IPN - Instituto Pedro Nunes - Job Opportunity: Senior Cybersecurity R&D Engineer

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Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) is looking for a Senior Cybersecurity R&D Engineer to join the team, focusing on the development of innovative solutions at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Information Security.

Operational functions:

• Develop and implement applied R&D initiatives combining Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning with Cybersecurity (e.g., adversarial ML, LLM guardrails, secure AI pipelines, or intelligent threat detection);
• Advance technological solutions across different Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), from proof-of-concept to validation in real-world or operational environments;
• Design deployment-oriented prototypes, considering performance, security, and usability requirements;
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including software engineers, data scientists, and infrastructure teams;
• Support technology validation activities and knowledge transfer to industry partners;
• Stay up to date with emerging trends and new threats in the fields of AI and Cybersecurity;
• Contribute to national and European R&D projects and funding proposals;
• Mentor junior researchers and foster a collaborative and innovative working environment.

Profile:

• Minimum Qualification: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Data Science, or a related field.
• Professional Experience: Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in academia or industry, with a proven track record in research and development activities.

Offer:

• Employment contract aligned with experience and career progression opportunities;
• Opportunity to work on innovative and impactful projects;
• Integration into highly qualified multidisciplinary teams;
• Access to continuous training and professional development opportunities;
• Hybrid working model.

Technical Competencies:

• Advanced programming skills in Python;
• Experience with Machine Learning and Deep Learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, or similar);
• Experience or strong interest in Cybersecurity and/or Artificial Intelligence;
• Familiarity with modern software development practices (e.g., version control, containerization, CI/CD);
• Solid knowledge of cybersecurity concepts (e.g., network security, cryptography, secure coding) or strong Machine Learning fundamentals;
• Knowledge of AI/ML security challenges (e.g., adversarial attacks, prompt injection, data leakage) will be considered an asset;
• Interest in applied research, experimentation, and technology validation in real-world environments.

Transversal competencies:

• Leadership skills and experience in managing complex and multidisciplinary projects;
• Critical thinking, innovation, and strong problem-solving abilities;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly convey technical concepts to non-specialist audiences;
• Fluency in English and Portuguese.

Applications until 31 May 2026, by sending your CV to recrutamento.lis@ipn.pt.

Instituto Pedro Nunes informs that the personal data provided by candidates within the scope of this recruitment procedure will be used exclusively for the assessment of applications. The data will be processed in accordance with our Data Protection and Privacy Policy. Instituto Pedro Nunes is responsible for the processing of personal data, namely that sent by candidates in the context of this recruitment procedure. The data of non-selected candidates will be deleted after the end of the process, unless they consent to retention for future opportunities or legal obligation. Candidates have the right to access, rectify, erase, limit, oppose the processing and request the portability of their data, and may exercise these rights via the following e-mail address: rgpd-ipn@ipn.pt. For more information, please consult our Data Protection and Privacy Policy.

IPN is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.