The CERN Origin graduate programme is hiring a Junior Automation & Controls Engineer (SY-EPC-CCS-2026-254-GRAE) in Geneva, Switzerland. The role is a 24-month contract with a monthly net stipend of 5,266 or 5,793 Swiss Francs, open to nationals of CERN Member and Associate Member States with a Bachelor's or Master's degree and a maximum of two years of professional experience since graduation. Applications close on 01 December 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we went through the responsibilities, eligibility rules and benefits below so you can decide quickly whether this role fits you.
The Role at a Glance
🏛️ Organisation: CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research
📍 Location: Geneva, Switzerland
🧾 Job reference: SY-EPC-CCS-2026-254-GRAE
🗂️ Field of work: Information Technologies
📊 Benchmark job: 200020 - Computing Engineer
⏱️ 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
💶 Monthly net stipend: 5,266 or 5,793 Swiss Francs, depending on your degree
⏰ Application deadline: 01 December 2026 at 23:59 CET
Not an Erasmus+ or ESC Programme
🚫 This is a CERN job, not an Erasmus+ or European Solidarity Corps (ESC) project. You apply directly to CERN, and eligibility depends on holding the nationality of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
Control Systems for CERN's Largest Power Installations
The team behind this role develops and commissions industrial control systems for CERN's largest power installations. You get the chance 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 the team's 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.
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The Profile CERN Is Looking For
🔌 Practical experience in developing and testing Siemens S7-1500 PLC-based control systems.
📡 Knowledge of automation technologies, for example SCADA and fieldbuses.
💻 Initial experience with Python programming.
🔀 Knowledge of Git, Gitlab and CI/CD practices.
🧪 Familiarity with system testing and Hardware-In-The-Loop.
Skills You Should Bring
🧠 Strong problem-solving and technical communication skills.
🛠️ Siemens S7-1500 PLCs and TIA Portal.
📜 Python.
🔧 Git, Gitlab and 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 Requirements
🇬🇧 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 a university degree are not eligible.
🚫 Applicants with a PhD are not eligible.
Contract Terms and Benefits
💶 Stipend: a monthly net stipend of either 5,266 or 5,793 Swiss Francs per month, depending on your degree.
🌴 Leave: 30 days of paid leave per year plus 2 weeks of annual closure.
🩺 Insurance and pension: coverage by CERN's comprehensive health insurance scheme for yourself, your spouse and children, and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
👨👩👧 Allowances: family, child and infant monthly allowances, depending on your individual circumstances.
🧳 Relocation: a relocation package (installation grant and travel expenses), depending on your individual circumstances.
📈 Extension: possibility to extend your contract up to 36 months.
📚 Training: on-the-job and formal training, including language classes.
Working at CERN
At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, the frontiers of science and technology are pushed every day. The work brings together not only physicists but also a diverse range of professionals from engineering, technical, scientific and administrative fields, in an environment where innovation and collaboration thrive.
CERN describes diversity as a core value since its foundation, central to its mission and continued success, and invites people whose curiosity and skills can help uncover what lies at the heart of the universe.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the CERN Junior Automation & Controls Engineer role pay?
The role comes with a monthly net stipend of either 5,266 or 5,793 Swiss Francs, depending on your degree. Benefits include 30 days of paid leave per year plus 2 weeks of annual closure, health insurance and a relocation package.
Who can apply?
You must be a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State, hold a Bachelor's or Master's degree, and have a maximum of two years of professional experience since graduation in Automation, Electrical Engineering or a related field. You must never have had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before, and applicants with a PhD or without a university degree are not eligible.
How long is the contract?
The contract lasts 24 months, with a possible extension up to 36 months maximum. The target start date is 01 March 2027 and working hours are 40 per week.
Is the job onsite or hybrid?
The job flexibility is listed as hybrid, and the position is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Which languages do I need?
You need spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French. CERN offers language classes as part of its training.
What is the application deadline?
Applications close on 01 December 2026 at 23:59 CET.
Find more openings like this on Youth Works Hub's jobs page.
Deadline
⏳ 01 December 2026
Link
Application: https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/CERN/744000161068569-junior-automation-controls-engineer-sy-epc-ccs-2026-254-grae-
CERN Careers: https://careers.cern/
