Job Description
Your responsibilities
As the successful candidate you will contribute to securing CERN and, especially, CERN's centrally-provided on-premises as well as cloud-hosted IT services. This includes cloud provisioning through Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Google Cloud Platform and Google Workspace (and eventually beyond).
Your main tasks will include:
- Contribute and manage a series of computer security projects (e.g. deployment of SDNs within the CERN Data Centres) relevant for a better protection of the Organization as well as providing advice and consultancy in matters of computer security.
- Improve the security of IT department's central computing facilities (e.g. MS365, Google Workspace), e.g. by reviewing the current implementations, identifying weaknesses, and adding further sources of security-relevant data to CERN Security Operations Centre.
- Take an active role in maintaining and supporting the Team's detection infrastructure (its "Security Operating Centre").
- Actively participate in the CERN CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response Team) and autonomously and independently handle computer security incidents within CERN but also happening at remote sites associated with the so-called Worldwide LHC Computing Grid, the High-Energy Physics community, and collaborating institutes and universities.
Your profile
Skills:
- Experience in design of networks as well as knowledge of communication technologies and protocols.
- Experience in administration of computing systems as well as installation, operation and maintenance (preventive and corrective) of computing systems: in particular excellent knowledge of the Linux/UNIX operating system, virtualization, databases, and in particular of shell scripting and programming (Python, and/or C), other languages or technologies would be a plus.
- Knowledge of best practises for developing secure software and of, development and integration of IT security (features), in particular in Google and MS cloud environments.
- Monitoring and responding to security threats and incidents for ICT systems.
- 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 Computer Science (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.
Additional Information
Job closing date: 24.07.2025 at 23:59 CEST.
Contract duration: 24 months, with a possible extension up to 36 months maximum.
Working hours: 40 hours per week
Target start date: 01-December-2025
Job reference: IT-GOV-CSO-2025-123-GRAE
Field of work: Software Engineering and IT
What we offer
- A monthly stipend ranging between 5196 and 5716 Swiss Francs (net of tax).
- Coverage by CERN's comprehensive health scheme (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
- Depending on your individual circumstances: installation grant; family, child and infant allowances; payment of travel expenses at the beginning and end of contract.
- 30 days of paid leave per year.
- On-the-job and formal training at CERN as well as in-house language courses for English and/or French.
About us
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.
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.
