Two PhD Stipends in AIHARDWARE Lab for Secure Embedded AI and Next-Generation Secure-by-Design Power Electronics

Are you interested in shaping the future of intelligent and secure energy systems where artificial intelligence meets reliable power electronic systems We are looking for two motivated PhD candidates as part of the AI:X initiative at Aalborg University to work at the intersection of AI security and embedded systems contributing to next-generation trustworthy hardware platforms for cyber-physical energy systems.

About the project
AI:X is an ambitious initiative at Aalborg University that aims to advance AI research and create real-world impact through interdisciplinary collaboration and nine labs will be initiated in 2026 with a total of 18 PhD stipends.

The AI:HARDWARE Lab is part of the AI:X initiative with two PhD stipends and is a collaboration between the Department of Electronic Systems the Technical Faculty of IT & Design and the Department of Energy the Faculty of Engineering and Science.

One PhD position will be hosted in the Cybersecurity Research Group at the Department of Electronic Systems in Copenhagen while the other will be hosted in the Sustainable Power Electronics and Electrification Research Group at the Department of Energy in Aalborg.

Modern energy systems such as electric vehicle chargers and power grids are increasingly exposed to cyber attacks that can cause physical damage. AI:HARDWARE uses AI to protect this infrastructure and to design hardware that is secure by design. The lab also develops AI that runs efficiently on small low-power devices. The goal is energy systems that are smart secure and able to protect themselves.

The two stipends are open for appointment from 15 August 2026 or soon hereafter. The duration of the position is three years.

About the positions

The lab is looking for candidates for the following two stipends:

• Stipend 1: Secure Embedded AI for Cyber-Physical Energy Systems (Copenhagen)
  The PhD position focuses on the development of secure and trustworthy AI for resource-constrained embedded systems used in power electronics and energy infrastructure. The research will investigate how machine learning models can be designed and deployed efficiently on constrained hardware platforms while supporting the reliability and security requirements of cyber-physical energy systems.

Tasks

The PhD student will contribute to research on secure and efficient AI for embedded cyber-physical power electronic systems. The main activities include:

• Analyzing how disturbances or cyberattacks such as sensor manipulation electromagnetic interference or injected faults can affect the behaviour of power electronic systems.
• Developing data-driven models that capture how disturbances propagate through the system and may lead to abnormal operating conditions. These models will be used to detect unsafe behaviour and improve the resilience of power control systems.
• Designing lightweight AI models suitable for real-time execution on constrained platforms using techniques such as model compression quantization and hardware-aware neural network design.
• Investigating mechanisms that protect the integrity and reliability of deployed AI models including hardware-supported protection mechanisms and secure execution techniques to ensure that AI-based monitoring or control functions remain trustworthy even in the presence of disturbances or malicious inputs.
• Implementing and evaluating the developed methods on embedded computing platforms and hardware prototypes in collaboration with the PhD student working on the power electronics aspects of the project.
• Disseminating research results in peer-reviewed journals and conferences.

Position-specific competencies
We are looking for a motivated and curious candidate with a background in computer engineering embedded systems or a closely related field. The ideal candidate has an interest in the intersection of artificial intelligence embedded computing and cybersecurity and is motivated to work on challenges related to the reliability and security of AI-enabled power electronic systems operating on resource-constrained environments.

The candidate should ideally have experience or interest in one or several of the following areas:

• A solid foundation in programming and system development particularly using Python and machine learning frameworks.
• Should be comfortable working with machine learning methods and tools for model development and evaluation.
• Embedded systems real-time computing hardware-software co-design and hardware-oriented system design.
• Hardware security or cyber-physical system security concepts.

Experience with embedded platforms FPGA development or hardware-accelerated computing will be considered an advantage. Familiarity with technologies for deploying AI on constrained hardware such as TinyML or FPGA toolflows like FINN is beneficial but not required.

We encourage applications from candidates with a strong interest in the topic even if their background does not match every qualification listed above.

• Stipend 2: Data-driven modeling and optimization for efficient and secure-by-design Power Electronics (Aalborg)
  The PhD position focuses on nextgeneration power electronic technologies combining highfidelity multiphysics modelling with modern datadriven design methodologies. The successful candidate will help drive advances in:
  
  
• Broadband electromagnetic and multi-physics modelling of power electronic systems and components with special focus of magnetic components
• Incorporating physics-driven machine learning approaches in power electronics design
• Incorporating system-level factors (e.g. cybersecurity sustainability) in a quantifiable way into AI-assisted design frameworks.

