Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science at University of Copenhagen is offering a PhD scholarship in Process-aware Distributed Ledger Technologies commencing 01.09.2020 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The deadline for applications is 1st of June 2020, 23:59 GMT +2.
Applications can be submitted and further information can be found at:
https://di.ku.dk/english/about/vacancies/phd-fellow-in-process-aware-distributed-ledger-technologies/

=== Description of the scientific environment === 

The PhD project will be hosted by the Software, Data, People & Society (SDPS) Section, which performs research in software, process, and data management systems. We focus in particular on methods for the development of software systems that closely match the needs of developers, users, and society. The research is often carried out in an interdisciplinary context and in collaboration with industry. In particular, the student will be a member of the Process Modelling and Intelligence (PMI) and Decentralized Systems (DS) research groups.

Research at the PMI group centers around the concept of processes in all their forms, including but not limited to, business, development, and physical processes. Notable contributions by members of the group include the Dynamic Condition Response (DCR) Graphs process notation, seminal work on declarative and hybrid process discovery, and research into the application of distributed ledger technologies to cross-organizational processes.

The focus of the DS group is research on algorithms and computational models for distributed systems with decentralized control and strong security guarantees, e.g., privacy preservation.

More information on the section and research groups can be found on their websites:

https://di.ku.dk/english/research/sdps/
https://di.ku.dk/english/research/sdps/research-groups/
https://di.ku.dk/english/research/groups/process-modelling-and-intelligence/

=== Project description === 

The PhD will be part of the PAPRiCaS project funded by Independent Research Fund Denmark (grant number: 9131-00077B), which investigates technologies and methods for ensuring accountability for security and privacy in evolvable context-aware systems.

Your PhD project will focus on researching technologies for the collaborative collection and verification of events and actions, in particular representing the use of sensitive personal data, in order to enable audits and forensics by regulators and other interested parties. In particular, you will develop a secure, tamper-proof and process/regulation-aware distributed ledger, based on successful previous work by the research group on the use of declarative process models for capturing regulations and law and the execution of such models on distributed platforms.

As a strong candidate, you should have extensive experience in either distributed ledger technologies, e.g. blockchain, or declarative process notations, e.g. DCR Graphs. During your PhD project, you are expected to both advance the foundations of these fields through basic research and to build actual systems based on novel ideas. The results of the PhD project are expected to be published in top venues in the relevant research fields.

Principal supervisor is Tenure-track Assistant Professor Tijs Slaats, Department of Computer Science, slaats@di.ku.dk Co-supervisor is Associate Professor Boris Düdder, Department of Computer Science.

===  Job description === 

The position is available for a 3-year period and your key tasks as a PhD student at SCIENCE are:

To manage and carry through your research project
Attend PhD courses
Write scientific articles and your PhD thesis
Teach and disseminate your research
To stay at an external research institution for a few months, preferably abroad
Work for the department
Formal requirements
Applicants should hold an MSc degree in Computer Science with good results and good English skills. However, for exceptionally strong candidates the position is also available as an integrated MSc and PhD, see below for details.

As criteria for the assessment of your qualifications, emphasis will be laid on previous publications (if any) and relevant work experience.

===  Terms of employment === 

The position is covered by the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State.

The starting salary is currently at a minimum DKK 325.625 (approx. €43,400) including annual supplement (+ pension up to DKK 44,980). Negotiation for salary supplement is possible.

===  Integrated MSc and PhD Scheme === 

The position is also available for candidates who are (or are eligible to be) enrolled at one of the faculty’s master programmes in Computer Science. The duration of the integrated programme depends on the amount of credits that you have passed on your MSc programme. For further information about the study programme please see: www.science.ku.dk/phd, “Study Structures”.