About us

At CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. Using the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments, they study the basic constituents of matter - fundamental particles that are made to collide together at close to the speed of light. The process gives physicists clues about how particles interact, and provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature. 

Job description

Join CERN's detector R&D programme for future high-energy physics experiments, working on advanced optical communication technologies for next-generation particle detectors. In this role, you will contribute to the development of radiation-tolerant Silicon Photonics components for high-speed data transmission in challenging environments.

Your work will include hands-on laboratory characterisation of Silicon Photonics circuits and the design of innovative photonic devices. This position offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of photonics, electronics, and particle detection technologies.

Your responsibilities

• Contribute to the electro-optical characterisation of custom-designed photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
• Validate the PIC measurement results against optical simulations.
• Support the integration and evaluation of PICs with particle readout chips (ROCs).
• Prototype and demonstrate coarse wavelength-division multiplexing (CWDM) data-transmission systems.
• Characterise and benchmark different data-link architectures.
• Simulate and design a new generation of test PICs based on measurement results from existing PICs.
• Present the progress to project meetings and conferences.
• Document measurement and simulation results and methods.

Your profile

• Proven experience in design and simulation of photonic components and integrated photonic circuits.
• Experience in laboratory characterisation of optical and photonic components using OSAs, tunable lasers, and power meters.
• Proven experience in high-speed electro-optical measurements utilising pattern generators, oscilloscopes, error detectors, VNAs, and spectrum analysers.
• Hands-on experience in automation of measurement setups for opto-electronic devices.
• Extended experience in analysis and interpretation of experimental and measurement data.

Skills

• Expert user of photonic simulation tools (e.g., Ansys Lumerical, Synopsys RSoft).
• Proficient user of electronic and optical laboratory instrumentation, including high-speed measurement techniques.
• Expert user of C-based programming languages or Python.
• Expert in data analysis and visualisation using Python, MATLAB, or equivalent.
• Familiar with Linux-based development environments.
• Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• You have a professional background in Electronic Engineering or Physics (or a related field) and have either: 
  
  • a Master's degree with 2 to 6 years of post-graduation professional experience;
  • or a PhD with no more than 3 years of post-graduation professional experience.
• You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.

This position involves:

• Work during nights, Sundays and official holidays.
• Work in Radiation Areas.
• Work during nights, Sundays and official holidays, when required by the needs of the Organisation.

What we offer

• A monthly stipend ranging between 6,372-7,004 Swiss Francs (net of tax).
• Coverage by CERN's comprehensive health scheme (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
• Depending on your individual circumstances: installation grant; family, child and infant allowances; payment of travel expenses at the beginning and end of contract.
• 30 days of paid leave per year.
• On-the-job and formal training at CERN as well as in-house language courses for English and/or French.

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