POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER OF HARDWARE-EFFICIENT REALIZATION OF UA CRYPTOGRAPHIC STANDARDS

The Department of Computer Systems invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position on Hardware-Efficient Realization of UA Cryptographic Standards in frames of the IMPRESS-U project.

CONTEXT

Ukraine has its standardized cryptographic algorithms, namely Kalyna and Kupyna, which are significantly dissimilar to other standardized solutions adopted by NIST in the US. For several reasons, including performance and security, hardware implementations of cryptographic algorithms are sought. In this project, the partners based in US, Estonia, and Ukraine will jointly investigate how to implement these algorithms in an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) while disseminating knowledge in both directions.

The Estonian partner is responsible for accomplishing three main tasks: (i) security-aware design exploration of cryptographic primitives in Kalyna and Kupyna, such as substitution and linear transformation operations; (ii) realization of design architectures targeting high performance and low power dissipation; (iii) secure design of Kalyna and Kupyna against well-known attacks, such as side-channel analysis and fault injection.

The position will be located at the Department of Computer Systems at TalTech. We offer a very competitive post-doctoral researcher salary according to the cost of living in Tallinn. For further details and information, please contact Dr. Levent Aksoy levent.aksoy@taltech.ee.

PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Engineering

Essential Knowledge and Experience:

• Knowledge of block ciphers and hash functions.
• Knowledge of hardware description languages Verilog/VHDL.
• Knowledge of hardware design techniques targeting high performance and low power dissipation.
• Knowledge of hardware security including side-channel analysis and fault injection attacks.
• Experience in digital system design at RTL using Verilog/VHDL on FPGA/ASIC.
• Relevant publications on cryptography and/or hardware security.

Additional Knowledge and Experience:

• Experience in hardware design of symmetric key algorithms.
• Experience in lightweight and post-quantum cryptography.
• Experience in programming with C/C++.
• Experience in scripting languages, such as Perl, Tcl, and bash.

To apply for the job, please send the following documents in English by 17 May 2024 at the latest by clicking the application link "Apply Now":

• a motivation letter; 
• documents proving that the candidate holds the required academic degree for the position applied; 
• a CV, including a list of publications;
• an academic portfolio, including a motivated self-evaluation regarding compliance with the requirements for the researcher position set out in the Academic Career Management Regulation, Annex 3 “Academic Evaluation Matrix” (shall be submitted by a university staff member only) or a free format evaluation of the academic activity undertaken so far and the competencies required for work (shall be submitted by an external candidate only) detailing how the candidate meets the qualifications of the position; 
• other documents considered important by the candidate.

Regarding further information on the application documents and recruitment process please contact TalTech HR konkurss@taltech.ee.

Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) is the flagship in engineering and IT science and education in Estonia, providing higher education at all levels in engineering and technology, information technology, economics, science, and maritime. TalTech’s mission is to be a promoter of science, technology, and innovation and a leading provider of engineering and economic education in Estonia. The university has over 2000 employees and over 10 000 students, and approximately 70 000 alumni.

TalTech has a green and one of the most compact university campuses in Europe that includes the Tehnopol Tallinn Science Park. Low hierarchy, academic freedom and a balanced work and family life are valued at TalTech. The university provides individual development and training opportunities, material and non-material tokens of acknowledgement, sporting opportunities at TalTech Sports Club and all-staff activities.