SPINE Research Group

We are hiring for following projects

PhD and postdoctoral positions across ARC-funded security, privacy, AI, and quantum computing projects.

11

Open roles

Australian Research Council - LP250200550 Linkage Projects

Privacy Aware Secure Quantum Machine Learning Platform.

2026-TBC

This project aims to improve the security and privacy of quantum artificial intelligence systems by developing a safe and privacy-focused framework for quantum federated learning. It expects to create new knowledge by combining ideas from quantum computing and secure distributed learning. The expected outcomes include better models for quantum threats, new methods to protect private data, and systems that explain how quantum decisions are made. This work helps Australia safely use quantum technology in areas like health and finance, reduce energy use, and support growth in the emerging quantum security sector.

3

PhD positions

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Job description

The successful candidates will work on emerging research challenges in protecting private data, modelling quantum-enabled cyber threats, securing distributed quantum learning systems, and improving the explainability of quantum-enhanced AI decisions. The project has strong application potential in privacy-critical sectors such as healthcare, finance, public services, and critical infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

The PhD candidates will undertake research related to one or more of the following areas:

  • Quantum federated learning and secure distributed quantum machine learning
  • Privacy-preserving methods for quantum AI systems
  • Security and threat modelling for quantum-enhanced machine learning platforms
  • Techniques for protecting sensitive data in quantum and hybrid quantum-classical learning systems
  • Explainable quantum machine learning and trustworthy quantum AI decision-making
  • Efficient and sustainable quantum machine learning methods
  • Development of prototypes, algorithms, simulation environments, and open research tools
  • Preparation of high-quality research publications and project reports
  • Collaboration with academic researchers and industry partners

Selection Criteria

Applicants should have:

  • A strong academic background in computer science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, mathematics, data science, or a related field
  • Interest or experience in quantum computing, machine learning, privacy-preserving AI, federated learning, cybersecurity, or secure distributed systems
  • Strong programming skills, preferably in Python and relevant machine learning or quantum computing frameworks
  • Good analytical, communication, and academic writing skills
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a research team

Desirable Experience

Experience in any of the following areas will be highly regarded:

  • Quantum computing or quantum machine learning
  • Federated learning or distributed machine learning
  • Privacy-preserving machine learning, secure AI, or data protection
  • Cybersecurity, threat modelling, or adversarial machine learning
  • Explainable AI or trustworthy AI
  • Quantum software frameworks such as Qiskit, PennyLane, Cirq, PaddleQuantum, or similar
1

Postdoc position

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Job description

The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will play a leading role in developing novel methods for protecting private data, modelling quantum-enabled cyber threats, designing secure quantum learning systems, explaining quantum AI decisions, and translating research outcomes into practical tools with project partners.

Key Responsibilities

The successful applicant will be expected to:

  • Conduct high-quality research on secure and privacy-aware quantum machine learning
  • Develop quantum federated learning methods for distributed and sensitive data environments
  • Design security and privacy mechanisms for quantum and hybrid quantum-classical AI systems
  • Investigate threat models for quantum-enabled attacks and privacy risks
  • Develop explainability and trustworthiness methods for quantum AI decision-making
  • Build algorithms, prototypes, simulations, and open research tools
  • Publish research outcomes in leading conferences and journals
  • Contribute to project reporting, milestones, and stakeholder engagement
  • Support collaboration with industry partners and help translate research outcomes into real-world solutions
  • Mentor PhD students working on the project

Selection Criteria

Applicants should have:

  • A PhD in computer science, quantum computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, mathematics, data science, or a closely related discipline
  • Demonstrated research experience in one or more of the following areas: quantum computing, quantum machine learning, federated learning, privacy-preserving machine learning, cybersecurity, secure distributed systems, or trustworthy AI
  • Strong publication record appropriate to career stage
  • Strong programming, analytical, and experimental research skills
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Desirable Experience

The following experience will be highly regarded:

