Job Description

Your responsibilities

Are you an Applied Physicist with a deep interest in materials and their properties as applied to particle accelerators?

We invite you to take on a pivotal role in investigating the electrodynamic impedance of materials and its influence on the design and performance of particle accelerator components. This includes beam-facing surfaces, which are integral to the accelerator vacuum system and its various parts.

In this project, you will engage in a wide range of activities, including the study of surface roughness, electrical conductivity, and superconductivity. Collaborating with leading experts from different CERN Departments, you will develop innovative tools to evaluate the electrodynamic properties of materials crucial for current and future CERN accelerators.

This initiative is part of a core study within CERN’s Technology (TE) Department, specifically the Vacuum,
Surfaces and Coatings (VSC) Group. Here, advanced thin film coatings and surface treatments are developed for beam-facing surfaces of vacuum chambers and other components. These innovations aim to manage vacuum properties and secondary electron yield. As a key team member, you will assess the impact on surface impedance by developing coaxial and dielectric resonators operating at cryogenic temperatures and multiple frequencies. This work will culminate in defining the optimal coating properties for each application.

A significant part of your role will involve running simulation codes to design test equipment and model accelerator components. You will validate these simulations through experimental measurements. Additionally, you will participate in projects focused on developing and evaluating superconducting thin film coatings, further enhancing our capabilities to test thin film samples.

Your profile

Skills

• Experience in material impedance testing
• Knowledge of engineering design of accelerator vacuum components
• Knowledge of (RF) superconductivity
• Fluency in English, with the willingness to learn French

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• You have a professional background in Applied Physics (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: 27th of March at 23:59 (midnight) CET.

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

Working hours: 40 hours per week

Target start date: 01-June-2025

This position involves:

• Work in Radiation Areas.
• Interventions in underground installations.

Job reference: TE-VSC-VSM-2025-34-GRAP

Field of work: Applied Physics

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.