Pavlina will be joining the Livestream at our joint CERN, ESA, ESO career event "Reach for the stars, accelerate your career" on 6th October, 3pm CET.

Find out more and register for this event on: https://gcfjobs.com/3lwNPtD

Hi Pavlina, tell us a little about yourself and what brought you to CERN?

My name is Pavlina Trubacova and I am from Czech Republic. My CERN adventure started four years ago, when I started my Fellowship as a Mechanical Engineer in CERN’s Main workshop in the Engineering department. I spent an incredible three years there in the fabrication environment where I was working on the R&D projects for the Superconductive Radio-Frequency (SRF) applications, such as niobium machining and polishing and I also participated in the LHC accelerating cavities manufacturing development. 
After that, I had a new opportunity to continue my CERN career as a Mechanical Engineer in the Technology department working on Kicker magnets design.
And what brought me to CERN? There is a simple answer: It was one of my dreams! When I was at high school I visited the CERN visitor exhibition and we had a Czech guide who worked at CERN for all his career: when he was speaking about the research and projects at CERN I knew I wanted be part of it. 

What do you do at CERN today?

I am now working as a Mechanical Engineer in the Technology department in Acceleration Beam Transfer group. My main duties are the Kicker magnets design and the fabrication follow up, the installations, and the tests of the related equipment. Following the project in its entire cycle is amazing. 

What is working at CERN like for you?

The multicultural environment of CERN is an opportunity to work with people from different countries, and with different backgrounds and competencies, which is very stimulating. What I appreciate the most is the many new research projects and the possibility to contribute and to improve myself.

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

As a mechanical engineer, I would not call it challenges but goals. For example, the very demanding fabrication of the SRF workpieces with their unimaginable shapes and the high requirements on the manufacturing development. Then, it is in my current position that I have many goals each day. I am learning about many different types of equipment and problematics in the Kicker magnets world, such as the High-Voltage installations, Magnet components, Hydraulics and Gas installations and Generators and Controls system designs.

What advice would you give potential applicants?

It will not be advice but the encouragement from my side: do not hesitate and come to enjoy the work on the CERN science and to contribute to the new physics discoveries! The impressive thing is that everyone can find their domain here. You do not need to be physicist! We are all participating to the final goal and CERN needs all specialisations. Take part!