Research Assistant/Associate in Formal Methods

Salary: 

Research Assistant £33,951 to £35,608 per annum

Research Associate £36,636 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 21 July 2026

The Role 

We are seeking a highly motivated researcher to join the Software Security Lab at School of Computing, Newcastle University as a Research Associate/Assistant in Formal Methods. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at the intersection of formal methods, program analysis, and software security.

Open-source software development has become an increasingly popular practice. Today's software systems comprise first-party code and third-party dependencies built through a complex supply chain process involving different individuals, organisations, and tools. An attacker can compromise any step in the process by deliberately incorporating vulnerabilities into the code to be triggered at a later stage of the software life cycle.

The focus of this role is to develop formal solutions for secure open-source software development to protect against software supply chain attacks where third-party code is released along with a certificate to certify when it is secure to use it and what would be the consequence of reusing it. The developed solutions will combine interesting theoretical foundation with practical relevance to help produce tomorrow's secure systems.

You will play a key role in designing and developing novel formal theories and building tools with rigorous foundations for the specification, verification, and analysis of software systems. The position offers considerable scope for independent research and collaboration in a vibrant research environment, with opportunities to collaborate with leading industrial partners, including Google DeepMind.

You should hold a PhD (or near completion) in formal methods, program analysis, or a closely related area. We are looking for individuals with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities who can work independently, manage research activities effectively, and deliver high-quality outcomes. Experience in tool development and solid programming skills are essential, with expertise in functional programming languages, Rust, or Java particularly desirable.

The appointment is available on a full-time (37 hours per week), fixed-term basis for 8 months, with the possibility of extension, and is available for immediate start.

If you are interested in advancing the theory and practice of secure software systems and would like to work on challenging and impactful research problems, we would be delighted to hear from you.

To apply, please complete the online application and upload your CV and a cover letter. In your cover letter, please (i) explain how your experience and achievements meets the essential requirements of the role briefly, (ii) provide links to sample software projects or tools that you have developed, and (iii) provide details, including marks obtained, of relevant undergraduate and postgraduate-level modules in mathematics, logic, formal methods, semantics, program analysis, or related areas. This information will help us assess your theoretical foundations and suitability for research in formal methods.

Please reach out to Dr. Narges Khakpour at narges.khakpour@newcastle.ac.uk if you have any questions.

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of Research Innovation Role Profiles.pdf.  These profiles set out firstly the generic competencies and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and, secondly, the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Find out more about the Faculty SaGE here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/sage/

Find out more about our Research Institutes: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/computing/research/

Key Accountabilities

Research Assistant

• Collect, analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes
• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, use problem solving to affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project(s)
• Present information on research progress and outcomes to a Principal Investigator or groups overseeing the research project
• Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination, in whatever form (report, papers, chapters, books)
• Use research resources (including, where required, laboratories, workshops and specialist equipment) as appropriate

Research Associate

• Contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of the project
• Determine appropriate methodologies for research
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
• Contribute to the writing up of the research and its dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
• Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and develop own research objectives and proposals for funding

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 

Research Assistant

• Knowledge of/Ability to/Experience of formal methods, program analysis or related areas
• Attention to detail and ability to work at high levels of accuracy
• Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences
• Proven ability to analyse data and write-up results
• Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues
• Excellent IT skills in all major office applications
• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems

In addition for Research Associate

• Awareness of the research environment
• High level of analytical and problem solving capacity
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity
• Experience of presentations at conferences and/or in high quality publications

Attributes and Behaviour

• Commitment to working positively as a member of a multi-skilled research team
• Ability to negotiate and prioritise multiple, competing responsibilities and to work to deadlines
• Commitment to continued professional development
• Understanding of good practice in equality, inclusion and diversity

Qualifications

Research Assistant

• Honours degree in Computer Science

In addition for Research Associate

• PhD in Computer Science

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 29519