Embedded Software Engineer, Geneva, Switzerland

 

What you'll do

Are you passionate about cutting-edge technology and eager to work on innovative projects? We are looking for an Embedded Software Engineer to join the Electronics Design and Low-Level Software to join our team.

As part of our team, you will contribute to the White Rabbit (WR) project [1]: a CERN-born technology and now an industry-standard that provides sub-nanosecond synchronisation and deterministic data transfer to distributed devices interconnected with a WR network.

We are looking for a skilled Embedded Software Developer to work on the next generation of the WR switch (White Rabbit Switch v4, [2]). It is the core component of a WR network and now a new version is under development. Join us and take an active role in the design of this fully open-source Ethernet switch!

[1] https://gitlab.com/ohwr/project/white-rabbit/-/wikis/home

[2] https://gitlab.com/ohwr/project/wr-switch-hw-v4/-/wikis/home

Learn more

Your responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain software and firmware for the WR Switch, including its Linux-based operating system.
  • Participate in bringing up and debugging new hardware versions.
  • Maintain git repos.
  • Develop, maintain and perform WR Switch tests, including hardware in Continuous Integration (CI) pipelines, performance and compliance tests.
  • Assist in the development of production tests to be conducted post-hardware manufacturing.
  • Collaborate with your colleagues in the hardware/software co-design process, where HDL, firmware, Linux device drivers and host applications are developed and reviewed together.
  • Collaborate with external companies, universities and public institutes.
  • Ensure thorough and up-to-date documentation is in place.
  • Prepare firmware release.

Still here? Let's make a quick check about

Your profile

  • Development of embedded Linux software and bare-metal firmware.
  • Working with an embedded Linux distribution running on SoC of AMD/Xilinx FPGAs.
  • Performance and/or compliance testing using dedicated instrumentation.
  • Debugging of hardware.
  • Your studies focused on Software Engineering.

Your skills

  • Low-level programming in C, including bare-metal skills are required.
  • Knowledge in embedded Linux and Linux Device drivers is required.
  • Proficiency in git-based development, code reviews, merge requests and CI pipelines is required.
  • Proficiency in Python is required.
  • Knowledge in testing frameworks, PyTest is advantageous.
  • Basics of FPGA development (VHDL, Verilog, SystemVerilog) are advantageous.
  • Capability of understanding PCB schematics is an advantage.
  • Knowledge in networking and synchronisation protocols (e.g. NTP, PTP) is advantageous.
  • Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.

Ideal start date: 01/09/2026

Contract duration (in months): 24

Job flexibility: Fully Onsite

Global Benefits at CERN

  • A monthly net stipend between 6372-7004 Swiss Francs per month 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.

Let's get you ready

Be sure to meet the eligibility criteria

  • You are a national of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State. Currently, we cannot consider applications from Pakistani and Lithuanian nationals for positions with a 2026 start date, as the ceiling defined under Article II.5 of the Associate Membership Agreement has been reached.
  • By the application deadline, you have a master's degree with 2 to 6 years of professional experience since graduation or a PhD with a maximum of 3 years of professional experience since graduation. You are not eligible with only a bachelor's degree.
  • You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.
  • Please pay attention to the additional criteria and requirements for this specific position and mentioned above.

You will need these documents to complete your application

  • Your CV (English or French)
  • A copy of your most relevant diploma or a certificate of achievement from your school (if you don't yet have your paper diploma)
  • Any document you consider relevant to your application
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