Academic jobs in Germany

The Faculty of Computer Science at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum invites applications for the position of a Professor (Open Rank: W3 or W2 Tenure Track to W3) (m/f/d) in Human-centered Security commencing as early as possible. The holder of the position will represent the subject of Human-centered Security in research and teaching.

The Ruhr area, one of Europe’s largest metropolitan regions, provides attractive career opportunities for outstanding scientists and scholars from around the world. In 2021, Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, and the University of Duisburg-Essen established the Research Alliance Ruhr to consolidate their pioneering international research on humanity's most pressing challenges. This alliance encompasses four research centers and a college, marking a new chapter in our enduring collaboration as the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr), a vibrant community of 14,000 researchers and 120,000 students located in the heart of Germany. Join us and contribute to cutting-edge research at RC Trust, where innovation meets real-world impact. RESEARCH ALLIANCE RUHR The Research Alliance Ruhr, a collaborative initiative by the three major universities in the Ruhr area, was established through the Ruhr Conference. It encompasses four research centers: “One Health Ruhr,” “Chemical Sciences and Sustainability,” “Trustworthy Data Science and Security,” and “Future Energy Materials and Systems.” Additionally, it includes a “College for Social Sciences and Humanities.” The Research Alliance Ruhr is appointing up to 50 research professors and offers numerous positions for research assistants. Join us in creating innovations for the future within Europe’s most densely populated yet greenest university landscape, where a diverse range of scientific and industrial partners are readily accessible.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate will conduct empirical research on IT Security from the perspective of psychology or related social sciences. Research should address the complex interaction of different kinds of human users and technical systems from a user-centric perspective. As the position is a research professorship, teaching load is reduced to four weekly hours per semester. The successful candidate is expected to contribute to English-taught courses either in RUB’s computer science or dedicated IT security study programs.

• The Center will enable research that connects computer science, security & privacy, and society in order to increase trust in the digital world. Thus, we particularly welcome applications with a strong interest in interdisciplinary research. An ideal candidate will have publications in both technical outlets but also in areas such as psychology, sociology, economics or other social sciences. Applicants should have an excellent track record in research in at least one of the following areas:
• Human-centered evaluation of S&P mechanisms (empirical evaluations using qualitative and/or quantitative methods)
• Human-centred approaches for designing S&P solutions (e.g., co-creation, participatory design)
• Human factors in the development ecosystem of S&P solutions (e.g., decision makers, developers, CISOs, etc.)
• Human-centered S&P in different kinds of intelligent systems and/or emerging technologies
• Participatory and collaborative approaches to designing S&P in emerging technologies
• Ethics in human-centric S&P, societal and social aspects
• Incentives and manipulations in the online world

Applicants should complement the research activities of the Faculty of Computer Science and be willing to contribute to interdisciplinary collaborative research projects and collaborations within and outside the RC Trust and the Universities of the Research Alliance Ruhr. Prerequisites for the position are excellent scientific qualifications, usually demonstrated by a doctorate of outstanding quality, positive evaluation as a junior professor, habilitation or equivalent academic achievement, top international publications, as well as proof of suitability for academic teaching. Strong social and leadership skills and willingness to participate in academic self-administration complete your profile. The candidate has to meet the appointment requirements according to section 36 ff. Hochschulgesetz NW.

In the case of the W2 professorship with W3 tenure track, the successful candidate will initially be appointed as a temporary civil servant for five years. At the end of this five-year period at the latest, the tenure track will lead to continued employment as a tenured W3 university professor, provided that the necessary aptitude, competence and academic performance have been demonstrated and that the legal requirements pertaining to Section 38 of the North Rhine-Westphalia Higher Education Act (HG NRW, Gesetz über die Hochschulen des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen) are met. In addition, the recruitment criteria of Sections 36 and 37 of the North Rhine-Westphalia Higher Education Act (Gesetz über die Hochschulen des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen, HG NRW) apply.

The professorship will be part of the recently established Research Center Trustworthy Data Science and Security. The Center will enable research that connects psychology, computer science, statistics, and cyber security in order to empower humans to understand, control and verify artificial intelligence technology as well as modern machine learning in (semi-) automated decision making.

The Research Center is linked to all three member universities of the University Alliance Ruhr. We offer you an excellent scientific environment and attractive opportunities for collaboration with renowned international, national, and regional partners. The professorship advertised here will be closely associated with the Faculty of Computer Science and the Horst Görtz Institute for IT Security (HGI). HGI is home to the Cluster of Excellence “CASA: Cyber Security in the Age of Large-Scale Adversaries“ funded with approximately 30 million euros by the DFG. In addition, a close collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy (MPI-SP) is possible. These outstanding research institutions position Bochum with its extremely vibrant digital ecosystem as one of the leading research locations for IT Security in Europe. There is also ample opportunity to interact with the well-developed start-up community in the area of security and computer science.

Start: as early as possible. Apply by: 2026-03-15.

Further information is available at: https://www.informatik.rub.de/en.

Bilal Zafar
Tel.: +49 234 32 17818.

We look forward to receiving your application via our online application portal. Please mention the reference number ANR5401.

The Ruhr-Universität Bochum is one of Germany’s leading research universities, addressing the whole range of academic disciplines. A highly dynamic setting enables researchers and students to work across the traditional boundaries of academic subjects and faculties. To create knowledge networks within and beyond the university is Ruhr-Universität Bochum’s declared aim.

The Ruhr-Universität Bochum stands for diversity and equal opportunities. For this reason, we favour a working environment composed of heterogeneous teams, and seek to promote the careers of individuals who are underrepresented in our respective professional areas. The Ruhr-Universität Bochum expressly requests job applications from women. In areas in which they are underrepresented they will be given preference in the case of equivalent qualifications with male candidates. Applications from individuals with disabilities are most welcome.

Online application