The goal of this project is to introduce innovative selections into the ATLAS trigger system to improve the identification of events in difficult regions of the parameter space, including rare Standard Model processes and exotic signatures. In collaboration with NextGen doctoral students, the selected candidate will contribute to the development of the trigger menu for the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) era. The position is part of the Next Generation Trigger programme.
Your responsibilities
- Design new triggering algorithms and strategies, including alternative data flows and ML/AI-based approaches.
- Develop tools to support HL-LHC trigger menu studies.
- Simulate trigger selections and estimate trigger rates using data and HL-LHC Monte Carlo samples.
- Ensure that proposed solutions meet trigger menu constraints on processing resources and rate limits.
- Implement solutions within the central ATLAS trigger software.
- Collaborate closely with ATLAS trigger and TDAQ upgrade experts.
- This role includes team supervision responsibilities.
Your profile
- Strong background in collider physics.
- Experience with AI/ML and trigger systems.
Skills
- Strong software skills
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Experience with, or willingness to supervise, students.
- Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.
Eligibility criteria:
- You have a professional background in PhD in 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.
Job closing date: 22.07.2026 at 23:59 CEST.
Contract duration: 24 months, with a possible extension up to 36 months maximum.
Working hours: 40 hours per week
Job flexibility: Fully Onsite
Target start date: 01-October-2026
This position involves:
- Work during nights, Sundays and official holidays, when required by the needs of the Organization.
Job reference: EP-ATL-OSW-2026-124-GRAP
Field of work: Experimental Physics
Benchmark job: 200140 - Applied Physicist
Global Benefits
- A monthly stipend between 6372-7004 Swiss Francs per month (tax free) depending on your degree.
- 30 days of paid leave per year plus 2 weeks annual closure.
- Coverage by CERN’s comprehensive health insurance scheme (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
- Family, child and infant monthly allowances depending on your individual circumstances.
- A relocation package (installation grant and travel expenses) depending on your individual circumstances.
- Possibility to extend your contract up to 36 months.
- On-the-job and formal training including language classes.
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Every day, we face exciting new challenges and opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge research that shapes our understanding of the universe. We meet these challenges through the diverse perspectives within our teams, ensuring every contribution is valued and driving our shared sense of inclusion and purpose. Diversity is a core value of CERN since its foundation, and it remains central to our mission and continued success.
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More information about us, here: careers.cern
Skills Required
- PhD in Physics or related field OR Master’s degree with 2-6 years post-graduation professional experience
- Strong background in collider physics
- Experience with AI/ML methods
- Experience with trigger systems (ATLAS trigger)
- Strong software skills
- Experience implementing solutions within central ATLAS trigger software / familiarity with TDAQ
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Experience with, or willingness to supervise, students
- Spoken and written English and commitment to learn French
What We Do
CERN is an international laboratory for particle physics research, providing unique particle accelerator facilities to uncover what the universe is made of and how it works.
