Scientific Computing Systems Engineer

Paul Scherrer Institut seeks a mid-level Scientific Computing Systems Engineer to manage Linux-based HPC infrastructure for the CERN CMS experiment, with a contract until March 2029.

This position sits within the High Performance Computing and Emerging Technologies group, part of the Science IT, Infrastructure and Services department. The role is fixed-term, initially limited to the end of March 2029.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary systems engineer for the PSI WLCG Tier-3 cluster, which supports the CERN CMS experiment.
• Manage, maintain, and enhance Linux-based research computing services and underlying infrastructure.
• Provide support and engage with the Swiss CMS computing user community utilizing the Tier-3 infrastructure.
• Work closely with the Swiss National Supercomputing Center (CSCS), which operates the national WLCG Tier-2 center.
• Share operational duties and provide mutual backup support for PSI’s HPC/HTC services.
• Help plan and evolve future Tier-3 and Tier-2 infrastructure and services to prepare for the High-Luminosity LHC era.

Requirements

• Proven expertise in Linux systems administration within production or research-computing settings.
• Hands-on experience with automation and DevOps practices, including configuration management tools like Ansible or Puppet, scripting in Bash and Python, Git workflows, and ideally CI/CD and infrastructure-as-code concepts.
• Ability to monitor, troubleshoot, and debug complex system and software issues in production environments.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with batch systems, distributed computing infrastructure, container technologies, or high-throughput computing environments is advantageous.
• Knowledge of WLCG infrastructure and services or scientific computing environments is a plus.

What the company offers

• Systematic on-the-job training, personal development opportunities, and a strong vocational training culture.
• Support for balancing work and family life or other personal interests through modern employment conditions and on-site infrastructure.

About the company

The Paul Scherrer Institut is Switzerland’s largest research institute for natural and engineering sciences, employing 2300 people. About one quarter of its staff are post-docs, post-graduates, or apprentices, reflecting a commitment to training future generations. The institution is based on interdisciplinary, innovative and dynamic collaboration.

• Largest research institute for natural and engineering sciences in Switzerland.
• Strong commitment to training future generations through post-docs, post-graduates, and apprentices.
• Based on interdisciplinary, innovative and dynamic collaboration.

How to apply

Documents to submit:

• Application