Tasks
The successful candidate will engage in independent research and contribute to development of new methodologies within the field. Potential activities include:

• Developing machine learning methods to support preconditioning and accelerating simulations one-shot design and inverse design in power electronics systems and components
• Multi-physics modeling using open-source simulation environments (e.g. FastFieldSolvers Elmer PyPEEC MEEP)
• Circuit simulation using open-source tools (NGSpice Xyce)
• Interfacing simulators and orchestrating optimization runs with open-source Python libraries (e.g. PyMOO SMT Scipy)
• Disseminating research results through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international conferences.

Position-specific competencies
We are looking for a candidate with a background in power electronics electrical engineering electronics or similar. The ideal candidate should have experience or interest in the following areas:

• Electromagnetic and multi-physics modelling
• Handling complex electromagnetic problems
• Modeling of power electronic systems and component particularly magnetic components
• Optimization and surrogate-modeling in Python
• Integration of machine learning and numerical methods.

We encourage applications from candidates with a strong interest in the topic even if their background does not match every qualification listed above.

Your competencies:
For both PhD stipends you are expected to have a solid foundation in programming and system development particularly using Python and established machine learning frameworks. You are comfortable working with machine learning methods and tools for model development and evaluation and you can use these to explore and solve research problems. You communicate clearly in English both in writing and orally and you are able to design and conduct independent research within the scope of the project. At the same time you enjoy collaborating in an interdisciplinary research environment where you work closely with colleagues from different scientific backgrounds.

Qualification requirements
PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Masters degree. Applicants must have completed a Masters degree in a relevant field or be expected to complete it before the start of the appointment.
PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design (stipend 1) or the Doctoral School of Engineering and Science (stipend 2) in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1124 of September 19 2025 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time. As part of the PhD study you are among other things required to complete PhD courses corresponding to 30 ECTS gain experience with teaching or other forms of knowledge dissemination and complete an external research stay outside of Aalborg University preferably 3-6 months at a foreign research institution.

Who we are
You will join a joint research environment between AAU Energy and the Department of Electronic Systems at Aalborg University. At AAU Energy you will work with colleagues who focus on modelling design and integration of power electronic systems and components using highfidelity electromagnetic and multiphysics simulations to develop efficient compact and reliable solutions for sustainable energy applications in collaboration with industry. At the Department of Electronic Systems you will interact with researchers working on cybersecurity embedded systems AI and IoT with a focus on building secure energy-efficient and intelligent computing architectures.

The two departments host an international community of researchers and PhD students and provide access to modern laboratories and research infrastructure. You will be part of an open and inclusive environment where you can develop your ideas collaborate across disciplines and contribute to the next generation of efficient and securebydesign power electronic systems.

How to apply
Your application must include the following:

• Application stating reasons for applying and qualifications in relation to the position
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Diplomas (bachelors and masters degree diploma including grades)
• Project description (4-5 pages) that:
  describes the applicants initial thoughts and ideas related to the specific project applied for. Thisincludes a brief state-of-the-art (including short list of references) a time schedule and how theapplicant intends to shed light on the project objectives.
• Other relevant documents

The application must be submitted via Aalborg Universitys recruitment system which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg Universitys website.

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore everyone regardless of personal background and orientation is encouraged to apply for the position.

Do you have any questions
If you have any questions about the position you are very welcome to contact the person listed at the bottom of the job posting who can provide further information about the project the research environment and the recruitment process.

Interviews are expected to be held at the end of April and the beginning of May. The interviews will focus on your academic background your research interests in relation to the PhD topic and your motivation for joining the project and the research environment at Aalborg University.

Further information
Read more about our recruitment process here.

The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline the head of the department with the assistance of the hiring committee will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires ensuring the safety compliance and integrity of the workplace.

Read more about The Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design (stipend 1)
Read more about The Doctoral School of Engineering and Science (stipend 2)

Salary and terms of employment

When pursuing a PhD at Aalborg University youll receive a stipend which includes both salary
and pension benefits. The base salary starts at a minimum of 31.24275 DKK before taxes with an
additional 1807% added for pension contributions. However the final salary can be negotiated
based on your qualifications and experience with seniority playing a key role in determining the
main salary.
Read more about pension options here.

At Aalborg Universitys Doctoral School engineering PhD students enjoy unique career
development opportunities. These include personalized DISC profile assessments with feedback
career-focused courses and networking events with trade unions employers and other relevant
parties.
Learn more about these initiatives at our Career Hub.

The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish).

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (in Danish)

There is a mutual probationary period of 3 months for the position.

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers students and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights new solutions to societal problems and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.