Position of a postdoctoral research fellow in blockchain technologies is available with the group of Networks and Distributed systems at UiO
The group of Networks and Distributed systems at the Informatics Department, University of Oslo has a position of a postdoctoral research fellow in blockchain technologies. The position is in the context of the project called SmartMed: Secure and accountable sharing of medical records using smart contracts and blockchain.
The research will be done in collaboration with Cornell University, which is one of leading research centers in the world in the area of blockchain.
As part of strategic security research, blockchain engineering is a prioritized topic at the Department of Informatics. In particular, the postdoctoral researcher will have an opportunity to shape the formation of currently established Blockchain Lab. Furthermore, blockchain research is supported by the ConSeRNS initiative, which targets absolutely essential research challenges in security and robustness of ICT infrastructures. ConSeRNS is part of a national Center for Resilient Networks and Applications (CRNA), which spans Simula Research Laboratory, the University of Bergen as well as the University of Oslo.
SmartMed project summary
Increasing amounts of health data are recorded in health registries, with the strategic initiatives of data sharing and fusion across different registries in Norway. This forms an excellent opportunity for world-class medical research as few countries have such a high-quality infrastructure. However, it also constitutes a very high privacy risk should a security breach occur.
Publicized incidents of leaked medical records pose a major challenge for the digital trust in eHealth where storing, accessing and exchanging sensitive patient-related data must comply with several regulations, while remaining accessible to authorized health practitioners. Governmental legislations regarding data privacy, such as the EU's GDPR, present an additional source of concern for healthcare registries which are now faced with severe legal and financial consequences in case data confidentiality is breached.
Our principal approach is to facilitate solutions for health registries by using Smart Contracts and the emerging Blockchain Paradigm. From the data safety, authenticity, and nonrepudiation standpoint, blockchain is a perfect fit for sharing medical records since it provides an easily accessible, immutable, and transparent history of all contract-related data, adequate for building applications with trust and accountability. Use of smart contracts brings a number of additional advantages for sharing medical data by healthcare registries: consent management, fine-grain privacy control, transparency, and reduced bureaucracy and expenses.
SmartMed is proposed in cooperation with the Cancer Registry of Norway (CRN), which will validate technological advances. CRN presently contains health information on over 1,4 million cancer patients. Managing and using the data for medical research in a secure way as to minimize any privacy concerns is paramount. Improving privacy control and transparency will bolster public's trust in the use of CRN data for vital research on preventive medicine.
We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher who is interested in designing, developing, and evaluating techniques related to the above.
What we offer in a nutshell
- A strong research environment. Our students have won best paper and best demo awards at several conferences. Our alumni are employed by IBM Research, Google, Microsoft, Spotify, Schibsted, and highly reputable academic institutions in Europe.
- Opportunities for research stays with our renowned collaborators worldwide, including Cornell University, which is one of leading research centers in the world in the area of blockchain.
- A well-paid position in a country that has been ranked by the UN as having the highest standard of living in the world. The work is in a smart futuristic building that has won multiple awards.
Suitable Background and Requirements
- Applicants must have a PhD degree in Computer Science, or in a related study, with excellent results. They must also be able to demonstrate interest in scientific research. The evaluation considers many aspects of excellence, as well as the personal drive and organizational skills. The ideal candidate for the position will have strong background in distributed computing. Additional area-specific knowledge in distributed transactions, P2P, cryptography, or consistent data replication is beneficial but not required.
- You may apply if you have not yet completed your degree, but expect to do so before the position starts. The doctoral dissertation must be submitted for evaluation (but not necessarily approved yet) by the application deadline.
- University of Oslo is an equal opportunity employer.
- Knowledge of Norwegian is not a prerequisite for application. English is our working language for research.
Details about Employment
A postdoc position is a regular job with social benefits and with salary starting from 523.000 NOK per year.
The position is for two years.
In addition to the main research activities, the position carries the following responsibilities:
- Coordination of collaboration between all national and international partners. Even though the position is at the University of Oslo, part of the time is expected to be spent at the Cancer Registry of Norway while working on the same research agenda.
- Facilitation of cooperation between 2 PhD students and one engineer employed in the project.
- Participation in the dissemination of results.
Host Institution and Environment
The University of Oslo is Norway's largest and oldest institution of higher education. Founded in 1811, today the University of Oslo has approx. 30,000 students and 4,600 employees. Four Nobel Prize winners indicate the quality of the research at the University. The Department of Informatics has been a home to a number of world-renown scientists, such as Turing Award recipients Prof. Dahl and Prof. Nygaard.
The group of Networks and Distributed Systems offers a work environment that is well equipped with the newest hardware and software technology. Furthermore, we have well established links to national and international research institutions. We conduct collaborative research projects that are funded by Norwegian research funds, and the European Community.
The country, also known for its unique scenic beauty, has been ranked by the UN as having the highest standard of living in the world. Oslo is considered one of the sunniest places in Northern Europe, with summer temperatures averaging 21 degrees Celsius.
Futher information can be found on this page.
How to Apply
The applications should be submitted through the application portal.
A full application should include:
- Your cover letter listing
- specific research interests
- reference number for the position you are applying to
- Certificate for the PhD degree.
- A curriculum vitae including
- Your name (given, family), data of birth, nationality, current address, phone number, and email address.
- Your highest degree's name, educational institution, department, and the year of completion.
- List of your higher education including the type of education, place, duration, and degree if applicable.
- List of your employments including company/institution name and duration of the employment.
- Your publication list.
- Official transcript listing all the courses taken at the university level.
- Names and contact details of your references. To speed up processing, applicants themselves may ask their references to mail recommendation letters to the same email address.
- Copies of relevant work, e.g., dissertations, theses, or articles that you have authored or co-authored.
Contact
Inquiries for additional information should be sent to Professor Roman Vitenberg:
