Junior Automation & Controls Engineer

Job Description

Join us and contribute to the development and commissioning of industrial control systems for CERN's largest power installations. You will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge automation technologies and modern software engineering tools.

Your responsibilities

• Design, develop, and commission large-scale, distributed control systems based on Siemens S7-1500 PLCs and CERN's UNICOS-CPC framework.
• Develop Python-based test scripts for model-based validation of control systems on a real-time Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) platform.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of our CI/CD pipelines and automated testing framework.
• Contribute to the adoption and integration of AI tools into the team's engineering and software development workflows.
• Supervise students.

More information here.

Your profile

• Practical experience in developing and testing Siemens S7-1500 PLC-based control systems.
• Knowledge of automation technologies (e.g. SCADA, fieldbuses, etc.).
• Initial experience with Python programming.
• Knowledge of Git, Gitlab and CI/CD practices.
• Familiarity with system testing and Hardware-In-The-Loop.

Skills

• Strong problem-solving and technical communication skills.
• Siemens S7-1500 PLCs and TIA Portal.
• Python.
• Git, Gitlab, CI/CD.
• AI-assisted software development tools, such as Claude Code or equivalent.

Skills that would be an advantage:

• Matlab Simulink and Hardware-In-The-Loop testing.
• Industrial fieldbuses (Profinet, OPC-UA) and SCADA (preferably WinCC OA).

Language 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.
• By the application deadline, you have a maximum of two years of professional experience since graduation in Automation, Electrical Engineering (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.

Qualifications

Additional Information

Job closing date: 01.12.2026 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-March-2027

Job reference: SY-EPC-CCS-2026-254-GRAE

Field of work: Information Technologies

Benchmark job: 200020 - Computing Engineer

Global Benefits

• A monthly net stipend of either 5266 or 5793 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: 5266 to 5793 (CHF) (MONTHLY)