Mechanical Engineer for Vacuum Technology

Join CERN’s Vacuum, Surfaces and Coatings Group and contribute to engineering projects supporting the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments. As a Mechanical Engineer in the Experimental Vacuum team, you will work on the design, development, production and testing of ultra-high vacuum equipment around the ATLAS, ALICE, CMS and LHCb experiments, from initial concepts through to operational follow-up.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop precision mechanical equipment for ultra-high vacuum applications.
• Create 3D CAD models and perform structural, thermal and modal analyses to validate designs.
• Follow projects through design, prototyping, manufacturing, assembly and testing.
• Plan and carry out laboratory tests, including leak detection, residual gas analysis and vacuum performance measurements.
• Work with CERN workshops, suppliers and technical teams to support production and quality control.
• Contribute to the installation, commissioning and improvement of vacuum equipment for the LHC experiments.
• Collaborate across engineering disciplines to solve technical challenges and deliver reliable solutions.

Requirements

• You are a national of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State (excluding Pakistani, Lithuanian, Latvian, Cypriot, Croatian and Turkish nationals due to Associate Membership Agreement limits).
• By the application deadline, you have a master’s degree with 2 to 6 years of professional experience since graduation or a PhD with a maximum of 3 years of professional experience since graduation.
• You are not eligible with only a bachelor’s degree.
• You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.
• Mechanical design and CAD experience (CATIA, Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks or similar).
• Engineering simulation and analysis experience (ANSYS or similar).
• Experience in precision mechanics, manufacturing, assembly or testing.
• Experience or interest in vacuum technology or laboratory environments.
• Experience with ultra-high vacuum systems, leak detection or residual gas analysis is an advantage but not required.
• Your studies focused on Mechanical Engineering.
• Good foundation in mechanical engineering and design.
• Interest in developing expertise in ultra-high vacuum and precision engineering.
• Practical, curious and solution-oriented approach.
• Clear communication and commitment to high-quality engineering.
• Spoken and written English or French, with a commitment to learn the basics of the other language.

Skills

• Mechanical design
• CAD Software
• CATIA
• Autodesk Inventor
• SolidWorks
• Engineering simulation
• Ansys
• Precision mechanics
• Manufacturing
• Assembly
• Testing
• Vacuum technology operation
• Ultra-high vacuum systems
• Leak Detection
• Residual Gas Analysis
• Mechanical Engineering
• Engineering Design
• Laboratory environments

Languages

English, French