  • Quantum machine learning or quantum AI
  • Quantum software frameworks such as Qiskit, PennyLane, Cirq, TensorFlow Quantum, or similar
  • Federated learning, distributed learning, or secure collaborative AI
  • Differential privacy, cryptography, secure aggregation, or privacy-preserving AI
  • Cybersecurity threat modelling or adversarial machine learning
  • Explainable AI, trustworthy AI, or responsible AI
  • Experience working with industry partners or mentoring research students
View grant details ↗
Australian Research Council - DP250100582 Discovery Projects

Privacy-Aware Intelligent Digital Twin for Secure Critical Infrastructures.

2025-2028 Active

This project aims to address system privacy, trustworthiness, and efficient resource management within Digital Twins-based critical infrastructure. It expects to advance new knowledge in the area of intelligent systems and cybersecurity in the context of Digital Twins-based applications in smart critical infrastructures. Expected outcomes include an efficient, intelligent Digital Twin that provides data privacy and integrity by utilizing encryption techniques, machine learning techniques, and blockchain. It is expected that the outcomes of this project will benefit Australian Critical Infrastructures by providing the system with cost-efficiency and privacy, while increasing its trustworthiness and quality of services.

3

PhD positions

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Job description

The successful candidates will work on advanced research at the intersection of cybersecurity, privacy-preserving technologies, machine learning, blockchain, encryption techniques, intelligent systems, and Digital Twins. The project has strong application potential across essential sectors such as telecommunications, healthcare, government services, and AI-enabled critical infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

The PhD candidates will undertake research related to one or more of the following areas:

  • Privacy-aware Digital Twin architectures for smart critical infrastructure
  • Machine learning techniques for secure and intelligent infrastructure systems
  • Encryption-based methods for protecting data privacy and integrity
  • Blockchain-enabled trust, auditability, and data protection mechanisms
  • Secure data lifecycle management in Digital Twins-based systems
  • Resource-efficient and trustworthy intelligent system design
  • Evaluation of privacy, security, reliability, and quality of service in critical infrastructure environments
  • Development of prototypes, simulations, experimental platforms, and research publications

Selection Criteria

Applicants should have:

  • A strong academic background in computer science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, software engineering, or a related field
  • Interest or experience in Digital Twins, cybersecurity, privacy-preserving technologies, intelligent systems, or critical infrastructure security
  • Strong programming skills, preferably in Python and relevant machine learning or simulation frameworks
  • Good analytical, communication, and academic writing skills
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a research team

Desirable Experience

Experience in any of the following areas will be highly regarded:

  • Digital Twin systems or cyber-physical systems
  • Privacy-preserving machine learning or secure data analytics
  • Cryptography, encryption, or data integrity mechanisms
  • Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies
  • Critical infrastructure systems, smart grids, telecommunications, healthcare systems, or government digital services
  • Trustworthy AI, secure machine learning, or adversarial machine learning
1

Postdoc position

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Job description

The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will play a leading role in conducting high-quality research, designing privacy-preserving security mechanisms, developing intelligent Digital Twin prototypes, coordinating experiments, publishing research outcomes, and supporting collaboration across the project team.

Key Responsibilities

The successful applicant will be expected to:

  • Conduct research on privacy-aware and trustworthy Digital Twin systems
  • Develop security mechanisms for data privacy and integrity across the data lifecycle
  • Design and implement machine learning techniques for intelligent critical infrastructure systems
  • Investigate blockchain-based mechanisms for trust, data integrity, and auditability
  • Evaluate system privacy, security, resource efficiency, trustworthiness, and service quality
  • Build prototypes, simulations, and experimental platforms for Digital Twins-based critical infrastructure
  • Publish research outcomes in leading conferences and journals
  • Contribute to project reporting, milestones, and stakeholder engagement
  • Support and mentor PhD students working on the project

Selection Criteria

Applicants should have:

