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PhD Positions in Software Engineering, Software Security, and AI (m/w/d) - Group Pradel

Stuttgart, Germany

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Group Pradel is looking for people interested in joining the Software Lab as a PhD student. The Software Lab conducts research at the intersection of software engineering, programming languages, artificial intelligence, and security, with a focus on tools and techniques for constructing reliable, efficient, and secure software. 


General areas of research include:  

  • Artificial intelligence to reason about software (e.g., LLM agents for finding and fixing bugs)  
  • Static and dynamic program analysis (e.g., to infer specifications)  
  • Test input generation (e.g., to compare the behaviour of old and new code via differential testing)


We focus on techniques that apply to real-world software systems. E.g., in the past, we have developed techniques that find and fix bugs in widely used Python, Java, C/C++, and JavaScript code bases, such as Scipy, the Java standard library, the Chrome browser, and various popular web sites.  

The Software Lab offers a unique chance to work in and shape an ambitious and international research group. We value quality over quantity, both in terms of group size and when choosing publication venues. The lab is embedded into an excellent environment for research in computer science, with CISPA being a world-leading research center in security and privacy, and the University of Stuttgart being one of the top-ranked universities in Germany. 


"The Software Lab is a research group led by Michael Pradel at the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security and the University of Stuttgart . Our research focuses on tools and techniques for building reliable, efficient, and secure software. To this end, we work on testing and analysis of complex software systems. As part of our research, we have contributed to techniques that detected thousands of bugs in widely used software."

What We Offer:

  • Competitive full time-gross base salary for E13 according to the scale of the TVöD (German Federal Employment Agreement) 
  • Comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance coverage, 30 days of paid vacation and a robust pension scheme.
  • 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:

  • You have, or will soon obtain, a Master's degree degree from a top-tier, research-oriented institution of higher education in Computer Science or a related subject.
  • You want to pursue academic research at the highest level and obtain a PhD degree within four to five years.
  • Are creative and able to come up with fresh ideas to address technical challenges. 
  • Like to write code and will not be afraid of a large software project.
  • Like to read and write technical texts in English. 
  • Enjoy working with undergraduate students. 
  • Are persistent and willing to work several years of your life on a project that many people will never understand.
  • Like to present your work to academic audiences, e.g., at international conferences, and to non-academic audiences (to increase the number of people that understand your work).
  • You are proficient in spoken and written English. German is not required but a plus.

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.
  • PhD students will be hired at CISPA and eventually obtain their PhD from the University of Stuttgart.
  • Our location is in the city of Stuttgart, which is a cultural and intellectual center, surrounded by beautiful hills, and it has been ranked as one of the cities with the highest quality of life in the world.
  • Many PhD students visit major companies, e.g., Google, Microsoft, and IBM, for research internships during their PhD. Graduates of the lab are offered highly competitive and attractive jobs in academia (e.g., as a faculty member at CISPA) and industry (e.g., as a software engineer at Google).

If you want to learn more about Michael Pradel​ and their work at CISPA, check out their website.


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