DevOps Engineer for Large Scale Compute (IT-CD-CC-2026-223-GRAE)

CERN is seeking a DevOps Engineer for Large‑Scale Compute to join the High‑Throughput Compute team that underpins the data processing for the High‑Luminosity LHC. As part of the Compute and Devices (CD) group within CERN IT, you will work in a globally recognised research organisation that delivers a broad spectrum of computing services, from end‑user devices to cloud, machine‑learning platforms, Kubernetes clusters and batch/HPC systems supporting the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid. In this role you will be responsible for the full lifecycle of a fleet exceeding 400 000 cores, from continuous‑integration provisioning to AI‑enhanced maintenance. You will monitor and mitigate emerging security threats, propose and roll out large‑scale configuration changes, and help operate the existing configuration‑management stack that includes Foreman, Puppet and OpenVox. You will also develop and maintain Terraform/OpenTofu modules that provision and configure supporting infrastructure, while improving code quality through testing, validation, peer review and standardisation. The position requires a recent graduate (maximum two years of professional experience) with a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or a related discipline. You must have hands‑on experience administering Linux servers in a data‑centre environment and be comfortable writing scripts or small applications for automation tasks. Strong spoken and written English is essential, and you must be prepared to learn French. Eligibility is limited to nationals of CERN Member or Associate Member States, and candidates must not have previously held a CERN fellow or graduate contract, nor hold a PhD. Additional expertise that would strengthen your application includes familiarity with configuration‑management tools such as Puppet or Ansible, experience with container technologies, CI/CD pipelines or Infrastructure‑as‑Code solutions like Terraform or OpenTofu, and knowledge of batch systems such as HTCondor, SLURM or kueue. The role is hybrid, with a 40‑hour week, stand‑by duties and occasional work during nights, weekends or holidays. The contract runs for 24 months with a possible extension to 36 months, offers a monthly net stipend of CHF 5 266 or CHF 5 793 depending on your degree, 30 days of paid leave plus a two‑week annual closure, comprehensive health insurance, pension membership, family allowances, a relocation package and on‑the‑job training including language classes. What the role asks for: - Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science or related field - ≤ 2 years professional experience since graduation - Linux systems administration experience - Scripting/automation experience (e.g., Python, Go) - Fluent spoken and written English; willing to learn French - Experience with Puppet or Ansible (nice-to-have) - Familiarity with Terraform/OpenTofu or other IaC tools (nice-to-have) - Knowledge of batch systems like HTCondor or SLURM (nice-to-have)