Geotechnical Engineer

Job Description

You will support the Future Circular Collider (FCC) site investigations campaign (approximately 100 deep boreholes) - including the project management, permitting and stakeholder engagement - and the design studies for the project's underground and surface civil engineering infrastructure, as a graduate engineer with experience in geotechnical and/or underground civil engineering, joining the civil engineering team working on the FCC at CERN.

Your responsibilities:

• Support site investigations project manager with both site-based and office support for all execution of the planning, execution and reporting of the site investigations campaign.
• Assist with design reviews of tunnels, shafts, caverns and surface structures, checking consultant deliverables against the brief, design codes and CERN requirements.
• Support geotechnical calculations and analyses.
• Help assess construction methods, including TBM and conventional excavation, and their interaction with ground conditions.
• Contribute to the project geotechnical and hydrogeological risk register and to options studies for alignment and site layout.
• Support cost estimates, construction schedules and quantity take-offs for the civil works.
• Help translate site investigation findings into design parameters and geotechnical baseline information.
• Prepare technical notes, drawings mark-ups and presentation material for internal reviews, committees and public engagement.
• Liaise with other CERN groups (integration, survey, cooling and ventilation, safety, etc.) on interfaces with the civil works.

Your profile:

• Strong academic background in geotechnical engineering.
• First experience working in a consultancy/contractor specialising in geotechnical works, either surface or underground.
• Strong fundamentals in soil and rock mechanics.
• Basic experience of geotechnical modelling.
• Familiarity with GIS and geotechnical data management.

Skills:

• Ability to work in an international team and adapt readily to changing requirements.
• Willingness to work on a variety of tasks as the team requires.
• Organised, able to manage several tasks and deadlines at once.
• A clear communicator, in writing and in person, with specialists and non-specialists alike.
• 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 Geotechnical or Civil 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.

Qualifications

Additional Information

Job closing date: 17.11.2026 at 23:59 CET.

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-February-2027

This position involves:

• A valid driving licence.

Job reference: SCE-PPM-FC-2026-169-GRAP

Field of work: Civil Engineering

Benchmark job: 200010 - Civil Engineer

Global Benefits

• A monthly net stipend of either 6372 or 7004 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

Compensation: 6372 to 7004 (CHF) (MONTHLY)