Accelerator Physicist (BE-ABP-CEI-2026-136-GRAP)

Job Description

You will contribute to a proposal covering the design, optimisation, and performance evaluation of a potential future collider at CERN. The role encompasses both beam optics development and beam dynamics simulations, including the study of key effects such as synchrotron radiation, beam-beam interactions, and impedance.

Your responsibilities

• Contribute to the conceptual design phase of the study, supporting the development and assessment of the collider design.
• Propose optimisations of the linear and nonlinear beam optics of the collider, including tune scans and multi-objective optimisation of the dynamic aperture, as well as optimising collider parameters to maximise machine performance and operational robustness.
• Perform particle tracking studies for the collider across its operating energy range, including the effects of beam-beam interactions, synchrotron radiation, and beam impedance.
• Investigate key accelerator physics challenges for the collider, drawing on experience from the FCC-ee study.

Your profile

• Knowledge of beam dynamics in synchrotrons and/or storage rings.
• Experience with some of the key beam dynamics effects relevant to lepton colliders, such as transverse coupling, beam-beam interactions, synchrotron radiation, or beam impedance.
• Experience in setting up, performing, and interpreting particle tracking simulations for accelerator physics studies.

Skills

• Experience with accelerator physics simulation and analysis tools, such as MAD-X, ELEGANT, pyAT, Xsuite, or equivalent software.
• Experience in running and managing large-scale simulations on high-performance computing (HPC) systems.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in an international, multidisciplinary environment.
• Ability to present technical and scientific results clearly, both orally and in writing.
• Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• You have a professional background in Physics (or a related field) and have either:
  • a Master's degree with 2 to 6 years of post-graduation professional experience;
  • or a PhD with no more than 3 years of post-graduation professional experience.
• You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.

Additional Information

Job closing date: 08.09.2026 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: Hybrid

Target start date: 01-November-2026

Job reference: BE-ABP-CEI-2026-136-GRAP

Field of work: Applied Physics

Benchmark job: 200140 - Applied Physicist

Global Benefits

• A monthly stipend between 6372-7004 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.

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