Listing translated from German by Talent Club.
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is Austria's largest Research and Technology Organisation (RTO). Our goal is to transform scientific excellence into innovation with impact. Together with our partners, we develop technologies and solutions for a sustainable, resilient and digitalised future, thereby strengthening Europe's competitiveness and technological sovereignty. Our international teams combine cutting-edge research with strong implementation expertise and create measurable value for business and society.
Our Center for Digital Safety & Security is awarding a Master's Thesis at the Vienna location. At the Center for Digital Safety & Security, we conduct research on a wide range of key technologies such as distributed IT systems, the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain technologies, quantum and photonic technologies, wireless systems (6G) and digital solutions for crisis and disaster management.
As part of our team, you will support us within the framework of our research project AFarEdge, with a focus on test laboratory work for cybersecurity testing on agricultural control units.
Our research project aims to test the cybersecurity of electronic control systems in agricultural machinery against cyberattacks. Direct tests on the control units serve to determine their resilience to attacks and to identify and analyse the effects of detected vulnerabilities.
Master's Thesis “Cybersecurity Test Laboratory Agriculture”
CENTER FOR DIGITAL SAFETY & SECURITY
You will conduct a literature review and engage with the topic of cybersecurity testing of digital control systems in agriculture.
The main goal of this Master's thesis is to contribute to the creation of cybersecurity test procedures for assessing the cybersecurity of agricultural electronic control systems.
Under the guidance of our team, you will develop a test concept and support the setup of physical test environments, and you will carry out self-defined test cases directly on the electronic control units of the agricultural machine.
You will learn to evaluate the results obtained and to use them for further applications.
You will apply your programming skills to create test cases and help us develop the test environment in the laboratory.
Software solutions such as communication bus analyser and software for test case creation will help you build the complex tests.
You will expand your knowledge and skills in the field of automation and control engineering in agricultural machinery engineering.
You will practise scientific work and have the opportunity to discuss your experiences with interdisciplinary scientific experts from the field of digital security technology research.
Terms such as test concept, test environment, test case, penetration testing, fuzz testing, robustness testing are a challenge for you.
As an Ingenious Partner, you stand out through:
An ongoing Master's degree in fields such as electronics, mechatronics, embedded systems, industrial engineering, IT security
Good knowledge of electronics, digital and microcomputer technology; an advantage, but not a requirement: industrial control bus systems
Interest in the design of scientific studies and concepts.
Enjoyment of application-oriented questions from industry (primarily agriculture)
High commitment and team spirit
Good language skills in English and German, spoken and written
What you can expect:
Start date: ideally from 01.01.2027 – there is some flexibility regarding the start date
Duration: 6 months
Remuneration of EUR 1,379.60 gross per month for 20 hours per week in accordance with the collective agreement. In addition to numerous benefits, you will also be part of our international YOUNG AIT group. As a research institution, we are very familiar with the supervision and completion of Master's theses and look forward to accompanying you during your Master's thesis.
At AIT, we create an inclusive and family-friendly working environment that promotes equal opportunities and specifically expands diversity in the workforce as well as in leadership positions. Among other things, we are committed to increasing the proportion of women in the company and therefore particularly welcome applications from women.
Please submit your application documents consisting of a CV, cover letter, proof of enrolment and certificates (Transcript of Records) as well as proof of identity, online:
https://jobs.ait.ac.at/Job/271280
Links in the official advertisement