Job Description

Your responsibilities

In the framework of the LHC High-Luminosity upgrade, the CMS experiment will undergo a major upgrade with the replacement of the Tracker and Endcap calorimeter detectors. These two new detectors will be cooled by evaporating Carbon Dioxide using innovating cooling system designed at CERN.

The successful candidate will integrate in a team of cooling experts (Technicians, Technical Engineers, Engineers) who are operating the present and future cooling systems. She/he will support the various cooling activities associated to the construction and testing of the CMS detectors, and in particular:

• Take part in the operation of the evaporative CO2 cooling systems, supporting the detector teams for testing and commissioning activities. This will include participation in the pressure and leak tests but also the realization of small mechanical assemblies that can be used for prototype tests.
• Be involved in the maintenance activities for the water and CO2 cooling systems. This will include the maintenance of the CO2 membrane pumps and replacement of valves or filters.

Your profile

Required Skills:

• Experience in manufacturing of small mechanical assemblies
• Interest in cooling systems and mechanics
• Teamwork: communicating well with others while working on the same projects

Skills considered an advantage:

• Experience in manufacturing of pipework, including pipe-joining techniques (welding, brazing)
• Experience in maintenance and operation of cooling system
• Experience in using CAD systems such as CATIA (or equivalent)
• Fluent in English, the ability to work in French would be an advantage

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• By the application deadline, you have a maximum of two years of professional experience since graduation in Cooling and ventilation, mechanics (or a related field) and your highest educational qualification is a general secondary education diploma.
• You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.
• Applicants with a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD degree are not eligible.

Additional Information

Job closing date: 19 March at 23:59 CET.

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

Working hours: 40 hours per week

Target start date: 01-May-2025

This position involves:

• Work in Radiation Areas.
• Interventions in underground installations.
• 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.
• Use of certain mobile work equipment or equipment used for lifting loads (lifting equipment, bridge cranes, aerial work platforms, etc.) requiring a driving authorization.
• Exposure to electromagnetic fields under certain exposure conditions.

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-CMX-SCI-2025-27-GRAE

Field of work: Mechanical Engineering

What we offer

• A monthly stipend of 4624 Swiss Francs (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.

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.