FPGA and Hardware Designer (BE-CEM-EDL-2026-16-GRAP)

Job Description

Are you passionate about cutting-edge technology and eager to work on innovative projects? We are looking for an FPGA designer to join us. As part of our team, you will contribute to the White Rabbit project: a CERN-born technology and now an industry-standard that provides sub-nanosecond synchronisation and deterministic data transfer to distributed devices interconnected with a WR network. We are looking for a skilled hardware and gateware (HDL) developer to work with us on the next generation of the WR switch (White Rabbit Switch v4). It is the core component of a WR network and now a new, higher performance version is under development. Join us and take an active role in the design of this fully open-source Ethernet switch!

Your responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain HDL modules (mostly VHDL).
• Develop simulation test benches (mostly SystemVerilog).
• Assist in the development of production tests to be conducted post-hardware manufacturing.
• Assist in hardware design, reviews and production.
• Develop automated tests, to be run on hardware in Continuous Integration (CI) pipelines.
• Develop basic low-level software and firmware.
• Participate in the hardware/software co-design process, where hardware, HDL, firmware, Linux device drivers and host applications are developed and reviewed together with software developers.

Your profile

• Experienced with AMD/Xilinx tools and FPGAs (Ultrascale, Zynq).
• Experienced with software development for bare-metal and embedded Linux.
• Knowledgeable of PCB design of analogue/digital circuits.
• Experienced in measurements with oscilloscope, phase noise analyser.
• Experience with Linux device drivers is desirable.

Skills

• FPGA design and simulation using VHDL, Verilog or System Verilog.
• Design of electronic circuits (schematics, PCB) based on FPGA or System-on-Chip.
• Low-level C programming.
• Git-based development, code reviews, merge requests and CI pipelines.
• Python programming skills, including testing with PyTest, are desirable.
• 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 Electronics 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: 03.03.2026 at 23:59 CET.

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

Working hours: 40 hours per week

Job flexibility: Fully Onsite

Target start date: 01-April-2026

Job reference: BE-CEM-EDL-2026-16-GRAP

Field of work: Electrical or Electronics Engineering

Benchmark job: 200050 - Electronics Engineer

Global Benefits

• A monthly stipend between 6372-7004 Swiss Francs per month (tax free) depending on your degree.
• 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 and travel expenses) depending on your individual circumstances.
• Possibility to extend your contract up to 36 months.
• On-the-job and formal training including language classes.

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