Company Description

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.

Job Description

Introduction

Are you passionate about advancing computing technologies that enable groundbreaking scientific research? Join the CERN IT Compute & Devices group and contribute to the EU-funded ODISSEE project (Online Data Intensive Solutions for Science in the Exabytes Era) — an initiative focused on developing innovative technologies and methodologies that leverage European HPC supercomputing resources.

As a Digital Twin Computing Engineer, you will play a key role in evaluating and benchmarking novel computing platforms and methodologies that will shape the future of large-scale scientific computing.

In this role, you will:

• Test and benchmark advanced hardware demonstrators based on European digital technologies and intellectual property, working in close collaboration with European HPC supercomputer centres and CERN’s infrastructure teams.
• Collaborate with technology partners in the ODISSEE project and CERN openlab to assess digital twin frameworks for modelling and optimizing supercomputer architectures and simulating data centre operations.
• Leverage tools developed through the EC-funded interTwin project (such as itwinai and interlink) to support the integration and optimization of AI workflows on HPC supercomputing systems.

This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of HPC, AI, and digital twins, contributing directly to the next generation of computing technologies driving scientific discovery.

Functions

As a member of the IT-CD group in the CERN IT Department, you will:

• Collaborate with ODISSEE members, CERN openlab partners, and upstream communities on proof-of-concept hardware demonstrators, evaluating their performance as well as their suitability to support sustainable AI and data intensive workloads.
• Evaluate emerging digital twin technologies for data centre operations, collaborating with European (e.g., SURF, CSCS) and other supercomputer centres worldwide (e.g., ONRL).
• Prepare technical documentation, reports, and presentations to communicate project progress and outcomes effectively and ensure alignment with project goals and milestones.
• Represent CERN at international conferences, workshops, and meetings, sharing insights from your work and fostering collaborations with other research institutions and technology providers.

Qualifications

Master's degree or PhD or equivalent relevant experience in the field of Computing Engineering or a related field.

Experience:

We are looking for someone with the following demonstrated experience/skills:

• Proven experience in using large supercomputing centres in Europe.
• Extensive knowledge of heterogeneous architectures, including CPU, GPU, and other accelerator technologies.
• Experience with digital twin technologies.
• Proven experience on the optimization of AI workflows on HPC and methodologies for scalable AI applications on HPC supercomputers.
• Previous participation in, and experience writing technical reports for, EU research projects.
• Experience with data centre operations and optimization techniques would be an asset.
• Experience as Task Leader in EU research projects would be beneficial.

Technical competencies:

• Capturing and analysis of requirements for ICT systems.
• Development of data visualization applications.
• Architecture and design of ICT systems.
• Identification and selection of relevant emerging ICT technologies.
• Development of application software: : hands-on experience with AI frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or simila.

Behavioural competencies:

• Working in Teams: working well in groups and readily fitting into a team; participating fully and taking an active role in team activities.
• Solving Problems: addressing complex problems by breaking them down into manageable components.
• Managing Self: taking initiative beyond regular tasks and making things happen.
• Building Relationships: showing appreciation for the ideas and contributions of others and encourages others to express their views, even if controversial.

Language skills:

Spoken and written English or French, with a commitment to learn the other language.

Additional Information

Eligibility and closing date:

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. We welcome applications from all Member States and Associate Member States.

This vacancy will be filled as soon as possible, and applications should normally reach us no later than 03.11.2025 at 23:59 CEST.

Employment Conditions

Contract type: Limited duration contract (2 years). Subject to certain conditions, holders of limited-duration contracts may apply for an indefinite position.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week

Job Flexibility: Hybrid

Job grade: 6-7

Job reference: IT-CD-PI-2025-213-LD

Field of work: Software Engineering and IT

Benchmark Job Title: Computing Engineer