Tell us a little about yourself and what brought you to CERN? 

Hi! My name is Magnus, and I am from a charming town in Norway called Kristiansund. I lived there for 23 years before moving to Trondheim where I studied electrical power and energy at the technical college (THYF). Before moving to Trondheim, I got my electrical license and worked as an electrician for a while, but I soon realized I wanted more of a challenge.

After moving to Trondheim and studying for two years I was unsure where to go next. Thankfully we had a visit from CERN at our college which opened my eyes to the endless possibilities outside of Norway. There was still a thought in the back of my mind saying, “This is one of the biggest research organizations in the world, there is no way I’m getting a position” And it honestly felt impossible. During the same period, I got a message on LinkedIn from a recruiter at CERN telling me I was a good fit for several positions and with information like that, I felt I had to apply. I sent in a few applications for the positions I thought fit me best and thankfully I got a call back. I can’t stress how important it is to apply, even if it sounds impossible.

What do you do at CERN today? 

Today I work as an Electro-Mechanical Technician with the 600A Energy Extraction systems as a part of the Quench Protection Systems in the TE-MPE-MP section. Our systems make sure the superconductors and magnets are protected, even in the case of a “quench”. A quench is normally a result of an issue somewhere along the supercooled superconductor increasing its resistance and causing it to lose its superconductivity while also generating heat. In the event of such a quench, systems kick in to make sure the heat generated is spread over a large area and extracted to avoid any further damage to the superconductor or the magnets. These systems are vital to the operation and safety of the LHC. To be a part of something that important is incredible.

What is working at CERN like for you?

Working at CERN is a fantastically social, engaging and exciting experience. I have already gotten to know so many amazing people from different cultures and with different backgrounds and it’s always fun to hear about people’s different experiences getting here. Getting started can feel a bit overwhelming, as there is so much information to take in, but CERN has a great system for learning new things and there are so many options for who to ask if you’re unsure about something. It feels definitely like a safe space to ask questions and to grow, both professionally and socially.

What skills have you developed since joining CERN?

Since joining CERN I have become more knowledgeable with electrical systems and more confident in my own professional ability. I have also become better at taking a step back to analyze before starting my work. A lot of systems have very intuitive solutions. You’d be surprised to find rudimentary and basic parts can combine to construct things that seem impossibly complicated at first glance. The social aspects of CERN are also important to remember. I’ve always been very a social person but that really pays dividends in a place like CERN, with so many different people working with different parts. Even after a short time I feel like I am becoming more robust socially as well as more confident professionally.

What have been the main hurdles or challenges you encountered along the way? 

Honestly the most challenging part about working at CERN is the personal logistics. By that I mostly mean, the choice of living in France or Switzerland, the process of registering all your information and learning the French language. Two of my friends and I ended up moving to France and getting things like house insurance, automatic payments and transport solutions set up can feel overwhelming at times. Thankfully CERN has a lot of official channels to ask about that stuff, and everyone has been through similar things. It’s nice to be able to ask friends or colleagues who have been through the same process for advice, and after you get everything set up, it’s really not that bad.

Any favorite memories from your time at CERN so far? (What’s the most "CERN" moment you’ve experienced?)

Probably going down into the LHC tunnel to fix a broken breaker in our 600A EE systems. Getting down into the tunnel and seeing our systems in action is amazing. It ended up being a very efficient fix exchanging a breaker in around 20 minutes but down there, surrounded by the humming machinery of one of the world’s greatest scientific instruments, you feel the scale of what you’re a part of. Being at a depth of 100m underground and working on such a magnificent machine is exhilarating. The thought of thousands of scientists and engineers counting on you to fix an integral part of the collider so they can keep their research going is incredibly motivating and exciting.

What advice would you give to potential applicants?

Apply! Even if you feel like you might not be the best applicant for an opening, you will never know for sure if you don’t apply. CERN is a workplace in the same sense as any other, and we need people from all around the world for all kinds of different jobs. Be confident in your own ability and show us what you got!