Job Description

Your responsibilities

As a Mechanical or Electro-Mechanical Engineer, you will join a team designing and delivering a new research facility dedicated to R&D on superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) systems.

Your role in this will be to lead the design and roll out of a state-of-the art motion-controlled high-pressure rinsing system for SRF cavities. Such a system requires fully automated generation and distribution of ultra-pure water, motion-controlled high-pressure rinsing, vacuum and solvent-based drying, and operation under inert atmospheres and ultra-clean conditions.

This is a challenging assignment involving a number of technologies and offering an excellent opportunity for growth in both technical expertise and process management. Given systems specific to SRF cavity technology go beyond standard industrial processes and off-the-shelf solutions, you can expect a work environment tailored to delivering highly customized, ground-up solutions that encourages creativity and insight. As your expertise with SRF system processes ramps up, there is the option to extend your activities to include participation in the design of decontamination airlocks and thermal chambers for plasma deposition systems.

For this purpose you will:

• Collaborate with CERN scientists, engineers, and technical experts to assess and develop required processes in order to meet SRF cavity preparation specifications,
• Conceptualise and design the equipment, carrying out the necessary structural calculations and the optimisation of the performance,
• Develop equipment adapted to operation in cleanroom environments, based on existing industrial solutions,
• Model, size and source equipment in compliance with EC machinery directive, sound engineering practice and other applicable conformity assessments,
• Collaborate with external suppliers for the selection of components, structures and sub-systems,
• Collaborate with CERN engineers and designers to produce detailed design drawings and calculation notes in view of outsourcing the manufacturing of the equipment.

Your profile

Skills

Demonstrated experience in at least one of the four following fields:

• Design of automated process equipment featuring motion control,
• Design of fluid handling systems (metering, distribution, flow + pressure control),
• Design of thermal chambers, preferably vacuum or controlled atmosphere (with complete system including the chamber with its vacuum group, heating system, gas cooling recirculation system, thermal shield),
• Design of filtration-pump plants / skids for pharmaceutical, semiconductor or nuclear applications, including reverse-osmosis, ion exchange resin and ultra-filtration stages,

Additional required skills:

• Sound knowledge of computerized design tools for machinery (3D CAD + FEM),
• Applied knowledge of the EC machine directive,
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities,
• Being able to work both independently and within a multidisciplinary team.

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• You have a professional background in Mechanical 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.

Additional Information

Job closing date: 16th January 2025 at 23:59 AM (midnight) CET.

Contract duration: 24 months, with a possible extension up to 36 months maximum.

Working hours: 40 hours per week

Target start date: 01-April-2025

Job reference: SY-RF-SRF-2024-219-GRAP

Field of work: Mechanical Engineering

What we offer

• A monthly stipend ranging between 6212 and 6828 Swiss Francs per month (net of tax).
• Coverage by CERN’s comprehensive health scheme (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
• Depending on your individual circumstances: installation grant; family, child and infant allowances; payment of travel expenses at the beginning and end of contract.
• 30 days of paid leave per year.
• On-the-job and formal training at CERN as well as in-house language courses for English and/or French.

About us

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. Find out more on http://home.cern.

We are on a Quest. A Journey into discovery like no other. Bring your expertise to our unique work and develop your knowledge and skills at pace. Join world-class subject matter experts on unique projects, in a Quest for greater knowledge and deeper understanding.

Begin your CERN Quest. Take Part!

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.