Job Description
Your responsibilities
The Mechanical and Materials Engineering (EN-MME) group, within the Engineering Department (EN), is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to perform engineering studies and calculations for the HL-LHC Crab Cavities.
The crab cavities are superconductive cavities that will be installed in the LHC during the next long shutdown, top optimisation the collision angle between the colliding beams, and increase the machine luminosity. The HL-LHC WP4 is the work package (WP) dedicated to the design, production, testing and installation of the crab cavities. This includes the other components of the cryomodule such as helium tank, magnetic and thermal screens, vacuum tank, tuning system, power coupler and HOM lines, as well as instrumentation for the survey.
You will join the WP4 engineering team with the main task of providing engineering support to the development and fabrication of the crab cavity cryomodule systems. Examples of the calculations required include structural, thermal, multiphysics (e.g. RF simulations coupled with thermal and structural simulations), shock and vibration simulations, as well as analytical computations.
You will participate to the regular project meetings, presenting the results of your studies and actively contributing to the advancement of the project. You will also be required to prepare reports and technical notes, to document the work done.
Your profile
Skills:
- Proven experience with finite element analysis software for thermal and structural simulations (e.g., ANSYS, COMSOL).
- Ability to analyse and interpret simulation data to guide design decisions and understand operational failure mechanisms.
- Understanding of the behaviour and design principles of ductile and brittle materials at room and low temperatures.
- Some initial experience with 3D CAD software (e.g. CATIA).
- Knowledge of superconductivity and RF principles would be an asset.
- Familiarity with International Standards dealing with the design and safety of structural and pressure equipment would be an asset.
- Attitude to teamwork in a multidisciplinary environment.
- Excellent communication and documentation skills.
- Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.
Eligibility criteria:
- You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
- You have a professional background in Mechanical Engineering (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.
Additional Information
Job closing date: 17.08.2025 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-January-2026 (with the possibility to start earlier)
Job reference: EN-MME-EDM-2025-117-GRAP
Field of work: Mechanical Engineering
What we offer
- A monthly stipend ranging between 6287 and 6911 Swiss Francs per month (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.
We are on a Quest. A Journey into discovery like no other. Bring your expertise to our unique work and develop your knowledge and skills at pace. Join world-class subject matter experts on unique projects, in a Quest for greater knowledge and deeper understanding.
Begin your CERN Quest. Take Part!
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.
