Senior Network and Security Research Officer

Date Posted: 05/01/2024
Req ID: 37176
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Citizen Lab
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00056374

Description:

About us:

The Faculty of Arts & Science is the heart of Canada’s leading university and one of the most comprehensive and diverse academic divisions in the world. The strength of Arts & Science derives from our combined teaching and research excellence in the humanities, sciences and social sciences across 29 departments, seven colleges and 46 interdisciplinary centres, institutes and programs.

We can only realize our mission with the dedication and excellence of engaged staff and faculty. The diversity of opportunities and perspectives within the Faculty reflect the local and global landscape and the need for curiosity, innovative thinking and collaboration. At Arts & Science, we take pride in our legacy of innovation and discovery that has changed the way we think about the world.

The Citizen Lab is an interdisciplinary laboratory based at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto, focusing on research, development, and high-level strategic policy and legal engagement at the intersection of information and communication technologies, human rights, and global security. The Lab uses a “mixed methods” approach to research combining practices from political science,law, computer science, and area studies. Our research includes investigating digital espionage against civil society, documenting Internet filtering and other technologies and practices that impact freedom of expression online, analyzing privacy, security, and information controls of popular applications, and examining transparency and accountability mechanisms relevant to the relationship between corporations and state agencies regarding personal data and other surveillance activities.


Your opportunity:

Reporting to the Director, Administration, Citizen Lab, the Senior Network and Security Research Officer is responsible for supporting research projects related to sophisticated and targeted digital threats against civil society. The Officer oversees process and protocol development and infrastructure to maintain a high degree of information assurance for research projects. The officer may assist in all stages of the investigative and report preparation process. An ideal candidate has applied experience in network administration and network security in high threat environments. Experience working with civil society organizations is also highly valued, as is experience with mobile forensics.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Assessing needs and contributing to the planning of research goals
• Assessing and selecting methods of data collection and analysis for research projects
• Developing project schedules including milestones, critical path, timelines, deliverables and reporting
• Implementing and executing qualitative and/or quantitative research methods
• Synthesizing technical, qualitative and contextual research data
• Preparing draft statistical reports and summaries from data collected
• Conducting systematic literature reviews
• Planning and estimating financial resources required for programs and/or projects

Essential Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in cyber security, computer science, engineering, or an acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum five years of recent and relevant experience in network measurement, security research, and analyzing and troubleshooting complex network and security system problems.
• Experience in the research planning process and setting of research goals, selecting and developing methods for data collection and analysis and producing written reports.
• Advanced experience in network measurement and network administration in support of research projects.
• Experience in network protocol analysis, network measurement and detection of Internet filtering and network interference, penetration testing, static and dynamic analysis of mobile applications, and related information technology security analytics.
• Strong debugging/bug-tracking/code review/documentation experience.
• Excellent research and analysis skills as well as strong oral and written communication skills.
• Advanced programming skills across a number of languages. Advance skill in Java, Python, C, C++. Advanced proficiency in network protocol analysis, penetration testing, static and dynamic analysis of mobile applications.
• Advanced proficiency in network measurement techniques to detect Internet filtering and network interference.
• Advanced knowledge of current network measurement and information security trends.
• Proficiency in version control systems (e.g, Subversion, Git). Excellent project management skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge across a wide variety of information technology systems. Advanced understanding of UNIX and Linux. Advanced knowledge of TCP/IP and networking.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex research methods and technical issues to individuals from range of research and technical backgrounds.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to organizational priorities and able to meet multiple deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills. Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Willingness and ability to learn new techniques on the job and keep up to date in the field.

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Accountable
• Communicator
• Efficient
• Insightful
• Organized
• Problem solver

Closing Date: 05/10/2024, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW 
Appointment Type: Grant - Continuing 
Schedule:
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:  
USW Pay Band 13 -- $83,150 with an annual step progression to a maximum of $106,336. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol. 
Job Category: Research Administration & Teaching
Recruiter: Ann Yang

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.