Location: Nijmegen, Netherlands
Application Deadline: 23 November 2025
Employment: Full-time (1.0 FTE)
Salary: €3,059 – €3,881 gross per month
Required Background: MSc in Computer Science or a related field
Start Date: 1 February 2026 (preferred)
Radboud University is inviting applications for a fully funded PhD position in Digital Privacy and Security within its Faculty of Science. The position is part of the Web Security and Privacy Observatory (WeSPO) project, funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO Vidi grant) and supervised by Dr Gunes Acar.
The successful candidate will contribute to pioneering research addressing key online security and privacy challenges, such as malicious advertising, digital skimming, and stealthy online tracking. Using developments in machine learning and browser automation, the project aims to build open-source tools, techniques, and datasets to strengthen the privacy and security of internet users worldwide.
Role and Research Environment
The PhD candidate will join the Digital Security group at Radboud University’s Institute for Computing Sciences, a leading research centre in cybersecurity, cryptography, and privacy. The group combines technical research with interdisciplinary collaboration through the Radboud iHub for Digitalisation and Society.
Dr Acar’s research group has produced significant contributions in web privacy, including the high-profile “LocalMess” study that exposed a large-scale covert tracking campaign. As a member of this team, the PhD candidate will engage in impactful, open-science research and collaborate with international experts. The position includes a small teaching component (up to 10% of total workload).
Candidate Profile
Applicants should hold or be nearing completion of an MSc degree in Computer Science or a related discipline. Strong programming skills in Python and JavaScript are required, as well as a solid understanding of web technologies. Experience with machine learning models is desirable.
The ideal candidate has:
- Strong motivation to conduct research with societal impact.
- A good command of written and spoken English.
- Interest in publishing at leading academic venues.
- A commitment to advancing privacy and transparency in the digital sphere.
Employment Conditions
- A temporary full-time contract (1.0 FTE) for 1.5 years, extendable by 2.5 years upon positive evaluation.
- Gross monthly salary starting at €3,059 in the first year and rising to €3,881 in the fourth year (scale P).
- An 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
- Generous annual leave options (30 to 41 days) and flexible working arrangements.
- Dual Career Coaching to support partners seeking employment in the Netherlands.
- Access to professional development programmes, training, and discounted sports and cultural activities.
Application Process
Applications must be submitted online via Radboud University’s recruitment portal by 23 November 2025.
For further details, please see the university’s website.
