Join the Automatic Control & Safety (ACS) section of the CERN Industrial Controls group (BE-ICS) and contribute to the control systems for the Primary Gas Systems (PGS) that supply detectors and installations across CERN's Experimental Areas. A central activity is the migration of the LHC Primary Gas Systems to a dedicated Experimental Areas infrastructure, regrouping their development, maintenance and first-line support.
You will work across the full control stack - from PLC logic and field instrumentation to WinCC OA supervision - using CERN's model-driven Gas Control System (GCS) and UNICOS-CPC frameworks.
Your responsibilities
- Contribute to the migration of the LHC Primary Gas Systems, covering PLC and SCADA (WinCC OA) development and commissioning.
- Develop and configure gas-system control applications on Schneider M580 and Siemens S7-1500 PLCs.
- Contribute to the specification, I/O definition and instrumentation of primary and detector gas systems and to HMI, touch-panel and notification (email/SMS) development.
- Support factory and site acceptance testing (FAT/SAT), installation and commissioning in the experimental areas, together with documentation and first-line operational support.
Your profile
- Interest in industrial control systems and hands-on work with hardware, instrumentation and field installations.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work within a multidisciplinary team.
- Good communication skills in English, with the ability to document and present technical work clearly.
Skills
- Some knowledge of PLC programming (IEC 61131-3) on Schneider and/or Siemens platforms, or willingness to learn.
- Familiarity with SCADA systems (WinCC OA an asset) and industrial communication protocols such as PROFIBUS, PROFINET, Modbus or Flowbus.
- Proficiency in a scripting or programming language such as Python.
- Interest in field instrumentation and gas/fluid systems.
- Knowledge of continuous integration (GitLab CI) or model-driven code generation an asset.
- Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.
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 Automation, Control Engineering (or a related field) and your highest educational qualification is either a Bachelor's or Master's degree.
- You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.
- Applicants without University degree are not eligible.
- Applicants with a PhD are not eligible.
Job closing date: 09.09.2026 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: Hybrid
Target start date: 01-November-2026
This position involves:
- Work in Radiation Areas.
- Interventions in underground installations.
- A valid driving licence.
Job reference: BE-ICS-ACS-2026-206-GRAE
Field of work: Electronics Engineering
Benchmark job: 200020 - Computing Engineer
Global Benefits
- A monthly net stipend of either 5266 or 5793 Swiss Francs per month 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.
Overview of CERN - Discover a world where the impossible is made possible!
At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, we are pushing the frontiers of science and technology. Our groundbreaking work brings together not only physicists but also a diverse range of professionals from engineering, technical, scientific, and administrative fields. Together, we foster an environment where innovation and collaboration thrive.
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.
If you are ready to be part of a dynamic, inclusive community pushing the boundaries of knowledge, CERN is the place where your curiosity and skills can thrive. Be part of our mission to uncover what lies at the heart of the universe! TAKE PART!
More information about us, here: careers.cern
Skills Required
- Nationality of a CERN Member or Associate Member State
- Maximum of two years of professional experience since graduation in Automation, Control Engineering, or a related field
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree as the highest educational qualification
- No previous CERN fellow or graduate contract
- English proficiency, spoken and written
- Commitment to learn French
- Valid driving licence
- Knowledge of PLC programming using IEC 61131-3 on Schneider or Siemens platforms
- Familiarity with SCADA systems and industrial communication protocols
- Proficiency in a scripting or programming language such as Python
- Knowledge of WinCC OA
- Knowledge of GitLab CI or model-driven code generation
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.
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