Database Infrastructure Engineer

Company Description

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.

Job Description

Introduction:

You will join a small team of experts managing the PostgreSQL and MySQL databases supporting the LHC experiments, accelerator operations and organisation-wide services. You will help build and automate a modern, highly available database platform, with training and mentoring to grow your skills.

Functions:

As a Database Infrastructure Engineer in the Databases and Analytics Group, your main activities will consist of:

• Operate and improve production PostgreSQL (and MySQL) databases: troubleshooting, upgrades, migrations, patching and scaling.
• Help design, deploy and run highly available database setups with automated failover.
• Automate provisioning, configuration and routine operations using scripting and infrastructure tools.
• Monitor databases for performance, stability, availability and security.
• Contribute to backup, disaster recovery and service continuity strategies.
• Support application developers in diagnosing database and query issues.
• Document procedures and share knowledge within the team.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree or equivalent relevant experience in the field of Computing Science, or a science discipline (e.g., Physics) with significant computing content, or a related field.

Experience:

• Hands-on experience (typically 2+ years, including internships or substantial projects) administering relational databases, ideally PostgreSQL, in a professional environment.
• Good troubleshooting skills: performance analysis, query tuning, replication, backup and recovery.
• Knowledge of SQL, and scripting in Python or shell for automation.
• Good understanding of Linux systems and an interest in database infrastructure, reliability and automation.
• Familiarity with high availability, replication, clustering, backup/recovery or infrastructure automation would be an advantage..
• Experience with technologies such as Patroni, Consul, HAProxy, PgBouncer, Kubernetes or configuration-management tools is welcome, but not required..
• Ability to troubleshoot technical problems, learn new technologies and work collaboratively with infrastructure and application teams.

Technical competencies:

• Administration of databases architectures
• Knowledge of operating systems: such as Linux,
• Knowledge of programming techniques and languages SQL, Python, shell.
• Architecture and design of ICT systems: interest in designing resilient, distributed infrastructure

Behavioural competencies:

• Solving Problems: identifying, defining and assessing problems, taking action to address them.
• Achieving Results: delivering high quality work on time and fulfilling expectations.
• Working in Teams: building and maintaining constructive and effective work relationships.
• Communicating Effectively: delivering presentations in a structured and clear way; adjusting style and content to the audience; responding calmly and confidently to questions.
• Learning and Sharing Knowledge: keeping up-to-date with developments in own field of expertise and readily absorbing new information.

Language skills:

• Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.

Additional Information

Eligibility and closing date:

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. We welcome applications from all Member States and Associate Member States.

This vacancy will be filled as soon as possible, and applications should normally reach us no later than 27.11.2026 at 23:59 CEST. 

Employment Conditions:

Contract type: Limited duration contract (5 years). Subject to certain conditions, holders of limited-duration contracts may apply for an indefinite position.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week

Job Flexibility: Hybrid

This position involves:

• Work during nights, Sundays and official holidays, when required by the needs of the Organization.
• Stand-by duty, when required by the needs of the Organization.

Job grade: 6-7

Job reference: IT-DA-DB-2026-174-LD

Field of work: Software Engineering and IT

Benchmark Job Title: Computing Engineer

Global Benefits

• A competitive salary (tax free), increasing in line with your years of relevant experience.
• 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, removal, travel expenses) depending on your individual circumstances.
• Possibility to extend your contract up to 8 years + eligibility for indefinite contract tenure.

Overview of CERN - Discover a world where the impossible is made possible!

At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, we are pushing the frontiers of science and technology. Our groundbreaking work brings together not only physicists but also a diverse range of professionals from engineering, technical, scientific, and administrative fields. Together, we foster an environment where innovation and collaboration thrive.

Every day, we face exciting new challenges and opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge research that shapes our understanding of the universe. We meet these challenges through the diverse perspectives within our teams, ensuring every contribution is valued and driving our shared sense of inclusion and purpose. Diversity is a core value of CERN since its foundation, and it remains central to our mission and continued success.

If you are ready to be part of a dynamic, inclusive community pushing the boundaries of knowledge, CERN is the place where your curiosity and skills can thrive. Be part of our mission to uncover what lies at the heart of the universe! TAKE PART!

More information about us, here: careers.cern