JOB DESCRIPTION

CERN Position: Mechanical Engineer for HL-LHC Beam Dump (SY-STI-TCD-2025-134-GRAP)

Location: Geneva, ch

Job Description:

Your responsibilities

Are you a highly motivated Mechanical, Aerospace or Nuclear Engineer looking for a unique challenge at the forefront of technology? We invite you to join our team, in charge of the upgrade of the beam dumps for HL-LHC (WP14), which will soon enter the early stages of the production phase.

About Us:

The TCD (Targets, Collimators and Dumps) Section within the STI (Sources, Targets, and Interactions) group is responsible for all primary Beam-Intercepting Devices (BIDs) at CERN. Our involvement spans the entire life cycle of the devices, from their conceptual design to their production, installation, operation, and decommissioning.

About the Project:

The Target Dump Externals (TDE) absorb the beams extracted from the LHC whenever needed. The current design of the TDE consists of a large duplex-stainless-steel vessel filled with graphitic materials that can absorb beams of up to 540 MJ of stored beam energy in only 86 µs.

With the HiLumi (HL) upgrade, the dump core will need to absorb beams of up to 710 MJ stored energy. These beams which will cause temperature increases of up to 3200°C in accidental scenarios in the carbon-based materials of the core and will expose the vessel to extremely strong thermomechanical loads that the current duplex-stainless-steel vessel cannot cope with.

Consequently, substantial R&D work has been undertaken in the past three years to develop and prototype a new design for the dumps that is able to withstand these extreme conditions. The project is currently in the detailed design phase, and the orders for the long-lead time raw materials are being launched.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a highly motivated Mechanical, Aerospace or Nuclear Engineer to join the team in charge of the upgrade of the beam dumps for HL-LHC (WP14), which will soon enter the early stages of the production phase.

In this context, you will:

• Perform finite-element simulations for the detailed design of the beam dumps in all operational conditions and document the results in the detailed design report for the devices.
• Perform cooling simulations for the detailed implementation of the upgraded cooling system.
• Assess potential limitations for the HL dumps and propose suitable interlocks and injection inhibitors, as afforded by the proposed instrumentation package.
• Prepare procedures for the in-beam commissioning of the devices.
• Coordinate advanced material tests and perform detailed simulations to assess the limitations of the Run 3 spare dumps in case of their use in the HL era.
• Coordinate the reception of the raw materials, maintain a thorough follow-up with suppliers, document non-conformities and, if necessary, establish corrective actions.

More information here: https://cerncourier.com/a/intercepting-the-beams/

Your profile

Skills:

• Strong knowledge of systems engineering principles.
• Strong technical understanding of mechanical engineering principles, with expertise in mechanics of materials, heat transfer, and material science.
• Experience in relevant FEA software tools, such as Ansys (or equivalent). Knowledge of LS-DYNA is considered a strong plus.
• Experience in the redaction of technical documents (engineering reports, scientific publications, and procurement specifications).
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to facilitate collaboration.
• Proactive problem-solving mindset with the ability to defend ideas using technical arguments.
• Autonomy in handling specific technical tasks within a team context.
• Strong organizational skills to manage own and other people”s work.
• Hands-on approach and readiness to support technical activities.
• Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• You have a professional background in Mechanical, Aerospace, Nuclear Engineer (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: 24.09.2025 at 23:59 CEST.

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

Working hours: 40 hours per week

Target start date: 01-January-2026

This position involves:

• Work in Radiation Areas.
• Interventions in underground installations.
• A valid driving licence.
• Exposure to ionizing radiation and classified as category A.

Given the occupational health risks associated with this position, the selected candidate must obtain medical clearance before a contract offer is confirmed.

Job reference: SY-STI-TCD-2025-134-GRAP

Field of work: Mechanical Engineering

What we offer

• A monthly stipend ranging between 6287 and 6911 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.

Level of Education: Master Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 24

Level of Education: Master Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 24

Organization: European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)