Platform Engineer (RCS-SIS-TS-2025-272-LD)

Company Description

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.

Job Description

Introduction:

You will support development teams and ensure reliable operation of Open Science core services such as INSPIRE, SCOAP3, and CERN Analysis Preservation by delivering modern platform tooling, automation, observability, and infrastructure. This role combines hands on service operations with close collaboration with developers and the fast evaluation of new technologies.

Functions:

• Support development teams with best practices, deployment models, observability, and platform tooling to ensure smooth integration and reliable production operations.
• Provide and maintain developer tooling (templates, automation scripts, CI/CD workflows, development environments, platform services) to streamline development, testing, and deployment.
• Operate and improve production services (INSPIRE, CAP, SCOAP³, and related systems), ensuring reliability, performance, scalability, and security; participate in monitoring, incident response, and service lifecycle management.
• Lead and contribute to postmortems, conducting structured incident analysis, identifying root causes, defining actions, and driving reliability improvements.
• Design and automate platform components, including Kubernetes resources, GitOps workflows, Helm/Kustomize configurations, and infrastructure-as-code environments to improve reproducibility and reduce operational overhead.
• Prototype and evaluate new technologies (cloud-native tooling, operators, observability stacks, AI-related infrastructure) and integrate them when beneficial.
• Enhance developer experience by improving documentation, automation, self-service capabilities, and platform usability.

Qualifications

Master's degree or equivalent relevant experience in the field of Computer Science or a related field.

Experience:

• Expertise with GitOps and ArgoCD.
• Kustomize and Helm (chart development/maintenance).
• Git proficiency and GitHub repo/organization management.
• Operation of medium-to-large production Kubernetes clusters.
• Grafana dashboard creation and maintenance.
• OpenSearch for logs (indices, templates).
• HAproxy/Kubernetes ingress (stick tables, rate-limiting, traffic shaping).
• AI infrastructure: mCP servers, model serving, ML workflows (Kubeflow), vector databases, embedding services, model management.

Technical competencies:

• Administration of computing systems: Operating medium-to-large Kubernetes clusters using GitOps (ArgoCD/Kustomize).
• Knowledge and application of software life-cycle tools and procedures: Automating CI/CD pipelines (Git, Helm).
• Installation, operation and maintenance (preventive and corrective) of computing systems: Operating observability and ingress systems (Grafana/OpenSearch/HAProxy).
• Knowledge of system configuration tools: Defining and maintaining configurations with Helm, Kustomize and IaC.
• Development of system software (drivers, system configuration and monitoring, etc.): AI infrastructure operations (MCP, model serving, Kubeflow, vector DB).

Behavioural competencies:

• Achieving Results: having a structured and organised approach towards work; being able to set priorities and plan tasks with results in mind.
• Communicating Effectively: expressing opinions, ideas and suggestions with conviction and in a logical/structured manner; keeping to the point.
• Solving Problems: testing solutions for long-term suitability, cross-checking with all concerned before implementation.
• Demonstrating Flexibility: adapting quickly and resourcefully to shifting priorities and requirements.
• Learning and Sharing Knowledge: keeping up-to-date with developments in own field of expertise and readily absorbing new information.

Language skills:

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

Additional Information

Eligibility and closing date:

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. We welcome applications from all Member States and Associate Member States .

This vacancy will be filled as soon as possible, and applications should normally reach us no later than 16.01.2026 at 23:59 CET.

Employment Conditions

Contract type: Limited duration contract (5 years). Subject to certain conditions, holders of limited-duration contracts may apply for an indefinite position.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week

Job Flexibility: Hybrid

This position involves:

• Work during nights, Sundays and official holidays, when required by the needs of the Organization.
• Stand-by duty, when required by the needs of the Organization.

Job grade: 6-7

Job reference: RCS-SIS-TS-2025-272-LD

Field of work: Software Engineering and IT

Benchmark Job Title: Computing Engineer

Global Benefits

• 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.

Overview of CERN - Discover a world where the impossible is made possible!

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!

More information about us, here: careers.cern