Mechanical Technician for ISOLDE Facility (TTE Programme)

Company description
At CERN, the European Organization 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. Find out more on http://home.cern.

Diversity has been an integral part of CERN’s mission since its foundation and is an established value of the Organization.

Job description
Are you a technician looking for a challenging professional experience to further your career?  If so, joining CERN’s TTE programme may very well give you that challenge.  This position as a Mechanical Technician is part of our prestigious TTE programme. 

The Sources, Targets and Interactions (STI) Group, in the  Engineering Department,  is taking care of the ISOLDE facility. It provides radioactive ion beams to a wide physics community for studies in modern nuclear structure and other diverse fields. The facility strives to improve production rates of radioisotopes through a continual program of target developments and equipment upgrades. You will work closely with a motivated team of physicists, engineers and technicians for the design, fabrication and assembly of dedicated equipment and prototypes for the ISOLDE facility

Functions
The team is looking for a technician with self-motivation, enthusiasm and the ability to work within a dynamic team.

• You will take part in the manufacturing and assembly of ISOLDE target units for on-line operation; ranging from production of standard target units to prototype targets within the beam development program;
• You will also assist in the assembly and modification of the dedicated equipment for target production and testing (pill press, pump-stands, glove boxes…);
• You will be immersed into the world of nuclear engineering where reliability is a key factor to safe operation and also be introduced to radiation protection matters and to vacuum technology with emphasis on good working practices and cleanliness.

Qualifications
In order to qualify for a place on the programme you will need to meet the following requirements:

• You are a national of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State (https://home.cern/about/member-states);
• You have a Technical Diploma (careers.cern/ttediplomas) in the field of mechanics or equivalent, and no more than 4 years’ relevant experience after finishing your diploma;
• If you are currently studying, you are still eligible to apply, although you are expected to have obtained your qualification by the start of your appointment at CERN;
• If you hold a BSc or MSc, you are not eligible. However you may be eligible for the Fellowship Programme.
• You should have at least a working knowledge of English or French.

Additional information
CERN would very much like to benefit from your expertise, commitment and passion.  In return, CERN will provide you with:

• An employment contract of one year, renewable for a second year; 
• On-the-job and formal training at CERN as well as in-house language courses for English and/or French;
• A monthly stipend of 4565 Swiss Francs per month (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: an installation grant, family, child and infant allowances as well as travel expenses to and from Geneva;
• 2.5 days of paid leave per month.

Specific skills required for this job

• Knowledge of vacuum systems, material science and elementary science would be an added advantage;
• Mechanical background with experience in machining pieces to a high-quality standard, be able to interpret drawings for the assembly of various pieces of equipment;
• Efficient in using CAD systems such as CATIA;
• Experience in machining, assembling and testing of precision mechanics
• Reading mechanical design drawings and specifications in terms of tolerance (ISO tolerancing system).

Your future life @CERN
Get a glimpse of what it’s like to work at CERN: https://careers.cern/benefits and https://careers.cern/our-people

This is how you can apply. Here are few tips to start you off:

• Be as specific as possible in the application fields “Education” and “Experience”.
• We recommend you prepare your answers in Word or Notepad in advance, as once you start completing the application on Smartrecruiters, you have a limited time to submit it.
• If you apply to more than one job, you will need to upload the documents for each application you submit.

Required documentation:

You will need the following documents, clearly labelled (e.g. “CV”, “Motivation letter”, “Academic transcript”, etc.) and in PDF format to complete your application:

• A CV;
• A scanned copy of your latest relevant qualification;
• One reference letter (from a professor or previous employer) giving an overview of your academic and/or professional achievements. This should be as broad as possible.

Make sure you have all the documents needed to hand as you start your application, as once it is submitted, you will not be able to upload any documents or edit your application further. 

You may upload the reference letter yourself, whilst submitting your application, or through your referee via the link you will receive shortly after submitting your application.

All applications should normally reach us no later than 29.10.2020.