Company Description

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.

Job Description

Introduction

The CERN Experimental Physics (EP) Department carries out research in the field of experimental particle physics, supporting several experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN.

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) is a complex general-purpose particle physics experiment operated by an international collaboration to carry out fundamental particle physics research. The efficient operation of the CMS detector is largely determined by the ability to control and monitor detector functional and environmental parameters. The Detector Control System (DCS) of CMS is based on industrial control systems and software, customized and developed for the specific functional needs of the experiment.

The successful candidate will take a leading role in the implementation, testing, commissioning, and operation of the CMS DCS, maintenance and development work associated with said system, management of platforms, services, applications and networks.

Functions

In the Experimental Physics (EP) department, CMS Experiment – DAQ & Trigger (CMD) group, you will:

• Design and develop detector control systems, platforms, services, applications, and networks for the CMS detector. Gather user requirements and constraints, conduct functional and process analyses, define system architecture, and identify suitable technical solutions;
• Implement and configure the said controls systems, platforms, services, applications and/or networks, defining the appropriate implementation strategy. Develop, integrate and configure systems;
• Test and deploy detector control systems, platforms, services, applications, and networks. Define and set up appropriate test strategies and environments, establish test procedures, and implement necessary modifications as needed;
• Support, maintain, and improve detector control systems, platforms, services, and applications. Provide technical assistance to users, ensure the stability of production systems, and drive continuous enhancements in collaboration with internal stakeholders and external partners;
• Share knowledge and communicate best practices to ensure proper implementation.

Qualifications

Master’s degree or PhD or equivalent relevant experience in the field of Information Technology or a related field.

Experience:

You have experience in:

• Industrial control systems and related software development, deployment and maintenance, and hardware integration;
• Management of highly scalable large-sized distributed detector controls systems for HEP experiments;
• High availability design and large-scale automatic installation, as well as maintenance, monitoring, troubleshooting devices, field bus systems, supervisory concepts and implementation based on finite state machine hierarchies.

Technical competencies:

• Knowledge and application of software life-cycle tools and procedures;
• Development of application software related to detector controls systems, in particular commercial controls software Siemens WinCC OA;
• Re-use, refactoring, integration and porting of existing software, in particular WinCC OA redundancy mechanism and WinCC OA distributed systems configuration;
• Knowledge of operating systems, in particular Windows Server low-level tools to debug application problems, and distributed mass storage systems including DFS;
• Design and development of systems based on standardized modules used for HEP detectors.

Behavioural competencies:

• Achieving results: having a structured and organised approach towards work; being able to set priorities and plan tasks with results in mind.
• Working in teams: working well in groups and readily fitting into a team; participating fully and taking an active role in team activities.
• Solving problems: identifying, defining and assessing problems, taking action to address them; assimilating large quantities of information, identifying key issues and formulating conclusions clearly and concisely.
• Learning and sharing knowledge: keeping up-to-date with developments in own field of expertise and readily absorbing new information; creating or participating in forums to exchange experience, comparing techniques and learn from others

Language skills:

Spoken and written English: ability to understand and speak the language in professional contexts. Ability to draw-up technical specifications and/or scientific reports and to make oral presentations. The willingness to learn French would be an advantage.

Additional Information

Eligibility and closing date:

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. We welcome applications from all Member States and Associate Member States.

This vacancy will be filled as soon as possible, and applications should normally reach us no later than 03.05.2025 at 23:59 CEST.

Employment Conditions

Contract type: Limited duration contract (5 years). Subject to certain conditions, holders of limited-duration contracts may apply for an indefinite position.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week

This position involves:

• Work in Radiation Areas.
• Work during nights, Sundays and official holidays.
• Interventions in underground installations.
• A valid driving licence.

Job grade: 6-7

Job reference: EP-CMD-2025-56-LD

Benchmark Job Title: Computing Engineer