CISPA Excellence Program for Master’s Students (m/f/d)
Saarbrücken,
Germany
Are you a computer science student with a passion for cybersecurity, privacy, or AI? At CISPA, we believe your talent is the key to shaping the future of information security.
The CISPA Excellence Program for Master’s Students supports (future) Master’s students at all of CISPA’s German partner universities (currently Saarland University, Leibniz University Hannover, University of Hamburg, University of Stuttgart, and TU Dortmund University). This program prepares graduates with an outstanding Bachelor’s degree to qualify for a future doctoral or entrepreneurial career at CISPA.
What We Offer:
- Start date: April 1, 2026.
- Part-time contract (19h/week) for one year.
- Close mentoring by CISPA-Faculty to boost the candidate’s academic and professional development.
- Opportunity to spend two research internships of approx. 4 weeks each in two different CISPA groups.
- Opportunity to participate in at least two CISPA-organized research talks per semester to gain inspiring scientific insights.
- Valuable networking activities to boost the candidate’s professional profile.
- Possibilities for personal and professional growth, encompassing language classes, research support, as well as extracurricular and social activities.
- Our onboarding team will provide you with all the necessary support for a seamless and successful start to your journey with us.
- We maintain a trustworthy, inclusive, and safe space and are looking for curious and creative new colleagues willing to learn & grow in an enjoyable and friendly team atmosphere.
What We Expect:
- Prior to application: Nomination to the program by a CISPA-Faculty member.
- Enrollment in a MSc program at one of CISPA’s partner universities, in time for the start in the Excellence Program on April 1 (to be specified in the motivation letter).
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related discipline. If not yet awarded, the degree should be foreseen to be granted in time for MSc study enrollment for the upcoming study term.
- Excellence in terms of academic record with a grade average placing them among the top 10-20% of their study cohort.
- Strong research potential and intellectual curiosity. This may be demonstrated by, e.g.: extracurricular activities such as participation in conferences or hackathons; peer-reviewed scientific publications; statements from supervisors; professional achievements.
- Affinity to at least one of CISPA’s research areas, to be detailed in the motivation letter.
- Proficiency in spoken and written English (corresponding to at least C1 level, does not have to be proven with a certificate).
Working at CISPA:
- We promote a flat hierarchy that encourages working together as a cohesive team and contributing one’s perspectives and ideas.
- We offer an excellent research environment with close individual supervision, worldwide collaborations, and with significant funding for travel and equipment.
- Our locations are in Saarbrücken and St. Ingbert, in the Saarland region with international flair (e.g., an International School and distinguished cuisine influenced by the proximity to the French border). Saarland is also known for its green spaces, parks and proximity to nature, providing opportunities for relaxation and outdoor activities.
If you want to learn more about the CISPA Excellence Program, check out the information on our website.
Application Process
CISPA is committed to increasing the representation of women, minorities, and individuals with disability in Computer Science. In accordance with the Equal Opportunity Plan, CISPA aims at increasing the number of women in Computer Science, and explicitly encourages women to apply. Applications of severely disabled candidates with equivalent qualifications will be given priority. In general, we welcome applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion/belief, disability, age, sexual orientation and identity.
If you are interested in working at CISPA and you have been nominated by a CISPA Faculty, press the "Apply now" button at the end of the page. Please upload your documents (Motivation letter, CV, Bachelor’s certificate, Transcript of Records and at least 1 letter of recommendation by the supervisor of the student’s BSc-thesis or an equivalent project) in PDF format on our application platform. Applications via email cannot be accepted.
Application deadline: December 15, 2025
For any questions regarding the application process, please check out our FAQ.
CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security is a German national Science Institution within the Helmholtz Association and provides a unique work environment that offers the advantage of a university department and a research laboratory alike. CISPA's mission is to rethink the digitized world of the future from the ground on up an make it safer through innovative cutting-edge research. CISPA is committed to the highest international academic standards. We offer a world-class research environment that grants extensive resources to a wide range of researchers and constitutes an attractive destination for the best talents and scientists from all countries. CISPA provides a highly international and diverse working environment, currently hosting researchers of over 40 nationalities.
CISPA headquarter is located in Saarbrücken, in the tri-border area of Germany, France and Luxembourg. The CISPA campus is located close to Saarland University, known for its excellence in Computer Science & Cybersecurity programs; the Max Planck Institute for Informatics and the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems; the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI); and more.
For more information about CISPA, see https://cispa.de/en
About CISPA
