Machine Learning Security Research Fellow

Who We Are

Founded in 2012 by 3 expert hackers with no investment capital, Trail of Bits is the premier place for security experts to boldly advance security and address technology’s newest and most challenging risks. It has helped secure some of the world's most targeted organizations and devices. Our combination of novel research with practical solutions reduces the security risks that our clients face from emerging technologies. Our work helps drive the security industry and the public understanding of the technology underlying our world.

Cybersecurity preparedness is a moving target. Companies like ours are the tip of the spear in the fight against attackers. Our research-based and custom-engineering approach ensures that our client’s capabilities are at the forefront of what’s available. For companies and technologies that live and die by their security, a proactive, tailored approach is required to keep one step ahead of attackers.

Democratizing security information is essential. As part of our business, we provide ongoing informational support through blogs, whitepapers, newsletters, meetups, and open-source tools. The more the community understands security, the more they’ll understand why a company like ours is so unique and valuable.

Role

Trail of Bits is launching a Machine Learning Security Research Fellowship designed for researchers seeking high-impact industry experience. This one-year fellowship positions the researcher at the intersection of cutting-edge AI/ML research and real-world security, working with the world's most advanced AI/ML systems deployed by leading AI organizations. The fellow will conduct original security research on frontier AI/ML systems while collaborating with our AI Assurance team on high-stakes client engagements. 

This fellowship offers the intellectual rigor of academic research combined with direct impact on production AI/ML systems at scale, making it ideal for PhD candidates exploring alternatives to academic careers or recent graduates seeking industry research experience. No traditional security background required—we're looking for exceptional AI/ML researchers who can think adversarially about complex systems.

What You'll Achieve

• Independent Research Agenda: Pursue your own AI/ML security research interests with support from Trail of Bits' research team, with opportunities to publish findings and present at leading conferences.
• Frontier System Assessment: Gain hands-on experience evaluating the security of state-of-the-art AI/ML systems deployed by top AI organizations, working on problems that represent the cutting edge of AI/ML security.
• Novel Attack & Defense Development: Design and implement new attack methodologies, defensive techniques, and evaluation frameworks for adversarial AI/ML scenarios including model poisoning, adversarial examples, jailbreaks, and data extraction.
• Open-Source Impact: Build and release AI/ML security tools and frameworks that benefit the broader research community, with support for open-source contribution as a core fellowship objective.
• Mentorship & Collaboration: Work alongside Trail of Bits' security research team, gaining exposure to security engineering practices while maintaining focus on research excellence.
• Research Output: Produce publishable research, technical blog posts, and open-source tools that advance the state of AI/ML security understanding—with explicit support for academic publication.

What You'll Bring

• PhD-Level AI/ML Expertise: Currently pursuing or recently completed (within 2 years) a PhD in machine learning, computer science, statistics, or related field, with strong research credentials. 
• Research Excellence: Track record of high-quality research through publications, preprints, workshop papers, or significant open-source contributions that demonstrate deep AI/ML expertise.
• AI/ML Systems Proficiency: Strong hands-on experience with modern AI/ML frameworks (PyTorch, JAX, TensorFlow), foundation models, and the full AI/ML research workflow including experimentation, training, and evaluation.
• Security Mindset: Demonstrated ability to think adversarially about systems, identify edge cases, or explore failure modes—even without formal security training. Interest in adversarial AI/ML, robustness, or AI safety highly valued.
• Strong Programming Skills: Proficient in Python and comfortable with systems programming. Experience implementing research prototypes and experimental frameworks.
• Intellectual Independence: Self-directed researcher capable of defining research questions, designing experiments, and driving projects to completion with minimal supervision.
• Communication Ability: Can explain complex technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences and synthesize research findings into actionable insights.

Fellowship Structure

• Duration: One-year commitment with potential pathway to full-time position.
• Research Time: Dedicated time allocated for independent research and publication.
• Conference Support: Travel funding for conference presentations and research community engagement.
• Mentorship: Regular collaboration with Trail of Bits researchers and exposure to client work.
• Flexibility: Opportunity to shape the fellowship around your research interests within AI/ML security.

Reporting Manager: Dan Guido, CEO 

The base salary for this full-time position ranges from $100,000 to $120,000, excluding benefits and potential bonuses. Various factors influence our salary ranges, including the specific role, level of seniority, geographic location, and the nature of the employment contract. An individual's specific work location, unique skills, experience, and relevant educational background will determine the final offer within this range. The presented salary range encompasses the starting salaries for all U.S. locations. For a precise salary estimate tailored to your preferred location, please discuss it with your recruiter during the hiring process.

Trail of Bits, Inc. participates in E-Verify, the US federal electronic employment eligibility verification program. Learn more.

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Benefits, Perks & Wellness

Trail of Bits is our people, not a place. With over 100+ employees working from every time zone across the globe, our remote-first culture is built on autonomy and trust (and backed by smile-worthy benefits) for full-time employees:

Empowered Living:

• Competitive salary complemented by performance-based bonuses.
• Fully company-paid insurance packages, including health, dental, vision, disability, and life.
• A solid 401(k) plan with a 5% match of your base salary.
• 20 days of paid vacation with flexibility for more, adhering to jurisdictional regulations.

Nurturing New Beginnings:

• 4 months of parental leave to cherish the arrival of new family members.
• Our team is global and remote-first. However, if you are interested in moving to NYC, we offer $10,000 in relocation assistance to support your transition.

Work & Life Enrichment:

• $1,000 Working-from-Home stipend to create a comfortable and productive home office.
• Annual $750 Learning & Development stipend for continuous personal and professional growth.
• Company-sponsored all-team celebrations, including travel and accommodation, to foster community and recognize achievements.

Community Impact:

• Philanthropic contribution matching up to $2,000 annually.

Dedication to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB)

Trail of Bits is a community of innovators, risk-takers, and trailblazers who celebrate individual differences and recognize that unique perspectives make us stronger, smarter, and more successful. We actively seeks applicants who can bring a variety of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds to the team. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, sex, pregnancy, pregnancy-related condition, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, qualified handicap, gender identity, results of genetic testing, military status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Our team values diversity in experience and backgrounds—we do our best work when we create space for different voices and perspectives. Whatever unique experiences or skill sets you bring, we look forward to learning from each other.