Technician for Plastic Materials R&D (TE-MSC-SMT-2024-160-GRAE)

Are you a recent qualified technician and is looking for an inspiring and motivated team to work with? Join our Polymer Laboratory team, which is part of the Superconducting Magnet Technology (SMT) section at CERN!

You will have experience in polymer processing, mechanical assembly, and 3D printing of polymer materials. This role focuses on supporting both research and development projects as well as production processes for plastic materials. Experience in designing and constructing electromechanical equipment will be considered a plus.

As a technician for the Polymer Laboratory you will:

• Operate and maintain polymer processing equipment, including Vacuum-Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) and pre-preg processing techniques; 
• Assist in developing and testing advanced polymer materials and composites for various applications; 
• Set up, operate, and troubleshoot polymer 3D printing machines for prototyping and production;
• Develop and optimize 3D printing processes for new polymer materials and part geometries;
• Write manufacturing procedures and work instructions to ensure consistency and quality in production processes.

Who we are looking for

Skills and/or knowledge

• Experience in VARTM, pre-preg, and other polymer processing techniques;
• Experience in mechanical assembly and use of mechanical tooling, particularly in polymer systems;
• Knowledge of 3D printing techniques and technologies; 
• Strong troubleshooting skills;
• Ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams, including R&D, engineering, and manufacturing departments;
• Ability to write clear and concise manufacturing procedures and technical documentation;
• Knowledge of electromechanical systems and experience in designing or constructing electromechanical equipment would be a plus;
• Fluent in English, the ability to work in French would be an advantage.

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 Plastic material science (or a related field) and your highest educational qualification is a general secondary education diploma.
• You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.
• Applicants with a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD degree are not eligible.

Job closing date: Tuesday 29 October at 23h59 CET.

Job reference: TE-MSC-SMT-2024-160-GRAE

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

Target start date: 01-January-2025

This position involves:

• A valid driving licence.
• Stand-by duty, when required by the needs of the Organization.

What we offer

• A monthly stipend of 4569 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.