Computing Engineer

Job Posting Organization:
CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, was established in 1954 and is one of the world's largest and most respected centers for scientific research. With a mission to probe the fundamental structure of the universe, CERN employs physicists and engineers who utilize the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments to study the basic constituents of matter. The organization operates in multiple countries and has a diverse workforce, which is central to its success. CERN is committed to diversity and inclusion, making it a core value of the organization.

Job Overview:
The Computing Engineer position at CERN is focused on contributing to the evolution of the OpenStack private cloud. This role is crucial as the OpenStack service undergoes a significant upgrade aimed at modernizing its infrastructure to provide advanced features to hundreds of users across the organization. The successful candidate will be involved in integrating new technologies such as Software-Defined Networking and Load Balancing as a Service, which are essential for enhancing the cloud's capabilities. The role requires collaboration with various IT teams to design new features and integrations, as well as working closely with the open-source OpenStack community to contribute improvements and bug fixes. The position is ideal for individuals who are passionate about cloud environments and enjoy solving real-world problems through relentless debugging.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Computing Engineer include driving the integration of new technologies into CERN's private cloud, contributing to the stable operation of large-scale service offerings such as virtualization, networking, and load balancing as a service. The engineer will liaise with various IT teams to design and implement new features and integrations, support the user community in adopting cloud technologies, and work closely with the open-source OpenStack community to contribute to upstream improvements and bug fixes. Additionally, the role may involve stand-by duty and working during nights, Sundays, and official holidays as required by the organization's needs.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must have hands-on experience with Linux systems administration as an essential qualification. It is expected that applicants have experience in developing with Python. Familiarity with CI/CD tools, test automation, and deployment is considered a nice-to-have qualification. Knowledge of virtualization, configuration, and container technologies such as OpenStack, Puppet, Docker, and Kubernetes is beneficial. Additionally, understanding networking technologies like Open VSwitch, OVN, or BGP is a plus. Proficiency in spoken and written English is mandatory, and a commitment to learning French is also required.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or a related field. Candidates must be nationals of a CERN Member or Associate Member State and should have a maximum of two years of professional experience since graduation. It is important to note that applicants without a university degree are not eligible, and those with a PhD are also not eligible for this position.

Experience:
The level of experience needed for this position is a maximum of two years of professional experience since graduation in a relevant field. This ensures that candidates are relatively new to the workforce and can bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the team while still being able to contribute effectively to the organization's goals.

Languages:
The mandatory language for this position is English, which must be spoken and written proficiently. Additionally, candidates are expected to have a commitment to learning French, which is considered beneficial for communication within the organization and with the local community.

Additional Notes:
The contract duration for this position is 24 months, with a possible extension of up to 36 months. The working hours are set at 40 hours per week, with a target start date of September 1, 202

• The position may require stand-by duty and working during nights, Sundays, and official holidays as needed by the organization. The job reference for this position is IT-CD-CLI-2025-108-GRAE. The compensation includes a monthly stipend ranging from 5196 to 5716 Swiss Francs (net of tax), coverage by CERN's comprehensive health scheme for the employee and their family, and various allowances depending on individual circumstances. Additionally, employees are entitled to 30 days of paid leave per year and will receive on-the-job and formal training at CERN, as well as in-house language courses for English and/or French.