Did you know that CERN employs ten times more engineers and technicians than research physicists, see figure @ref(fig:cern3-fig). For physicists to understand the data that pours off the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), you need armies of engineers to enable the scientists to do their work. A lot of those engineers are working on hardware and software, and most of them won't be physicists. [@hullcern]
knitr::include_graphics("images/cern-engineering.jpeg")
Working at CERN is your chance to gain hands-on experience at one of the world’s leading centres for scientific research. Whether you're an aspiring engineer, physicist, or developer, this programme will provide you with unparalleled exposure to cutting-edge technology and the chance to work alongside top experts in your field.
CERN has several rounds of applications every year for year-long placements, what they call technical studentships in engineering and allied disciplines. The next deadline for applications is 23rd Feb 2026, see table @ref(tab:cerntable).
: (#tab:cerntable) Engineering opportunities at CERN
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| Engineering type | Find out more and apply at |
+=================================+=================================+
| Computing, IT, Maths & Robotics | (ref:cerncompute) |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| Electrical and Electronic | (ref:cerneee) |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| Mechanical | (ref:cernmech) |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| General and Civil | (ref:cerncivil) |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| Materials | (ref:cernmat) |
+---------------------------------+---------------------------------+
(ref:cerncompute) bit.ly/cern-2026-compute
(ref:cernmech) bit.ly/cern-2026-mech
(ref:cerncivil) bit.ly/cern-2026-civ
(ref:cerneee) bit.ly/cern-2026-eee
(ref:cernmat) bit.ly/cern-2026-mat
If you missed the live webinar in January with Ben Purchase (current technical student), Emma Quinn (current graduate) and Freddie Neill (recruiter) at CERN, a recording can be found at gradcracker.com/webinars/170/start-your-journey-at-cern-in-geneva
For more opportunities in Research Software Engineering (RSE) see section @ref(rse)