Embedded Software Engineer; BE-CEM-EDL--GRAE

Are you passionate about cutting‑edge technology and eager to work on innovative projects? We are looking for an Embedded Software Developer to join the Electronics Design and Low‑Level Software (EDL) section within the Control Electronics and Mechatronics (CEM) group at CERN, and be part of the White Rabbit Collaboration Bureau.

White Rabbit is a CERN‑born technology that provides sub‑nanosecond synchronisation and deterministic data transfer to distributed devices interconnected with a WR network. You will enhance and maintain the basic blocks of this technology, including the software and firmware running on the White Rabbit Switch and the White Rabbit PTP Core, which are deployed in thousands of instances globally. You will also interact with institutes and companies worldwide to help them with integration and deployments of White Rabbit.

• Develop and maintain software and firmware for the WR Switch and the WR PTP Core.
• Maintain GIT repos with dozens of developers.
• Develop and maintain tools to automate calibration and tests of WR devices, including hardware in Continuous Integration (CI) pipelines.
• Assist in the development of production tests to be conducted post‑hardware manufacturing.
• Be part of outreach activities in conferences and events to promote WR Technology and the WR Collaboration.
• Support WR users worldwide.
• Collaborate with colleagues in the hardware/software co‑design process, where HDL, firmware, Linux device drivers and host applications are developed and reviewed together.

• Development of embedded Linux software and bare‑metal firmware.
• Experience with embedded Linux distributions running on SoC of AMD/Xilinx FPGA.
• Measurements with lab tools such as an oscilloscope.
• Debugging of hardware.

• Low‑level programming in C, including bare‑metal.
• Embedded Linux and Linux device drivers.
• Git‑based development, code reviews, merge requests and CI pipelines.
• Python.
• Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.

• Testing frameworks, PyTest.
• Basics in FPGA development (VHDL, Verilog, System Verilog).
• Capability of understanding PCB schematics.
• Networking and synchronisation protocols (e.g. NTP, PTP).

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• By the Final date to receive applications, you have a maximum of two years of professional experience since graduation in Software Engineering (or a related field) and your highest educational qualification is either a Bachelor's or Master's degree.
• You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.
• Applicants without University degree are not eligible.
• Applicants with a PhD are not eligible.

Job closing date: 02.06.2026 at 23:59 CEST.

Contract duration: 24 months, with a possible extension up to 36 months maximum.

Working hours:

40 hours per week

Job flexibility:
Fully Onsite

Target start date: 01‑September‑2026

Job reference: BE‑CEM‑EDL‑2026‑136‑GRAE

Field of work:
Software Engineering and IT

Benchmark job: 200020 – Computing Engineer

• A monthly stipend between  Swiss Francs per month (tax free) depending on your degree.
• 30 days of paid leave per year plus 2 weeks annual closure.
• Coverage by CERN’s comprehensive health insurance scheme (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
• Family, child and infant monthly allowances depending on your individual circumstances.
• A relocation package (installation grant and travel expenses) depending on your individual circumstances.
• Possibility to extend your contract up to 36 months.
• On‑the‑job and formal training including language classes.