  • A PhD in computer science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, software engineering, data science, or a closely related discipline
  • Demonstrated research experience in one or more of the following areas: Digital Twins, cybersecurity, privacy-preserving technologies, machine learning, blockchain, cryptography, secure systems, or critical infrastructure security
  • Strong publication record appropriate to career stage
  • Strong programming, analytical, and experimental research skills
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Desirable Experience

The following experience will be highly regarded:

  • Digital Twin systems, cyber-physical systems, or smart critical infrastructure
  • Encryption, cryptography, blockchain, or distributed trust mechanisms
  • Privacy-preserving machine learning or secure AI
  • Critical infrastructure domains such as telecommunications, healthcare, smart infrastructure, or government digital services
  • Experience supervising or mentoring research students
View grant details ↗
Australian Research Council - LP240100417 Linkage Projects

Federated Fine-Tuning Framework for Secure and Collaborative GenAI Models.

2025-2028 Active

This project aims to develop a federated fine-tuning framework for Large Language Models (LLMs) and Multimodal Foundation Models (MFMs), utilizing distributed and private data. By incorporating a strong focus on security and privacy, this project seeks to generate new knowledge in the area of federated fine-tuning techniques for LLMs/MFMs. Expected outcomes of this project include the creation of a versatile framework for federated fine-tuning that prioritizes privacy and security. The project's advancements will significantly benefit sectors like healthcare, energy, and finance, by offering reliable, secure, and privacy-assured solutions through Generative AI to enhance Australia's workforce capabilities and drive economic growth.

2

PhD positions

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Job description

The successful candidates will contribute to cutting-edge research in federated learning, LLM/MFM fine-tuning, cybersecurity, data privacy, secure model training, and trustworthy Generative AI. The project has strong application potential in sectors including healthcare, energy, and finance, where secure and privacy-assured AI systems are essential.

Key Responsibilities

The PhD candidates will undertake research related to one or more of the following areas:

  • Federated fine-tuning methods for LLMs and multimodal foundation models
  • Privacy-preserving machine learning and secure collaborative AI
  • Data and model protection techniques for distributed GenAI systems
  • Evaluation of robustness, privacy, security, and performance in federated AI settings
  • Development of prototype frameworks and experimental systems
  • Preparation of high-quality research publications and project reports
  • Collaboration with academic researchers and industry partners

Selection Criteria

Applicants should have:

  • A strong academic background in computer science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, machine learning, data science, or a related field
  • Experience or interest in Generative AI, LLMs, federated learning, privacy-preserving AI, or cybersecurity
  • Strong programming skills, preferably in Python and deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow
  • Good analytical, communication, and academic writing skills
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a research team
1

Postdoc position

Apply
Job description

The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will play a leading role in developing novel methods, implementing research prototypes, coordinating experiments, publishing high-impact research, and supporting collaboration with project partners. The role is suited to a researcher with expertise in Generative AI, federated learning, privacy-preserving machine learning, cybersecurity, or trustworthy AI.

Key Responsibilities

The successful applicant will be expected to:

  • Conduct high-quality research on federated fine-tuning for LLMs and MFMs
  • Develop secure and privacy-preserving methods for collaborative GenAI model training
  • Design, implement, and evaluate experimental frameworks and research prototypes
  • Investigate risks related to data privacy, model security, and distributed AI systems
  • Publish research outcomes in leading conferences and journals
  • Contribute to project reporting, grant milestones, and stakeholder engagement
  • Support and mentor PhD students working on the project
  • Collaborate with academic researchers, industry partners, and external stakeholders

Selection Criteria

Applicants should have:

  • A PhD in computer science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, machine learning, data science, or a closely related discipline
  • Demonstrated research experience in Generative AI, LLMs, multimodal AI, federated learning, privacy-preserving AI, secure machine learning, or cybersecurity
  • Strong publication record appropriate to career stage
  • Strong programming and experimental research skills
  • Ability to work independently and contribute to a collaborative research environment
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
View grant details ↗