Researcher in Biometric Security and Anti-Fraud Technologies

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About the Job

We have a vacancy for a reseearcher at Department of Information Security and Communication Technology (IIK)
Campus Gjøvik.

The IIK Department is proud to announce that we have a vacancy for a Researcher in Biometric Security and Anti-Fraud Technologies. The position is part of the newly established Secure Anti-Fraud Excellence Center (SAFE), funded by Sparebankstiftelsen Hedmark and Sparebank 1 Østlandet in collaboration with NTNU and industry partners. SAFE aims to develop, test, and demonstrate innovative anti-fraud and cybersecurity technologies, focusing on human-machine trust, digital identity, and biometric security in financial and governmental ecosystems.The researcher will be a key member of the team and be responsible for and coordinate research, labs and experiments and documentation of research activities of the of SAFE center. The position as researcher will cover research, dataset development, prototype deployment, and collaboration with industrial and academic partners.

Center for Cyber and Information Security (CCIS) at NTNU will host the SAFE Project.

Your immediate leader is head of department.

Duties of the position

• Conduct advanced research on biometric recognition, presentation attack detection, and multimodal fusion.
• Coordinate the research activities with the SAFE Center.
• Design, collect, and manage biometric datasets (face, iris, finger, and multimodal) under controlled and semi-wild conditions.
• Develop AI-based algorithms for biometric trust assessment, anti-fraud analytics, and secure onboarding.
• Lead the deployment and demonstration of biometric systems in collaboration with industry partners and financial institutions.
• Support the design and delivery of SAFE’s EVU (continuing education) courses in biometrics and digital identity.
• Supervise/Co-supervise MSc students and contribute to publications, dissemination, and project deliverables.
• Participate in proposal writing, reporting, and technology transfer activities linked to SAFE.
• Delivering EVU course from SAFE center.

Required selection criteria

• A PhD degree (or equivalent) in biometrics, information security, computer science, electrical engineering, or machine learning.
• Strong research background in biometric security, presentation attack detection, or digital identity systems.
• Demonstrated programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or C++, and experience with deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch,
  TensorFlow).
• Excellent written and oral English skills.

Preferred selection criteria

• Proven research or publication record in top-tier venues such as T-BIOM, T-IFS, IJCB, FG, ICCV, CVPR, ECCV, PR, or PRL.
• Experience in leading and coordinating research projects.
• Experience in biometric data acquisition, sensor calibration, and dataset management.
• Expertise in deep learning, GenAI, XAI, domain generalization, and multimodal systems.
• Experience with industry collaboration, testbed deployment, and technology transfer.
• Preferable excellent written and oral Norwegian skills.

Personal characteristics

• Highly motivated for applied and collaborative research.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• Self-driven, structured, and reliable.

• Innovative mindset and ability to work across disciplines.

  Personal suitability will be emphasized.

We offer

• Exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
• Active collaboration with leading industrial and research partners in Norway and abroad.
• A professional and inclusive work environment.
• Favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Employee benefits at NTNU

Salary and conditions

As a researcher (code 1109) you are normally paid from gross NOK 600 000– NOK 750 000 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. As required by law, 2% of this salary will be deducted and paid into the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. 
 

The position is subject to external funding, and the duration of the project is 5 years, ending 31.12.2030. 
Please note that loss of external funding is considered equivalent to loss of work assignments, see §19 (1) of the public Employees act. In the event of dismissal by the employer, the notice period is according to §22 (1) of the Public Employers Act.
 

It is a prerequisite that you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

About the application

Your application and supporting documentation must be in English. 

The attachments (including a description of your scientific work) must accompany the application as these documents form the basis of the application assessment. The documents must be in  English. 

Please note: the application will only be assessed on the basis of the information we have received by the application deadline. Therefore, make sure that your application clearly shows how your skills and experience meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be sent electronically via Jobbnorge.no. If you are invited to an interview, you must bring certified copies of certificates and diplomas upon request.

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result.

Your application must include:

• Motivation letter describing your interest in the SAFE project and biometric research (max 1 page).
• CV, diplomas, diploma supplement, and certificates (specialization, courses)
• Academic works - Up to five scientific works (published in T-BIOM/T-IFS (or other IEEE Transactions), CVPR, ICCV or IJCB).
• A short research statement (1-2 pages) on experience and interest in biometric security.
• Names and contact information for three relevant referees

It is important that you both document and reflect on your competence. You are encouraged to use the NTNUs competence matrix as a guide for  documentation of your competence.

Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project, you must include evidence of your contributions. 

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. Open scientific practice will be recognized.

NTNU is obliged by the evaluation criteria for research quality in accordance with The San Fransisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA and The obligations in the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment ( CoARA) on responsible assessment of research and recognition of a wider range of academic contributions to science and society. This means that we will pay particular attention to the quality and academic range demonstrated by your scientific work to date. We will also pay attention to research leadership and participation in research projects. Your scientific work from the last five years will be given the most weight.

Your application will be considered by a committee at the department. Candidates of interest will be invited to an interview.

General information

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population's collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values ​​are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse, and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals.   

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.  

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability, and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time. 

At NTNU we want to increase the proportion of women in scientific positions. We have a number of measures to promote equality. 

As an employee at NTNU, you must continually maintain and improve your professional development and be flexible regarding any organizational changes.

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

For the sake of transparency, candidates will be given expert evaluations of their own and other candidates. As an applicant you are considered part of the process and are stipulated by rules of confidentiality. 

If you have any questions regarding the position, please contact Prof. Raghavendra Ramachandra, email: raghavendra.ramachandra@ntnu.no. If you have questions regarding the recruitment process, please contact HR Katrine Rennan, e-mail: katrine.rennan@ntnu.no.

Application deadline: 20.04.2026.

The city of Gjøvik has a population of 30 000 and is a town known for its rich music and cultural life. The beautiful nature surrounding the city is ideal for an active outdoor life! The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world.