HVAC Engineer (EN-CV-PJ-2025-91-GRAP)

Job Description

Your responsibilities

The Engineering Department ( EN ) provides CERN with the engineering competences, infrastructure systems and technical coordination required for the design, installation, operation, maintenance and dismantling phases of the CERN accelerator complex and its experimental facilities.

The mandate of the Cooling and Ventilation (CV) group is to carry out the engineering studies, operation and maintenance of the cooling systems, pumping stations, air conditioning installations and fluid distribution systems for the accelerator complex including their experimental areas and special cooling systems of the particle detectors. It also provides service to the CERN Control Centre and Computer Centre among other installations.

The Project Section (PJ) within the CV Group is in charge of the design, tendering and work phases of CV installations as well as feasibility studies for new plants: the size of these plants can range from small systems up to large-scale structures of several MW.

The Einstein Telescope (ET) is a proposed underground facility for a third-generation gravitational-wave observatory. Building on the success of Advanced Virgo and Advanced LIGO, which detected merging black holes and neutron stars, ET will have a much higher sensitivity. This will be achieved with 10km interferometer arms (up from Virgo's 3km), a depth of 150-300 meters underground, and new technologies like cryogenic cooling of optics around 15K, quantum techniques to reduce light fluctuations, and advanced noise-reduction systems. ET will enable exploration of the Universe's gravitational waves back to the cosmological dark ages, offering insights into fundamental physics and cosmology. 

The CV Group is looking for an experienced HVAC Engineer in the Project Section to be in charge of the study and design of HVAC systems within the scope of Einstein Telescope future facility.

You will:

• Collect the ventilation requirements of ET facility;
• Perform design of industrial ventilation systems for surface building, underground facilities and experiment of ET facility, including sizing, cost estimate and planning for the proposed solutions;
• Interact with ET partners, external consultants and contractors;
• Write up technical reports and notes;
• Draw up technical specifications and all relevant documents that will be used to adjudicate the work to external contractors;
• Be in charge of the plan definition, execution and report.

You will benefit from:

• The opportunity to broaden your knowledge and experience into new areas like fluid dynamics, nuclear ventilation and system installation and commissioning;
• Specific training and support for professional development to foster your skills and develop your talents.

Your profile

Skills:

• Experience:
  • Demonstrated experience in the design of large-size ventilation installations and their related aeraulic components including experience in selecting related equipment and instrumentation;
  • Demonstrated experience in AutoCAD for 2D drawings and 3D modelling;
  • Knowledge of Revit is an asset.
• Knowledge:
  • Design of air handling units and HVAC systems;
  • Design of water and air networks;
  • Design of HVAC ancillary hydraulic systems.
• Soft skills:
  • Communicating effectively;
  • Working in a team;
  • Managing self;
  • Flexibility.
• 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 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: 02.07.2025 at 23:59 CEST.

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

Target start date: 01-September-2025

This position involves:

• Work in Radiation Areas.
• Interventions in underground installations.
• A valid driving licence.

Job reference: EN-CV-PJ-2025-91-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.