Your responsibilities

Are you passionate about soil, sustainability, and innovative environmental solutions? Join us at OpenSkyLab, a cutting-edge project exploring the reuse of excavation materials for the Future Circular Collider feasibility study. This is an opportunity to gain practical experience in interdisciplinary research, environmental monitoring and sustainable land management - all in a dynamic, international setting. In this role, you'll support daily operations, learn new skills, and contribute to a project with real-world impact.

You will:

• Contribute to data collection, data entry, and basic analysis of environmental and soil data.
• Assist with routine field activities, including soil sampling, planting, and maintenance of sensors and equipment.
• Perform logistical and project management tasks.
• Perform drone mappings independently.
• Monitor infrastructure functionality.
• Participate in small literature reviews and technical research projects.
• Support laboratory work and interpretation of results.
• Assist with outreach activities, including site visits, presentations, and web content.
• Contribute to the research, technical evaluation and pilot tests to find reuse and disposal pathways for the excavation material.
• Support documentation of project activities and results.

Your profile

Skills:

Technical:

• Knowledge in one or more of the fields such as soil science, agronomy, plant science, landscape architecture, environmental engineering, or geology.
• Genuine interest in soil functioning, environmental sustainability, and excavation material reuse.
• Experience with or willingness to learn data management software and data analysis tools.
• Experience with laboratory work and field sampling.
• Basics of project management would be an asset.

Soft:

• Flexibility to handle diverse operational tasks and to adapt to project needs.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Additional:

• Driver's license category B. Category F (agronomical and forestry vehicles) would be an asset.
• Spoken and written English or French, with a commitment to learn the other language.

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• By the application deadline, you have a maximum of two years of professional experience since graduation in Soil Science / Agronomy (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.

Additional Information

Job closing date: 03.09.2025 at 23:59 CEST.

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

Target start date: 01-December-2025

This position involves:

• A valid driving licence.

Job reference: HSE-ENV-SP-2025-153-GRAE

Field of work: Health, Safety and Environment

What we offer

• A monthly stipend ranging between 5196 and 5716 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.

About us

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. Employing a diverse workforce is central to our success.