Postdoctoral Scholar (m/f/d) | History of cryptography and information security
The Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy (MPI-SP) in Bochum, Germany, is offering a position for one Postdoctoral Scholar (m/f/d) for 2 years, with employment contract: TVöD-Bund (pay scale E14) to begin in June 2026 or later.
We seek a postdoctoral scholar working in the history of cryptography and information security after 1970, with a robust research agenda. The successful applicant will conduct their own research within these guidelines, will undertake a series of oral history interviews, and will organize a workshop on the history of cryptography with a focus on the last 50 years. The project aims to support innovative scholarship on cryptography, both the individual project of the successful candidate and the broader work in the community.
The project will be conducted in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for the History of Technology in Berlin (Etienne Benson) and Princeton University (Matthew Jones). The successful candidate will organize and undertake, along with the director at MPI-SP and the collaborators, to secure high quality, technically and historiographically informed oral history interviews of the major figures in the development of cryptography. Special attention should be given to the 1970s, when cryptography began to emerge as a research field outside government agencies, and to the 1990s, when concerns about privacy and state surveillance became prominent with the rise of the internet.
The position will be centered at Christof Paar’s group at MPI-SP and offers a unique opportunity to work within two intellectually stimulating environments: the history-of-science community, with a focus on technology and information technology, and the global cryptography community. The hosting institute, together with the collaborating institutions are well connected in both communities at the international level.
To apply, please submit the following documents:
- a cover letter,
- a curriculum vitae, including publication list,
- research prospectus in which you outline your planned contribution to the research theme (maximum 1,500 words),
- an English writing sample communicating your own research to academics or the general public. Preferably a published piece,
- contact information for two referees.
Applications must be received by February 28, 2026, and should be sent to christof.paar@mpi-sp.org with the subject line “history of cryptography”.
Applications will be reviewed in March 2026 and short-listed candidates will be interviewed in March and possibly April of 2026. Only successful candidates will be notified.
The Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy stands for a collaborative, diverse and inclusive workplace culture and promotes equal opportunities. We strongly encourage applications from members of any underrepresented group in our research area. In particular, we invite and encourage women and individuals with disabilities to apply.
