Doctoral student in Computer Science with a focus on AI and cybersecurity Karlstad University in Sweden

Karlstad University invites applications for a doctoral studentship in Computer Science with a focus on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The position is part of the SPLAIM (Security and Privacy of Locally-Run AI Models) research project, funded by the Swedish Knowledge Foundation, and will be carried out within the Privacy and Security (PriSec) research group at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. The SPLAIM project investigates secure, private, and efficient deployment of local large language models (LLMs) in real-world organisational and business environments.

The doctoral research will focus on developing efficient, secure, and privacy-preserving local AI systems. This includes designing, implementing, and evaluating LLM-based solutions and their supporting infrastructure. Research questions will address security and privacy risks in locally deployed AI, privacy-preserving training and inference, and performance efficiency under resource constraints. The student will contribute to methods such as parameter efficient fine-tuning, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), hardware-aware optimization, and benchmarking of local AI models. The work is grounded in real-world use cases identified with industrial partners and will contribute to prototype development and evaluation in realistic settings.

The doctoral student will be involved in all stages of the research process, from requirement analysis and technical design to prototyping, experimentation, and evaluation. The position includes close collaboration with SPLAIM’s industrial partners and offers opportunities for interdisciplinary and collaborative research. The doctoral programme comprises 240 credits for a Degree of Doctor and 120 credits for a Degree of Licentiate. The appointment is a paid position, offering a combination of studies and work, and is a great opportunity for a potential career in academia. Teaching and administrative duties may be included upon agreement, but will not exceed 20% of full-time.

Entry requirements include a second-cycle qualification (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Computer Science or Computer Engineering, or substantially equivalent knowledge acquired in Sweden or abroad. Applicants must have at least 240 credits, with 60 credits at the second-cycle level. Special weight is given to research and development experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, large language models, or generative AI systems; experience with design, implementation, deployment, optimization, or evaluation of AI/ML systems; and knowledge of cybersecurity, privacy, or secure systems. Considerable weight is given to experience with requirement analysis, prototyping, user studies, or evaluation of digital or AI-based systems, interdisciplinary or collaborative research, and good communication skills in English. Knowledge of Swedish or willingness to learn is an advantage. Admission is based on individual assessment.

The position is fixed-term, initially for one year, with possible extensions up to a maximum of five years full-time. The salary corresponds to the standard level for doctoral students and progresses according to a local collective agreement. Karlstad University is committed to gender equality, diversity, and a democratic approach, and has received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research award for its stimulating work environment and good conditions for researchers.

Applications must be submitted via the university’s web-based recruitment tool, Varbi, by the deadline of 31 July 2026. Applicants should include a cover letter, CV, degree certificate and transcript, Master’s thesis or equivalent, relevant publications or certificates, letters of recommendation, and two references. All documents should be clearly named and uploaded electronically. If documents cannot be submitted electronically, they should be sent to the HR department address provided in the advertisement.

For further information, contact Stefan Alfredsson ([email protected]). Union representatives are also available for consultation. More information about working at Karlstad University can be found at kau.se/en/work-with-us.