System Administrator (BE-CSS-ISA-2025-216-LD)

Join CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, where innovation thrives. Contribute to groundbreaking particle physics and enjoy a collaborative work environment.

Tasks

• Manage and maintain Linux systems for accelerator control operations.
• Develop container technologies and orchestration within Kubernetes.
• Collaborate with users to address operational challenges effectively., Are you a skilled and experienced System Administrator and Computing Engineer? Do you want to contribute to the unique challenge of making all CERN particle accelerators function in an efficient and synchronised manner? Join CERN's Controls Software & Services group, to work on the computing infrastructure needed to run the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. Take Part!

The 24/7 availability of core control system services is critical to the surveillance and operation of CERN's particle accelerators, enabling the organisation to fulfil its central mission. To ensure the robustness and scalability of those services and to open the door to multi-data-centre high-availability techniques to reinforce business continuity, the services are progressively being migrated to a new on-premises Kubernetes infrastructure, backed by modern network storage and DevOps technologies.

Our team helps make this a success through the development and evolution of this computing infrastructure needed as a core element of the accelerator complex controls.

You will have the opportunity to contribute and influence the evolution of this complex and challenging infrastructure, imprinting your remarkable engineering skills on mission-critical solutions for CERN, which will serve for the coming decades.

You will join:

• The BE Department, responsible for the beam generation, acceleration, diagnostics, controls and performance optimization for the LHC and its injector accelerators.
• The CSS Group , responsible for providing and supporting the controls software and infrastructure used to operate and maintain these particle accelerators 24 hours a day.
• The ISA Section , a dynamic and quality-oriented agile team, responsible for the CERN Accelerator control system computing infrastructure and system administration.

Functions

As a Computing Engineer specialised in System Administration, you will join a passionate team and take an important role in the operation of the CERN accelerator control system infrastructure. Furthermore, you will participate in numerous strategic projects for the future in terms of operating systems and container and orchestration technology.

In particular, you will:

• Perform system administration tasks for the Linux computers connected to the accelerator control system (control room consoles, data centre servers, real-time embedded platforms and virtual machines).
• Communicate with end-users to understand their needs and help translate these into appropriate solutions.
• Investigate, diagnose, and resolve operational problems in collaboration with end-users ranging from equipment specialists to operations teams.
• Participate actively in the strategic evolution of the accelerator control system infrastructure towards container technology hosted upon Kubernetes.

In particular:

• Provide containerisation mechanisms and tools for software development teams (base images, registry, security aspects).
• Contribute to the planning and migration of the infrastructure from bare metal to a clustered container orchestration platform.
• Advance, improve and upgrade the control system Kubernetes platform and associated services to follow technology evolution and adapt to the needs of users of the controls environment.
• Collaborate closely with engineers from the IT Department responsible for the general CERN IT infrastructure.
• Mentor and supervise junior engineers.

• Master's degree in Computer Science or relevant experience required.
• Experience with distributed computing and Linux systems essential.
• Knowledge of container technologies and configuration management tools., Master's degree or equivalent relevant experience in the field of Computer Science or a related field., Proven experience in the operation of medium to large-scale distributed computing infrastructures, including:
• Linux operating system.
• High-performance and high-availability commercial server platforms.
• Container technologies (such as Docker and Podman).
• Administration of an on-premise Kubernetes infrastructure and associated services (e.g. ArgoCD, Hashicorp Vault and Prometheus) with an awareness of architectural concerns and management of the lifecycles of the involved services, including upgrades and integration with network storage.
• Diagnostic and monitoring solutions for the aforementioned technologies, with the awareness of security aspects to be considered in their deployment.
• Configuration management tools such as Ansible, Puppet, or similar and a version control system such as Git.
• Interest in software failure analysis, diagnostics, and validation in a Linux environment.

Technical competencies:

• Knowledge of operating systems: linux-based support and maintenance.
• Architecture and design of ICT systems: control & data acquisition system, distributed?applications and services.
• Knowledge of programming techniques and languages: system configuration, monitoring, Python and Java environments.
• Knowledge of communication technologies and protocols.
• Installation, operation and maintenance of control systems.

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.
• Achieving Results: having a structured and organised approach towards work; being able to set priorities and plan tasks with results in mind.
• Learning and Sharing Knowledge: keeping up-to-date with developments in own field of expertise and readily absorbing new information.
• Demonstrating Flexibility: adapting quickly and resourcefully to shifting priorities and requirements.
• Communicating Effectively: demonstrating a pro-active approach to resolving differences; addressing issues of conflict constructively.

Language skills:

Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.

• A competitive salary (tax free), increasing in line with your years of relevant experience.
• 30 days of paid leave per year plus 2 weeks annual closure.
• Coverage by CERN's comprehensive health insurance scheme (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
• Family, child and infant monthly allowances depending on your individual circumstances.
• A relocation package (installation grant, removal, travel expenses) depending on your individual circumstances.
• Possibility to extend your contract up to 8 years + eligibility for indefinite contract tenure.

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., At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, we are pushing the frontiers of science and technology. Our groundbreaking work brings together not only physicists but also a diverse range of professionals from engineering, technical, scientific, and administrative fields. Together, we foster an environment where innovation and collaboration thrive. Every day, we face exciting new challenges and opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge research that shapes our understanding of the universe. We meet these challenges through the diverse perspectives within our teams, ensuring every contribution is valued and driving our shared sense of inclusion and purpose. Diversity is a core value of CERN since its foundation, and it remains central to our mission and continued success. If you are ready to be part of a dynamic, inclusive community pushing the boundaries of knowledge, CERN is the place where your curiosity and skills can thrive. Be part of our mission to uncover what lies at the heart of the universe! TAKE PART!