Job Description

Your responsibilities

Are you passionate about cutting-edge control systems and embedded technologies? Our Infrastructure section within the Controls Electronics and Mechatronics group of the Beams Department is looking for a new colleague to join them.
The team is responsible for the deployment, monitoring and maintenance of accelerator controls, embedded frontend systems and fieldbuses.

This position focusses on cosollidate our portfolio of supported hardware types.

Specifically, you will:

• Evaluate, purchase and integrate new devices into the target hardware/software environment.
• Understand the capabilities of the hardware, and write associated device drivers and ancillary low-level software.
• Carry out system programming development in the Linux OS environment, down to the kernel level (specifically Linux device driver development for the purchased devices), and up to real-time OS systems programming.
• Understand and solve problems arising in the exploitation of Intel-based industrial PC architectures, when configured with extremely heterogeneous hardware.

Your profile

Skills

Required:

• Linux device drivers and Linux kernel development
• UNIX systems programming
• Familiarity with the hardware/software interface of industrial electronic devices
• Familiarity with industrial electronic devices (serial communications, industrial I/O, etc.)
• Solid knowledge of computer architecture, esp. Intel-based computer architecture and technology
• Programming languages: C and Python
• Acquaintance with administration of UNIX/Linux operating systems
• Acquaintance with the UNIX programming environment

Desired:

• Experience in Rust, C++ or other systems programming languages
• Experience with CI/CD in embedded/systems programming will be highly valued
• Acquaintance with concepts of electronics and digital design
• Ability to understand hardware description languages (VHDL, Verilog) and programmable hardware
• Spoken and written English or French, with a commitment to learn the basics of the other language.

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• You have a professional background in Software Engineer (or a related field) and have either:
  • a Master's degree with 2 to 6 years of post-graduation professional experience;
  • or a PhD with no more than 3 years of post-graduation professional experience.
• You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.

Additional Information

Job closing date: 02.07.2025 at 23:59h (midnight) CEST.

Contract duration: 24 months, with a possible extension up to 36 months maximum.

Working hours: 40 hours per week

Target start date: 01-September-2025

Job reference: BE-CEM-IN-2025-68-GRAP

Field of work: Software Engineering and IT

What we offer

• A monthly stipend ranging between 6287 and 6911 Swiss Francs per month (net of tax).
• Coverage by CERN's comprehensive health scheme (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
• Depending on your individual circumstances: installation grant; family, child and infant allowances; payment of travel expenses at the beginning and end of contract.
• 30 days of paid leave per year.
• On-the-job and formal training at CERN as well as in-house language courses for English and/or French.

About us

At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. Using the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments, they study the basic constituents of matter - fundamental particles that are made to collide together at close to the speed of light. The process gives physicists clues about how particles interact, and provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature. Find out more on http://home.cern.

We are on a Quest. A Journey into discovery like no other. Bring your expertise to our unique work and develop your knowledge and skills at pace. Join world-class subject matter experts on unique projects, in a Quest for greater knowledge and deeper understanding.

Begin your CERN Quest. Take Part!

Diversity has been an integral part of CERN's mission since its foundation and is an established value of the Organization. Employing a diverse workforce is central to our success.