Postdoctoral Associate in Computer Science

Syracuse University

Posting Details

Job #: 078172

Job Title: Postdoctoral Researcher – Language-Based Security

Location: Syracuse, NY

Campus: Syracuse, NY

Job Type: Full-time

Rank: Post Doc

FLSA Status: Exempt

Unionized Position Code: UA

Pay Range: $60,450 – $65,000

Job Posting Date: December 12, 2024

Open Until Filled: Yes

Job Category: Faculty

Commitment to On-Campus Experience

Syracuse University is committed to delivering an exceptional student experience through vibrant, engaged campus communities.

This position is based at the above campus location and requires regular in-person presence to support our students, collaborate with colleagues, and contribute to our thriving academic environment.

Syracuse University values the collaboration, mentorship, and spontaneous connections that happen when our community works together on campus. Remote work arrangements are limited in accordance with University policy.

Pay Determination

Salary offers at Syracuse University will be based on education, experience, and relevant skills, as well as the academic or professional discipline of the position in the context of the home department, school, or college.

Salary offers may also be influenced by prior relevant work or industry experience, where applicable.

Faculty pay ranges are for 8.5 months’ salary unless otherwise specified.

Hours

As determined by principal investigator.

Job Description

Prof. Kristopher Micinski at Syracuse University (SU), in Syracuse, NY is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to work in the area of language-based security, utilizing a variety of approaches, including (but not limited to):

  • Security type systems.

  • Static analysis for security properties.

  • Dynamic analysis for security properties.

  • Information flow, especially its static and dynamic enforcement.

Prof. Micinski’s work is primarily focused on automated reasoning, with applications to static/dynamic analysis of security properties of programs.

The successful candidate will join Prof. Kristopher Micinski’s research group in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

This postdoctoral position is available in Fall 2025.

This position is part of a bargaining unit and is represented by the union SEIU, Local 200United.

Qualifications

  • Doctoral degree in Computer Science.

  • Exceptional candidates from other fields are also welcome to apply.

Job Specific Qualifications

  • Proven track record of publishing at competitive venues in programming languages, security, or a related field with applications to computer security.

  • Experience with the design of static / dynamic enforcement mechanisms for information flow (or similar security-relevant) and similar relational properties.

  • Experience with the usage of interactive proof assistants (such as Lean, Coq, or Agda) in formalizing metatheory for security-relevant properties of programming languages.

  • Highly motivated to work with an interdisciplinary team of students as well as internal (SU) and external academic and industry collaborators.

Responsibilities

The Postdoctoral Researcher will carry out basic and applied research to support sponsored projects and prepare research papers for publication.

In addition to the primary research duties, the Postdoctoral Researcher will also:

  1. Mentor graduate and undergraduate students working on different projects.

  2. Collaborate and participate in submitting research proposals to funding agencies.

  3. Work with researchers from multiple disciplines across campus as well as internal (SU) and external academic and industry collaborators.

The Postdoctoral Researcher will split their time half and half between two projects.

Project 1 – Assemblage

The first project is Assemblage (https://assemblage-dataset.net/), a project on large-scale binary analysis using a mix of reasoning techniques from programming languages (with collaborations in machine learning and symbolic AI) for security.

Project 2 – NSF PPoSS Large

The second project is an NSF PPoSS Large, which involves scaling automated reasoning and declarative languages on modern hardware, including:

  • GPUs.

  • Servers.

  • Supercomputing clusters.

The candidate is expected to dedicate roughly half their time collaborating directly with and mentoring Dr. Micinski’s PhD students on these projects.

The other half of the time will be spent collaborating on projects that fall within the scope of the mutual interests of the Postdoctoral Researcher, Dr. Micinski, and the two sponsored projects listed above.

Example projects include (but are not limited to):

  • Declarative (de)compilation.

  • Type systems.

  • Static analysis for relational properties.

  • Static analysis for security properties.

  • Semantic binary similarity matching.

Physical Requirements

Not specified.

Tools/Equipment

Not specified.

Application Instructions

In addition to completing an online application, please attach:

  • Curriculum Vitae (Resume/CV).

  • Cover Letter.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit.

Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience.

The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths:

  • A pioneering history dating back to 1870.

  • More than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges.

  • Nearly 15,000 undergraduate students.

  • Approximately 5,000 graduate students.

  • More than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries.

  • Students from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries.

About the Syracuse Area

Syracuse is a medium-sized city situated in the geographic center of New York State approximately 250 miles northwest of New York City.

The metro-area population totals approximately 500,000.

The area offers:

  • Low cost of living.

  • Parks.

  • Museums.

  • Festivals.

  • Professional regional theater.

  • Premier shopping venues.

Syracuse and Central New York also provide a wide range of seasonal recreation and attractions, including:

  • Water skiing.

  • Snow skiing.

  • Hiking in the Adirondacks.

  • Touring historic sites.

  • Visiting wineries along the Finger Lakes.

  • Biking along the Erie Canal.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Syracuse University is an equal-opportunity institution.

The University prohibits discrimination and harassment based on:

  • Race.

  • Color.

  • Creed.

  • Religion.

  • Sex.

  • Gender.

  • National origin.

  • Citizenship.

  • Ethnicity.

  • Marital status.

  • Age.

  • Disability.

  • Sexual orientation

 

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