Computing Engineer

Job Posting Organization:
CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is a leading scientific research institution established to probe the fundamental structure of the universe. It employs physicists and engineers who utilize the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments to study the basic constituents of matter. CERN's mission is to advance knowledge and understanding of the universe through groundbreaking research and innovation. The organization operates in multiple countries and employs a diverse workforce, fostering an environment of collaboration and inclusion. CERN is committed to diversity as a core value since its inception, which is integral to its success and innovation.

Job Overview:
The Computing Engineer position at CERN is focused on enabling open science through advanced computing services, data infrastructures, and collaborative research environments. The role involves a combination of hands-on technical work and engagement with diverse scientific communities. The successful candidate will join CERN’s IT Department, specifically within the Collaborative Applications Group (IT-CA), which provides platforms and services for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and scientific information management. The Institutional Repositories section (IT-CA-IR) is responsible for developing and operating services related to research data, publications, open science, and institutional knowledge. The role will also involve contributing to the EOSC CERN Node, which is CERN’s contribution to the European Open Science Cloud ecosystem. The position requires a proactive approach to technical design, development, and operation of analysis facilities that support scalable and reproducible scientific analysis workflows, as well as the design and implementation of Virtual Research Environments (VREs).

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Computing Engineer include:

• Contributing to the technical design, development, and operation of analysis facilities that support scalable and reproducible scientific analysis workflows.
• Designing and implementing Virtual Research Environments (VREs) that integrate data management, workflow execution, software distribution, and analysis services.
• Contributing to federated scientific data infrastructures, including data lake concepts, distributed data management, and large-scale data access.
• Supporting and coordinating technical activities with scientific communities involved in open science data challenges, including particle physics and external research infrastructures.
• Developing and maintaining software components, service integrations, and operational tooling for scientific computing services, including cloud-native deployments and automation.
• Promoting common solutions and best practices across communities, contributing to competence centres, working groups, and collaborative technical forums.
• Collaborating with research infrastructures and scientific domains such as particle physics, astronomy, and astroparticle physics to translate requirements into robust computing solutions.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for the Computing Engineer position include:

• A Master's Degree or PhD or equivalent relevant experience in Software Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Proven experience in the development and operation of scientific computing platforms or research services.
• Familiarity with analysis facilities, distributed analysis environments, or interactive scientific workflows.
• Experience in large-scale data management, data lake architectures, or federated infrastructures.
• Integration experience with research data services, repositories, workflow platforms, or authentication and authorisation systems.
• Technical collaboration experience with scientific communities or international research infrastructures.
• Familiarity with open science, FAIR data principles, research repositories, or EOSC-related services is advantageous.
• Experience in a coordinating role within distributed scientific communities around data analysis and data management is an asset.
• Familiarity with tools such as Rucio, REANA, CVMFS, Notebook technology (e.g., JupyterLab), or Zenodo/InvenioRDM is beneficial.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Master's Degree or PhD in Software Engineering, Physics, or a related field. Equivalent relevant experience may also be considered. The educational background should provide a solid foundation in scientific computing and data management principles, as well as an understanding of the technical requirements for developing and operating scientific computing services.

Experience:
Candidates should have significant experience in the development and operation of scientific computing platforms or research services. This includes experience with analysis facilities, distributed analysis environments, and interactive scientific workflows. Familiarity with large-scale data management and data lake architectures is essential, as well as experience in integrating research data services and collaborating with scientific communities.

Languages:
The position requires proficiency in spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French being an advantage. Effective communication skills are essential for collaborating with diverse scientific communities and ensuring that messages are clearly understood.

Additional Notes:
The position is a limited duration contract for 5 years, with the possibility of extension up to 8 years and eligibility for an indefinite contract tenure. The working hours are 40 hours per week, with hybrid job flexibility. The role may require work during nights, Sundays, and official holidays, as well as stand-by duty when necessary. The job grade is classified as 6-7, and the reference for this position is IT-CA-IR-2026-139-LD. CERN offers a competitive salary that is tax-free and increases with relevant experience, along with 30 days of paid leave per year, comprehensive health insurance coverage, family allowances, and a relocation package depending on individual circumstances.