PhD Student Benchmark Security Monitoring (f/m/d)

Work environment

The digitalization of modern, highly connected vehicles requires protection against attacks on vehicle electronics through appropriate security measures. The Car Security department within Technical Development is responsible for cross-functional security engineering for the entire vehicle. This includes analyzing and assessing threats, design and integration of adequate cyber security measures, and testing the resilience of new vehicles against attacks. Participate in the development of new vehicles in the future-oriented field of Automotive Cybersecurity by researching evaluation methods for the effectiveness of security monitoring and detection technologies in the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV). This position is based at Volkswagen AG in Wolfsburg or Berlin.

Possible Tasks within this Role

• Developing methods for evaluating the effectiveness of various detection approaches in individual vehicles and vehicle fleets
• Evaluating existing security monitoring and detection approaches (e.g., host- and network-based sensors, IDS)
• Applying AI-powered tools to analyze large volumes of data
• Assessing detection effectiveness in the context of threats to software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and automated driving functions
• Further developing existing systems based on effectiveness evaluations

The final doctoral topic is defined together with the professor. The prerequisite for the cooperation is the confirmation of supervision as well as a confirmed delimitation of topics by the professor of a university or research institution entitled to confer a doctorate. Volkswagen’s existing partnerships with universities and research institutions can help facilitate supervision requests. 

Qualification requirements

• Good to very good university degree qualifying for doctoral studies in computer science, engineering, natural sciences, or a comparable field of study
• Passion for vehicle cybersecurity
• English language level B2

Keywords

Threat Detection, Data Analysis, AI-based Security Tools, Machine Learning, Vulnerability Assessment, Software Security, Embedded Security

What we offer

• Attractive salary & 30 vacation days (+ 24.12. and 31.12. off)
• 35-hour week, flexible working hours, remote work
• Special conditions for the purchase and leasing of vehicles
• Free seminars on scientific work and interdisciplinary qualifications
• Participation in the doctoral network for scientific exchange with science representatives and other doctoral candidates within the Volkswagen Group

Contact person for this posting: Fabian Wenzel