International Association
for Cryptologic Research

We invite applications for a full-time Research Fellow (Postdoc) position funded by the Australian Research Council project “NextGen Blockchain Privacy & Security: Practical and Quantum-Safe Solutions”, led by Prof. Joseph Liu in the Department of Software Systems and Cybersecurity, Faculty of IT, Monash University.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of modern cryptography, blockchain technologies, and post-quantum security, in a highly active research environment with strong international collaborations and a clear pathway to high-impact publications.

About the role: The successful candidate will contribute to designing and analysing practical and provably secure cryptographic protocols for blockchain applications, with a focus on topics such as:

• Privacy-preserving blockchain systems
• Payment channels and Layer 2 solutions
• Scalable and secure off-chain transactions
• Quantum-resistant blockchain privacy mechanisms

You will be expected to conduct high-quality research, lead and co-author papers for top-tier venues, collaborate with local and international partners, and help supervise PhD and honours students working in related areas.

About you: We are looking for a highly motivated researcher who meets the following criteria:

• PhD in Cryptography or closely related area, or near completion (thesis submitted or close to submission)
• Strong background in theoretical and/or applied cryptography, preferably with applications to blockchain
• Experience in at least one of the following: privacy-preserving blockchain protocols, payment channels, Layer 2 or off-chain transaction mechanisms
• Knowledge of post-quantum cryptography is highly desirable
• A strong publication record with papers in top IACR conferences (CRYPTO, EUROCRYPT, ASIACRYPT) or top security conferences (ACM CCS, IEEE S&P, NDSS, USENIX Security)

Note: This position is not suitable for candidates working primarily on non-cryptographic application on blockchain topics, e.g. consensus mechanism, smart contracts, or purely applied blockchain business use cases.