Summary
The CRISTAL Lab at the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security is recruiting fully funded PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and research interns to work on trustworthy and aligned AI. The group, led by Dr. Cristina Gârbacea, focuses on alignment of foundation models, AI safety and robustness, agentic systems, and rigorous benchmarking. Successful candidates will join a collaborative international research environment in the Saarland region, Germany.
Designation
- PhD Students
- Postdoctoral Researchers
- Research Interns (BSc / MSc / PhD)
Details (At a Glance)
| Position | Contract / Funding | Location | Application Deadline | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PhD | Fully funded (TVöD E13 gross, full-time) | St. Ingbert / CISPA Saarland region (Saarbrücken area) | Rolling review until 15 Dec 2026 | Job Portal |
| Postdoc | Fully funded (TVöD E13 gross, full-time) | St. Ingbert / CISPA Saarland region (Saarbrücken area) | Rolling review until 15 Dec 2026 | Job Portal |
| Intern (BSc/MSc/PhD) | Internship positions (details via initiative application) | St. Ingbert / Saarland | Varies — see internship listing | Internship Application |
Research Areas
- Large Language Model (LLM) Alignment: Methods to ensure foundation models behave in accordance with human intent and diverse preferences.
- AI Safety & Robustness: Designing verifiable alignment techniques, safety guarantees, and defenses against failures and adversarial manipulation.
- Agentic AI & Continual Learning: Studying autonomous systems that plan, reason, and use tools safely over long horizons without safety drift.
- Benchmarking & Evaluation: Building robust evaluation suites and contamination-resistant environments to measure capabilities and alignment reliably.
Location
The positions are based at CISPA in the Saarland region, with the primary campus in the tri-border area near Saarbrücken and St. Ingbert. The region offers an international environment, natural green spaces, and proximity to neighboring France and Luxembourg.
Eligibility / Qualification
PhD Candidates
- Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a closely related discipline (or equivalent degree).
- Strong technical foundation demonstrated through coursework, projects, or early research experience.
- Curiosity, critical thinking, and motivation to pursue research in trustworthy AI.
Postdoctoral Researchers
- PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or a related field.
- Demonstrated scientific independence and leadership potential.
- Track record of publications in top-tier venues (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP) is highly desirable.
Interns (BSc / MSc / PhD)
- Relevant degree level for the internship (BSc, MSc, or PhD) and strong interest in research topics above.
- Motivation to contribute to active projects and to learn in a research setting.
Scholarship / Position Description
These are fully supported research positions within CRISTAL Lab, offering a competitive gross salary in line with the German TVöD E13 scale for full-time roles. Employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance, pension contributions, and 30 days of annual leave. CISPA provides a supportive onboarding process, language courses, research and travel funding, and an inclusive, collaborative work culture. The institute encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds and actively works to increase representation of underrepresented groups in computer science.
How to Apply
All applications must be submitted through CISPA’s online job portal. Prepare your application documents in PDF format and upload them via the portal. Email applications are not accepted. Follow the lab’s application guidelines on the CRISTAL Lab website for specifics on required materials.
- Primary job listing and application form: https://career.cispa.de/jobs/cristal-lab-26-146
- Internship (initiative) application: https://career.cispa.de/jobs/detail/initiative-application-research-54
- CRISTAL Lab information & guidelines: cristal-lab.ai
- Application FAQ: https://career.cispa.de/faq
Last Date to Apply
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The review period continues until 15 December 2026. Early applications are encouraged because selection is ongoing and start dates are flexible across 2026 and 2027.
Additional Notes
CISPA welcomes applicants regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief, disability, age, sexual orientation, or identity. The institute particularly encourages applications from women and candidates with disabilities. For further information about the research group and Dr. Cristina Gârbacea, visit her lab page and personal site.
- CRISTAL Lab: cristal-lab.ai
- Dr. Cristina Gârbacea: cristinagarbacea.com
- CISPA: https://cispa.de/en
