Application deadline: 2025-06-30 or until the vacancy is filled.
Type of contract: Full-time.
Employment: Temporary.
Starting date: September 1st, 2025 at the earliest.

We especially encourage applications by candidates from diverse groups; all are welcome in our team.

Job description

• Ghent University is seeking a candidate for a PhD position to research and enhance the interoperability of decentralized data vaults based on Solid, while maintaining compliance with EU regulations on AI and data protection.
• Solid was born as a decentralization effort for the Web, based on Web standards such as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or the Resource Description Framework (RDF), with the main goal of decoupling storage from data consumption, to enhance end-users control over their data and who gets to access it. Such a decoupling gives end-users the possibility to select which data vault provider to choose, while allowing them to reuse data across multiple applications and to switch between them at any time. This signifies a substantial change in relation to the current status quo of the Web, where the big platforms not only use data but also keep it in their own servers out of reach from their users.
• In this context, the PhD student is expected to extend existing protocols, data formats, and data sharing mechanisms with information in data vaults to facilitate seamless communication and data exchange among various decentralized data vault systems, including Solid. Moreover, the student will be expected to develop a demonstration of these data exchanges in decentralised environments, to demonstrate how these technologies can make data flow better for both individuals and companies when compared with alternative solutions. To facilitate these mutually beneficial interactions, the student will be developing technologies to assist with legal processes towards creating and maintaining long-term trust relationships between humans, businesses and machines.
• The PhD student will participate in an international and multidisciplinary team in an EU-funded Doctoral Network project called HARNESS (Harnessing AI and Data-Intensive Technologies), which includes expertise in the domains of ethics, law, and technology. The project consists of 13 doctoral candidates who will pursue their PhD across 9 universities, and collaborate with 9 other industrial and academic partners. The project has partners from 9 different countries. All 13 PhD projects will get comprehensive training, supervision, and secondments in several fields of knowledge, allowing individuals to become experts in their specific disciplines while gaining practical knowledge across the various fields of knowledge of the network. This training program is supported by an excellent team of partners who are world leaders in their respective domains.
• This PhD project will take place at Ghent University. Apart from the time at UGent, the student will have secondments in different partners, including at the Dublin City University (DCU), Ireland. There will also be common meetings with the other PhD students and supervisors in the doctoral network, including 3 training workshops.
• As a participant in the project, the PhD student will become part of the IDLab-KNoWS team at UGent and imec. The activities within the project will benefit from synergies with other projects in the group as well as with other activities in the department. The main supervisor will be Prof. Ruben Verborgh.

Your profile

• You need to hold a relevant master’s degree, e.g., a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering or Electronics Engineering. Moreover, at the date of recruitment, you have a maximum of four years of research experience and have not been awarded a doctoral degree.
• Strong background in Web development
• Additional experience considered as a plus:
  • Work experience (academic or industrial) or publications
  • Knowledge of the Resource Description Framework (RDF)
  • Interest in cross-domain research, including the legal domain, with a particular focus on data protection requirements
• Your English is fluent, both speaking and writing
• You are a team player with good networking and reporting skills
• Furthermore, due to the mobility rules of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie program, you must not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Belgium for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date.

About Ghent University

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities.

With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

Our offer

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months.
• Your contract will start on September 1st, 2025 at the earliest.
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by the Department of Personnel and Organization based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits (in Dutch).
• We offer a fully funded PhD position for full-time research in a highly international, renowned and friendly working environment, with a competitive salary at Ghent University. As a researcher you will publish and present your research results at major international conferences and in scientific journals in order to pursue your PhD degree and you will receive the possibility to follow various advanced training courses in Belgium and abroad. You are also expected to participate in outreach activities including, but not limited to, YouTube videos, social media updates, participation in public events and campaigns, as well as dissemination to popular press. Hence, a good team spirit, a good knowledge of English and effective communication skills (such as presenting and reporting) are of major importance for a successful collaboration.

Interested?