Software Engineer - Computing and Data Management (EP-DT-2025-12-GRAP)

Job Description

Your responsibilities

As a Software Engineer specializing in software development, you will contribute to maintaining, developing, and optimizing tools for coordinating users, experiments, and activities across CERN’s test-beam areas and irradiation facilities. You will also work to harmonize and consolidate these tools to increase synergies, enhance data models, and reuse programming code and infrastructure.

Responsibilities:

• Adapt and modify software tools based on input from facility and physics coordinators, ensuring seamless information flow between users, experts, and coordinators.
• Maintain and upgrade tools for irradiation facilities (Data Manager, online databases, DAQ & controls, gamma-spectrometry, e-logs) and collaborate with accelerator teams to develop operational pages using WRAP technology.
• Ensure long-term sustainability and integration of software tools with CERN’s IT services (e.g., single sign-on, databases, storage, backups).
• Manage deployment, availability, scalability, and reliable operation of IT services using CERN’s infrastructure.
• Support tasks such as organizing user meetings, scheduling beam times, and coordinating visits by international teams.

Experience & Skills:

• Proven ability to analyze user requirements and implement web application modifications.
• Experience with platform-as-a-service (PaaS), container-based deployment, and orchestration strategies.
• Practical knowledge of test-driven development (data modeling, version control, issue management, etc.).
• Familiarity with web services and APIs; experience in their design is a plus.
• Willingness to learn dynamic web technologies is advantageous.
• Experience in particle physics, detector R&D, test beams, or irradiation experiments is an asset.

Your profile

Skills

• Knowledge of programming techniques and languages: A strong background and proficiency in Python 3.x, Django and adjacent technologies (Semantic UI frameworks, etc.) is required. Familiarity with PHP, Java, JavaScript & JQuery, Bootstrap would be helpful.
• Knowledge of C/C++/C# would also be an asset.
• Competency in using gitlab for version control is essential, some experience or interest in continuous integration is of advantage.
• Practical experience with at least one of the following relational database systems is expected PostgreSQL, MySQL and Oracle (more or all of them would be of advantage). Knowledge of APEX database would also be an advantage.
• Some familiarity with Docker and/or OpenShift based container implementations.
• Proficiency in writing low level HTML and XML based user interface template blocks and some experience with dynamic web frontend technologies (htmx, reactjs, angularjs, etc.).

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• You have a professional background in MSc or PhD degree or equivalent relevant (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: 13.02.2025 at 23:59 hrs CET.

Contract duration: 18 months, with a possible extension up to 36 months maximum.

Working hours: 40 hours per week

Target start date: 01-March-2025

This position involves:

• Participation in a regular stand-by duty, including nights, Sundays and official holidays.
• Work in Radiation Areas.
• Residence in the immediate vicinity of the Organization's installations.
• A valid driving licence.
• Stand-by duty, when required by the needs of the Organization.
• Work during nights, Sundays and official holidays, when required by the needs of the Organization.
• Exposure to ionizing radiation and classified as category A.

Given the occupational health risks associated with this position, the selected candidate must obtain medical clearance before a contract offer is confirmed.

Job reference: EP-DT-2025-12-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.