Software Engineering and IT

Software is crucial to CERN's mission of producing particle beams for physics experiments, coordinating thousands of devices through a sophisticated accelerator control system. Our engineers and technicians develop software across all layers, from embedded real-time systems to micro-service-based backend servers and user interfaces. We leverage mainstream, open-source technologies such as Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Java, Python, and Kafka, ensuring our knowledge is broadly applicable beyond CERN.

Unleashing Innovation: CERN’s Pioneers in Software Engineering and IT

At CERN, software engineering and IT play a pivotal role in pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery. Our teams develop and maintain a vast array of applications and systems that support the world’s largest particle physics laboratory. From managing colossal data sets generated by the Large Hadron Collider to ensuring seamless communication and collaboration among thousands of scientists globally, our software engineers and IT professionals are at the forefront of innovation and technological advancement.

 

CERN’s IT landscape is a dynamic and challenging environment where cutting-edge technology meets groundbreaking science. Our experts work on projects that require advanced problem-solving skills and a deep understanding of both software and hardware. Whether it’s optimizing algorithms for data analysis, enhancing cybersecurity measures, or developing high-performance computing solutions, the work here is as diverse as it is impactful. Our commitment to open science and collaboration means that our innovations often extend beyond CERN, contributing to advancements in various fields worldwide.

 

Joining CERN’s software engineering and IT teams means being part of a community dedicated to excellence and continual learning. We offer a vibrant workplace where creativity and curiosity are encouraged, and where every project presents a new opportunity to make significant contributions to science and technology. At CERN, you’ll not only enhance your technical skills but also be part of a mission that aims to unlock the mysteries of the universe.

Ready to innovate?
Consult the job offers
High Performance Computing (HPC)
Harness the power of cutting-edge supercomputers at CERN to tackle the immense data generated by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and other groundbreaking experiments. Our HPC team deploys and maintains advanced computing frameworks and algorithms, ensuring efficient and timely data processing that fuels scientific discovery.
Development and Maintenance of Software Systems
Driving innovation by managing the full lifecycle of our software applications. From creation and testing to deployment and maintenance, our team develops custom software solutions that support the unique needs of our scientific research and support functions. Join us to build and refine tools that push the boundaries of particle physics.
Cybersecurity
Protecting CERN's digital frontier from cyber threats with our top-tier cybersecurity measures. Our team safeguards valuable digital assets and sensitive information by implementing robust security protocols, continuous monitoring, and regular audits.
Project example

Next-generation triggers: The next-generation triggers for CERN detectors

Key Objectives
  • Develop advanced trigger systems to efficiently filter and manage the increased data volume from the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) experiments.
  • Utilize cutting-edge technologies, including neural networks, quantum-inspired algorithms, high-performance computing, and FPGA techniques, to optimize event selection and theoretical modelling.
Impact
  • Enhance the precision and efficiency of detecting rare and significant particle interactions, thereby uncovering new phenomena in particle physics.
  • Support the HL-LHC's upgraded detectors, ensuring they can handle the higher data detail and volume, leading to higher quality and more detailed physics analyses.
Technological Innovations
  • Advanced Techniques: Implementation of neural network optimization, quantum-inspired algorithms, high-performance computing, and field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technologies.
  • Trigger System Levels: The ATLAS and CMS experiments use a two-level trigger system; the first level filters data within 10 microseconds, and the second high-level trigger further selects events for storage and analysis
  • Detector Upgrades: Enhancements to the ATLAS and CMS detectors for finer spatial and timing granularity, akin to higher-resolution camera images, resulting in more detailed and voluminous data per collision.
Conclusion
  • The NextGen Triggers project will mark a new chapter in high-energy physics, leveraging upgraded event-selection systems and data-processing techniques to unlock a realm of discoveries.

Open positions in Software Engineering and IT

Software Engineering and IT

That's a fact!
Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau, British and Belgian scientists, invented the World Wide Web (WWW) in 1989, while working at CERN. The web was originally conceived and developed to meet the demand for automated information-sharing between scientists in universities and institutes around the world.

Explore the diverse fields of work at CERN

Discover how your role can transition across various departments

Applied Physics

Applied Physics

Applied Physics at CERN plays a vital role in transforming theoretical concepts into tangible technologies that drive both scientific discovery and practical innovation. From developing cutting-edge particle detectors to contributing to global medical advancements, CERN's applied physicists are at the forefront of technology that changes the world.

Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering

Creating an inspiring and welcoming environment for CERN's scientific community by managing and developing CERN's buildings and infrastructures.

Data Science & Data Analytics

Data Science & Data Analytics

Our Data Analytics and Data Science experts transform massive datasets from large physics experiments into valuable insights leveraging cutting-edge algorithms and computational tools to drive innovation across various fields.

Electrical or Electronics Engineering

Electrical or Electronics Engineering

Pivotal in designing, developing, and maintaining the sophisticated systems that power our cutting-edge experiments.

Experimental Physics

Experimental Physics

CERN’s Experimental Physics challenges the limits of our understanding, transforming bold theories into high-energy collisions that reveal the universe’s deepest secrets. From designing experiments to analysing breakthrough data, our physicists push the boundaries of knowledge every day. Ready to turn theory into discovery?

Health, Safety and Environment

Health, Safety and Environment

Playing a pivotal role in ensuring the well-being of our people and the sustainability of our operations.

International Relations

International Relations

International Relations drive the Organization's strategy to build and maintain robust political, financial, and public support for CERN's scientific and societal missions.

Material and Surface Science

Material and Surface Science

Developing and maintaining advanced materials and surfaces essential for the optimal performance of particle accelerators.

Mathematics

Mathematics

Mathematics at CERN provides the essential language and tools that underpin theoretical models, data analysis, and algorithm development. From simulating high-energy collisions to optimizing detector performance, mathematical methods drive innovation across all areas of particle physics research.

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering at CERN is crucial to advancing technology and enabling cutting-edge scientific discoveries. Our engineers design, build, and maintain sophisticated machinery, complex accelerator systems and experimental facilities that power some of the world’s most complex and impactful experiments.

Support Services (Finance, HR, Legal, Procurement)

Support Services (Finance, HR, Legal, Procurement)

Support Services at CERN ensure smooth operations across the Organization, from finance, logistics and legal expertise to human resources, administrative support and scientific information management, enabling our scientists to focus on groundbreaking research.

Theoretical Physics

Theoretical Physics

Theoretical physics at CERN explores the fundamental principles of particles and forces, providing the framework for understanding the universe at its most fundamental level. It transforms abstract concepts into testable predictions, ensuring that CERN remains at the cutting edge of discovery.

Create an alert
Stay informed about new opportunities at CERN and don’t miss a chance to join us!
Find your Path There is a universe of opportunities at CERN; let us guide you
What's your domain?
What's your level of experience?