Geneva, Switzerland What you'll do
You will serve as a hands-on Fire Officer within CERN’s Fire and Rescue Service, combining operational command on shift with managerial responsibilities in a complex, high-risk, international environment. Your primary responsibility is to lead and coordinate emergency response operations while actively contributing to planning, training, readiness and continuous improvement of the service.
Is this opportunity of interest, and/or you have questions for our Fire Brigade? CERN will be hosting a webinar on 17.02.2026 from 17:00 to 18:30!
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Your responsibilities
- Provide operational command during firefighting, rescue, and accident response incidents in a complex, high risk industrial environment, acting as on duty Fire Officer and coordinating effectively with internal services and external emergency responders in France and Switzerland.
- Maintain continuous operational readiness through oversight of personnel, vehicles, and equipment, ensuring safe, effective, and timely interventions.
- Sustain a strong hands-on operational presence, with direct engagement in daily fire station activities, team leadership, and shift level operations.
- Contribute to operational planning, emergency preparedness, and risk management, including post incident follow up and continuous improvement actions.
- Lead and support firefighter training, drills, and exercises, promoting operational competence, teamwork, and readiness.
- Participate in operational and administrative management, supporting projects, innovation, and stakeholder engagement to enhance safety and operational excellence.
Still here? Let's make a quick check about
Your profile
- At least five years’ experience as a Fire Officer in an urban, industrial, or large organised fire service, with proven operational command capability and sound knowledge of incident command systems.
- Hands on operational professional with strong understanding of fire station operations, readiness management, training, exercises, and operational preparedness.
- Demonstrated ability to lead teams and make sound decisions under pressure, working effectively in an international and multicultural environment.
- Experience working with partner emergency services and stakeholders, with a strong interest in innovation, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing.
- Experience in Fire Prevention, Fire Engineering, Hazardous Materials, Dispatch, Education and Training, Emergency Medical response is desirable.
- You have the diplomas and/or certificates proving you are educated and trained as a Fire Officer or in the fields of Emergency Management, Operations Management, Incident command, Fire Science, Fire Engineering, Civil Protection, Public Safety, or an equivalent fire officer training programme or a related field.
- The ideal candidate shall have a Recognised Fire Officer certification issued by a public authority or an accredited body, with formal training in incident command (Bronze level or equivalent).
Your skills
- Emergency first response: including preparedness, ability to plan, coordinate and execute emergency operations, including cooperation with internal services and external emergency organisations.
- Incident command and control: knowledge of operational procedures, command structures, resources and readiness mechanisms essential for effective response.
- Occupational safety and risk management: including crisis management, the capability to assess risks, manage crises and make sound operational decisions in high-pressure and time-critical situations.
- Stakeholder relationship management: ability to build and maintain effective working relationships, strengthen cooperation between teams and coordinate actions with multiple internal and external partners.
- Health, Safety and Environment expertise: understanding safety systems, emergency response principles and incident management in a complex industrial and scientific environment.
- Acts as role model and leads by example; uses power and/or position in the interests of all.
- Contributes to promoting a positive atmosphere in the team through an optimistic and constructive attitude; addresses issues.
- Has a structured and organised approach towards work; is able to set priorities and plan tasks with results in mind.
- Recognises what is essential; discriminates between important and peripheral information and is able to see the whole picture.
- Questions traditional assumptions and ways of doing things.
- Spoken and written English or French, with a commitment to learn the other language.
Medical hazard
- Exposure as operational firefighter
Employment conditions
- A valid driving licence.
- Stand-by duty, shift work, and work during nights, Sundays and official holidays, when required by the needs of the Organisation.
- Residence in the immediate vicinity of the Organisation's installations.
- Interventions in underground installations.
- Work in Radiation Areas.
Global Benefits at CERN
Let's get you ready
Be sure to meet the eligibility criteria
- You are a national of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State.
- You have relevant qualifications and professional experience.
- If you have previously held a Staff contract at CERN, you will not be eligible for these positions.
- Please pay attention to the additional criteria and requirements for this specific position and mentioned above.
You will need these documents to complete your application
- Your CV (English or French)
- Any document you consider relevant to your application
