Research Assistant (MSc Thesis Worker), Digital Economic Security Lab

About the role

The Digital Economic Security Lab (DIESL) at Aalto University is hiring research assistants to carry out research on the international political economy of digital infrastructures. The assistants are final-year MSc students in Computer Science (including the Information Networks Master's programme) or related fields who write their Master's thesis as part of the role. The start date is flexible, in fall or winter 2026-27, and the post lasts 6 months. The salary is 2,620.59 EUR per month full-time, or pro rata for part-time.

Key responsibilities

• Write a Master's thesis addressing a research question relevant to DIESL, chosen in consultation with the supervisor and advisor.
• Contribute to research on topics such as data centre surveys, global cloud adoption, and the effects of Russian sanctions on digital infrastructure.
• Work within DIESL, a multi-disciplinary research group studying computational infrastructures and their economic and political shaping.

Required profile

• Final-year MSc student in Computer Science or a related discipline.
• Strong interest in studying technology from the perspectives of international trade and global politics.
• Attention to detail and ability to write fluent academic English.
• Ability to work on a specific research topic; some candidates also benefit from basic knowledge of policymaking and tech governance.

Required skills

• Potential topics need multivariate statistics and regression modelling in R, Python or Stata, or ML/statistics in Python, or basic econometrics in R/Python and network measurement data parsing.
• Fluent academic English.

To apply, submit through Aalto's online application system by October 18th, indicating the topic of interest in the cover letter. Attach a CV, an 800-word cover letter matching the selection criteria, and a writing sample in English. Shortlisted candidates are invited to an interview.