Postdoc Position in Cybersecurity for Battery Management Systems (BMS) at the Centre for Industrial Software (CIS), Sønderborg

Center for Industrial Software, part of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark, invites applications for a 2-year Postdoc position in the field of cybersecurity with a strong interest in Battery Management Systems (BMS). The position is based at the Centre for Industrial Software (CIS) in Sønderborg, with a preferred start date of August 15, 2025.

The application deadline is 31 May 2025 at 11.59 PM / 23.59 (CET/CEST) 

 

The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute is internationally recognized in digital technologies. The institute is further growing its Center for Industrial Software research and education at its campus in Sønderborg, with a vision of creating world-class knowledge in valuable collaboration with industry, providing a unique opportunity to be part of the center. The center is collaborating closely with other centers on the campus, including the Centre for Industrial Electronics and the Centre for Industrial Mechanics, as well as with the industry, which counts world-leading companies in growing fields such as e-mobility, automation, climate solutions, and energy efficiency. Learn more about our institute at https://www.sdu.dk/en/mmmi and the center at https://www.sdu.dk/cis. The Centre is autonomous but will collaborate closely with the Institute's Software Engineering section.

In our work, we value teamwork, professional diligence, enthusiasm for technology, and the drive to adopt new skills and extended responsibilities. We offer an open, international team with flexible work organization and support for individual development. The Centre is involved in a variety of national and European projects and features a strong network of academic and industrial partners. We solve challenging research problems from real applications and implement novel software solutions together with end users such as Universal Robots, Terma, LEGO, Danfoss, and Novo Nordisk.

The Postdoc position aims to focus on securing automotive systems with a focus on battery management systems BMS architectures against cyber threats, ensuring system safety, reliability, and performance through advanced security techniques. You will work on a European-funded project.

Job description 

As a Postdoc, you will:

• Conducting research in cybersecurity for automotive control systems such as BMS (battery management systems), focusing on secure communication, access control, and anomaly detection.
• Developing and implementing security architectures for BMS based on industry standards, specifically ISO 21434 and/or UNECE WP.29 R155.
• Performing Threat Analysis and Risk Assessment (TARA), and vulnerability analysis to enhance automotive systems security and resilience.
• Perform/support penetration and fuzz testing activities and its vulnerability management.
• Collaborate with industrial partners and participate in funded research projects.
• Publish in high-impact scientific journals and conferences.
• Contribute to teaching activities within the section.
• Supervise PhD, Master, and Bachelor students in related research areas.

Profile and requirements

• You have a PhD degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
• You have experience in publishing research in high-impact conferences and journals related to cybersecurity, embedded systems, or similar areas.
• You are a team player with strong communication skills and a collaborative mindset.
• You are interested in a long-term commitment in a growing research group and are willing to work closely with industry partners.
• You are fluent in English, both spoken and written.
• Experience in national and/or European research projects is a plus.

You have experience in one or more of the following fields:

• Experience in cybersecurity for embedded systems, including secure communication protocols and knowledge of security industry standards (ISO 21434 and/or UNECE WP.29 R155)
• Automotive system security, particularly in battery management systems (BMS), security, including anomaly detection and firmware protection
• Programming for security applications (Python, C/C++, or related languages)

Further information about this position is available via email from Assistant Professor Mubashrah Saddiqa (msad@mmmi.sdu.dk