[ecoop-info] PhD Position in Secure Programming Technology for JavaScript at the Software Languages Lab, VUB, Belgium

[Elisa Gonzalez Boix]

PhD Position in Secure Programming Technology for JavaScript

Software Languages Lab
http://soft.vub.ac.be/
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Brussels, Belgium

SeCLOUD project: http://www.securit-brussels.be/project/secloud/

The Software Languages Lab of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium has 1 open position for a PhD student to investigate dynamic analyses for securing JavaScript applications in the "SeCLOUD: Security-Driven Engineering of Cloud-based Applications" research project involving 11 multi-disciplinary partners. The appointment is for a term of up to 48 months, starting October 1, 2015.

Within SeCLOUD consortium, our overall objective is to design a reusable middleware/framework that enables developers to safeguard security concerns that are specific to their application, such as access control and its handling of tainted data. This technology will take the form of a program analysis that enforces security policies made explicit in an application through novel programming constructs. These constructs will enable expressing constraints on how and under what form data is allowed to flow between application tiers and cloud services. Reflection (e.g., through JavaScript proxies) will provide the foundation for checking the expressed security concerns at run-time. 

We seek a highly motivated individual which:

- holds a master's degree in Computer Science
- has excellent knowledge of English (written and spoken) 
- has strong programming skills and extensive experience with at least one higher-order programming language (e.g., Scheme, Clojure, ML, Haskell, JavaScript)
- is interested in programming languages, security, dynamic program analysis, meta-programming
- is able to work well in a team as well as independently and quickly acquire knowledge in new topics.

The Software Languages Lab employs 5 professors, 2 teaching assistants, 9 post-doctoral and 20 pre-doctoral researchers. Broadly speaking, the lab is active in the design, implementation and application of better languages to support the software engineering life cycle. This includes programming languages, formal languages, design languages, meta languages, modeling languages, domain specific languages, etc. 

We can offer:
- academic challenges in an international environment
- 4yr PhD scholarship which comprises a stipend that suffices to live very comfortably in Belgium
- an informal and friendly workplace

Applications need to be sent by e-mail to both Elisa Gonzalez Boix (egonzale AT vub.ac.be) and Coen De Roover (cderoove AT vub.ac.be) before September 1st, 2015.

The application should include the following documents (all in one combined PDF file):
- Detailed curriculum vitae (including a copy of diplomas and grade transcripts, and demonstrating your experience with higher-order programming).
- Copy of your Master's thesis in English or a 5-page summary in English. 
- A short letter on why you want to do a PhD and why you think the Software Languages Lab is a place you want to work at. Try to relate to the keywords mentioned in this call.  
- E-mail addresses of 2 academic referees that we can contact for a reference.

Candidates are kindly requested to be available during the week of 7 to 11 September 2015 for a (Skype) interview. 

For further information about the position, please contact Elisa Gonzalez Boix, egonzale AT vub.ac.be