The overall goal of the project is the reliability of smart contracts using dynamic techniques, particularly runtime verification. Runtime verification is a dynamic formal technique for software reliability that consists on generating monitors from specifications and evaluating the monitors at runtime against execution traces of the program.
Smart contracts are small pieces of code that execute on Blockchains. The execution of smart contracts regulate the interactions of the different users of the Blockchain. The reliability of smart contracts is crucial to protect against malicious users and ultimately for the adoption of the Blockchain technology.
Onchain monitoring refers to the activity of incorporating and executing the monitor with the smart contract during the baking or mining of block. In this project we will study mechanisms to efficiently implement onchain monitoring and similar defensive programming dynamic techniques, with applications to multi-contract interactions. These mechanisms include the use of existing features, proving impossibility results, and proposing new features to support monitoring and defensive programming. The ideal candidate should have a strong background on programming languages and formal methods and excellent programming skills.
Applications are invited to apply for a PhD position at the IMDEA Software Institute, Madrid, Spain.
Selected candidates will work with César Sánchez and an international team of graduate students and researchers focusing on Blockchain reliability.
Candidates should have an excellent MSc or BSc degree (or be close to complete one) in computer science, mathematics, or a related discipline, with an interest in the above area, and a strong commitment to research. Proven top programming skills as well as ability to understand and develop algorithms are required. Good teamwork and communication skills, including excellent spoken and written English are also required.
The position is based in Madrid, Spain, where the IMDEA Software Institute is situated. The institute provides for travel expenses and an internationally competitive stipend. The working language at the IMDEA Software Institute is English.
The duration of the position will be 4 years.
Applicants interested in the position should submit their application at https://careers.software.imdea.org/ using reference code 2021-06-phd-onchainmon. Review of applications will begin immediately and close when positions are filled or on July 15th, 2021
For enquiries about the position, please contact:
