Working Student (f/m/d) NPU Physical Security Testing
NXP SemiconductorsJob Title
Working Student (f/m/d) NPU Physical Security Testing
Role Summary
Investigate the physical security of AI accelerators and NPUs by experimentally evaluating devices under side-channel and fault-injection scenarios. Work with a hardware-security research team to reproduce known attacks, assess applicability to modern accelerator architectures, and explore new measurement and fault models.
Hands-on role with laboratory equipment and advanced hardware platforms; position offers a hybrid work option. Compensation: €19.40 per hour.
Experience Level
Entry-level - working-student role suitable for current Master's students or equivalent early-career candidates.
Responsibilities
Primary duties include setting up experiments, reproducing attacks from the literature, and reporting results.
- Study state-of-the-art physical attacks against AI accelerators and ML hardware.
- Reproduce selected published side-channel and fault-injection attacks on neural-network hardware.
- Develop and operate experimental setups for security evaluation of NPU-based platforms.
- Analyze the impact of physical attacks on neural-network execution and inference behavior.
- Explore novel attack vectors, measurement techniques, and fault models applicable to AI accelerators.
- Evaluate, document, and present experimental results; contribute to technical reports and potential scientific publications or demonstrations.
Requirements
Required skills and attributes for successful performance in the role.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Experience programming in C/C++ and Python.
- Knowledge of digital design concepts and computer architecture.
- Interest in hardware security, embedded systems, or machine-learning hardware.
- Reliable, methodical working style suitable for security-related tasks and potential certification scopes.
- Nice-to-have: familiarity with machine-learning concepts.
Education Requirements
Currently pursuing a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
About the Company
Company: NXP Semiconductors
Headquarters: Nijmegen, Netherlands
NXP Semiconductors N.V. is a global semiconductor company that provides High Performance Mixed Signal and Standard Product solutions. With over 45,000 employees and operations in more than 35 countries, NXP is a leader in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, catering to automotive, industrial IoT, mobile, and communication infrastructure markets. The company is committed to innovation and sustainability, advancing a smarter, safer, and more sustainable world through technology.
