PhD Candidate (m/f/d) for Artificial Intelligence and Security for Industrial Control Systems (ABB/KIT)

At ABB, we are dedicated to addressing global challenges. Our core values: care, courage, curiosity, and collaboration - combined with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities - are key drivers in our aim to empower everyone to create sustainable solutions. That's our story. Make it your story.

This position reports to

R&D Team Lead

Your role and responsibilities

ABB is a global technology leader in digital transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive and sustainable future. At ABB Corporate Research we explore novel technologies and innovative methods to enhance the core business strengths of ABB. The "Secure Connected Systems" research group combines connectivity, cyber security, and interoperability to enable and innovate Industrial IoT systems, e.g., by transferring recent academic insights, technology developments, and creative ideas into designs and prototypes for future products and systems. KIT is one of eleven Universities of Excellence in Germany and excels in a broad range of disciplines, e.g., natural sciences, engineering, economics, and social sciences. The "Artificial Intelligence and Security" research group at KIT combines machine learning, or AI in the broader scope, and IT security. In particular, the group develops methods in system security and application security, for instance, approaches for attack detection or robustness of machine learning against attacks striving for "secure and explainable AI". Together, we seek an excellent doctoral researcher working on AI and Security of Industrial Control Systems (ICS) to conduct top-notch research. You will do research on AI powered attack detection and mitigation in distributed, heterogeneous industrial control systems (ICS) and envision the use of AI on all levels of the system, from the smallest devices up to the cloud. The research targets a fully automated orchestration of detection and mitigation. Decision making can thereby happen on different levels, e.g., on devices for fastest response and with peer-to-peer exchange, on edge computing systems managing several devices, or on cloud systems orchestrating models and detection strategies. Core technologies may include distributed learning for automatically evolving models and strategies, explainable AI to gain insights into the decision-making process and as interface to the operator, and adversarial machine learning to ensure secure operation. The position will be hosted 60% of the time at KIT (60% TV-L 13) and 40% of the time at ABB (40% EG11), with initial contract duration of 36 months. The work model for the role is: hybrid. #LI-Hybrid Your tasks include: • You conduct scientific research on artificial intelligence and security for real-world industrial systems • You work on the challenge of AI powered attack detection and mitigation, taking into consideration the availability of computational resources (device to cloud level) • You devise novel approaches for explainable AI that help human operators and increase trust in AI-based solutions • You participate in research projects at ABB Corporate Research, supported by ABB development units, e.g., to define requirements and design constraints • You design and develop prototypes to validate your ideas

Qualifications for the role

• For this role, you have an MSc. or equivalent degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field
• Demonstrated academic excellence and/or professional experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and security are a plus.
• You have hands-on experience in software design and development (e.g., C, C++, Java, Python) and knowledge of at least one machine learning framework (e.g., Scikit-learn, PyTorch).
• Familiarity with one or more of the following fields is a plus: AI-based Intrusion Detection, Adversarial Machine learning, Explainable AI, Reinforcement Learning.
• We value cross-cultural communication skills, creativity, initiative, enthusiasm, and result-orientation to bring your innovations towards new products and digital offerings.
• Proficient English skills are mandatory.

What's in it for you?

• Flexibility: we have hybrid work options, make the best out of them!
• Research is at the core of what we do. With your contribution you will make visible innovation happen.
• Benefit from an open and solution-oriented work culture

Benefits

• Retirement plan
• Canteen
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible work practices
• Paid Parental leave (gender neutral)

More about us

We value people from different backgrounds. Apply today for your next career step within ABB and visit www.abb.com to learn about the impact of our solutions across the globe. #MyABBStory ABB is able to offer you an interesting role within a highly motivated team, together with open communication structures. On the basis of a personal, practice-oriented induction programme, you will be given the opportunity to acquire the confidence needed to work independently and self-reliantly within your assigned area. Even after the joining phase, ABB offers a wide range of individual career development opportunities and supports you in realising your career goals with targeted training measures. At ABB you will find an attractive working environment in all phases of life - including mobility services such as bicycle leasing, policies for sabbaticals and home office, the ABB children's vacation camp and taking care of family members. Interested in joining our team? We are looking forward to receiving your complete application through our online tool. In the case of equal suitability, people with severe disabilities and their equals are given preference. ABB AG What we offer: • An excellent opportunity to pursue a PhD degree in industrial AI & Security • You will be embedded both in an ABB research team and a KIT research team. • You will benefit both from practical technology development expertise at ABB as well as academic excellence from KIT to contribute a novel and effective approach. For your application (including CV, cover letter, Bachelor's and Master' thesis, certificates/references, potentially papers), please also visit the announcement on the KIT web page. Please be aware that the selection process is handled together by KIT and ABB. Would you like to receive further information? Please contact us: (KIT Professor) TT.-Prof. Dr. Christian Wressnegger: c.wressnegger@kit.edu (ABB Team Manager) Dr.-Ing. Thomas Gamer: thomas.gamer@de.abb.com (ABB Principal Scientist) Dr.-Ing. Sören Finster: soeren.finster@de.abb.com ABB Data Privacy Statement: https://new.abb.com/privacy-notice/candidate