 11) and maximum € 6.433,00 (Scale 11) gross per month, on a full-time basis. This is based on UFO profile Lecturer / Assistant Professor 2. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
• a position for at least 0.8 FTE.

We also offer attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• contribution to commuting expenses
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package

About the Computer Science Department The Department has approximately 180 staff members, including 90 PhD students. Currently, we offer programs in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Information Sciences (BSc and MSc), Bioinformatics and Systems Biology (MSc), with around 1000 new students each year. The department encourages inter- and cross-disciplinary research and expects the successful candidate to collaborate with colleagues in other fields of Computer Science and with colleagues from other institutes. The Network Institute of Vrije Universiteit and Amsterdam Data Science are among collaborations mentioned.

Faculty of Science Working at the Faculty of Science involves collaboration with students, lecturers and researchers. The faculty emphasizes an inclusive culture and interdisciplinary collaboration. The faculty has more than 8,000 students, 1,400 staff across 10 scientific departments.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Values-driven education and research with a focus on diversity, significance and humanity. We aim for a safe and respectful working and study climate.

Diversity We are committed to an inclusive community and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds.

Are you interested in this position and believe your experience will contribute to the university? Please submit your application by 31 March 2026.

Vacancy questions If you have questions, you may contact:

Name: Fabio Massacci
E-mail: f.massacci@vu.nl
Telephone: +31-20-5-98-60-98

Name: Mengyuan Zhang
E-mail: m.zhang@vu.nl

Relocation support: For moving to Amsterdam, contact:

Relocation Advisor
E-mail: relocations@vu.nl
Telephone: +31 (20) 59 86212

Applications received by e-mail will not be considered. Acquisition in response to this advertisement is not appreciated.