Staff Recruitment Process

Below you will find videos to guide you through the different stages from publication to hiring.

With the COVID-19 pandemic and the move of most interviews to an online model, you can also see our dedicated CERN online Staff recruitment process video.

Good luck!

Where to find our open positions

All of our vacancies are published on our website, but also on a whole host of other job portals, in our Member States. Portals selected depend on the field and level in which the post opens. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Seek and you will find us!

 

Publication

Our positions are traditionally open for 4 to 6 weeks. Once a position closes, we carry out a first filter in HR on the basis of the qualifications and experience, and match of profile to post of course - then we will send this first list to the hiring department who will do a second stage filter. All candidates are then contacted whether or not they are successful, and we try our best to make this communication as quickly as possible after the closing date. The successful candidates will be invited to take part in a web interview, and if they make it past this stage, for a face to face interview at CERN on a given date.

 

Web Interview

Before inviting candidates on site for the interview day, there is an intermediate step with the asynchronous web interview. It is asynchronous because we will not be on the other side of the camera interviewing you. Several questions are asked to help us evaluate your skills and motivation. You have several days to answer the interview, choose a nice environment and even though you can’t see the questions in advance, be prepared. We understand you can be nervous doing this kind of exercise and we take it into consideration.

 

The Interview day

You've been invited to interview! That's fantastic news! So here is what you can expect. CERN runs interviews for given posts on one date and one date only.

We invite 4-5 candidates for each and you will be welcomed by one of our recruitment team members, then by the recruiter. The recruiter will start with a briefing to inform you about CERN, employment conditions, and what the day has in store for you.

As a preview, you will have an individual, face to face interview with a panel of members: from HR, the hiring department and an external department. This is many people for sure, but don't let that put you off, we are there to hear all about you and to find out whether you are the person for the job.

If you have been asked to prepare a presentation, keep it to the maximum 10 minutes requested, and structure it well to bring out why your experience makes you the ideal candidate for the job. We have little time with you, so good time management is key.

Depending on the post, there may also be a test and a visit of your future workplace if time allows. Make the most of this visit as an opportunity to have your questions answered.

In the middle of the day, we will take you out to lunch as an opportunity for down-time in a more relaxed setting.

Don’t forget to prepare for the interview, there is plenty of information on CERN’s website (link is external) about the organization and about the group you are applying to work with!

It's easier said than done, but relax and give your best!

 

 

Hiring

If you have made it past the interview stage and are recommended for selection, that’s terrific!

The recruiter will contact you by phone to explain what to expect next. A contract with CERN is subject to a satisfactory medical examination. In the initial correspondence you will receive, we will guide and advise you on getting this done.

You will then receive a job offer by email within two weeks of the board, detailing the financial terms of employment.

This will then be followed, a few weeks later, by the formal contract which you will receive by email with a host of useful information for your arrival at CERN.

If you didn’t get recommended for selection, don’t be disheartened and keep applying!