Entry-Level Software Engineer - Distributed Computing

About the Role

Are you a curious and motivated computing graduate eager to contribute to a global scientific infrastructure? Join CERN as an Entry-Level Software Engineer for Distributed Computing and help shape the future of distributed computing by improving how we monitor and understand the use of computing resources across the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG). This role offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of distributed computing, data engineering, and monitoring automation, supporting the global computing infrastructure that underpins scientific discoveries at the LHC.

What You'll Do

• Contribute to the design, validation, and deployment of site components for XRootD data monitoring, including integration with existing CERN and WLCG infrastructure.
• Participate in the validation of monitoring metrics by comparing collector data with network traffic statistics.
• Design and implement automated workflows for data quality validation, anomaly detection, and metric correlation across distributed sites.
• Collaborate closely with experiment and site administrators to ensure interoperability, scalability, and reliability of the new monitoring framework.
• Contribute to the evolution of WLCG monitoring dashboards and data analytics services, using modern DevOps and containerized environments (GitLab CI/CD, Kubernetes).

Requirements

• Experience or strong interest in software development for distributed systems and large-scale data infrastructures.
• Experience or background in data engineering or monitoring pipeline integration (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, InfluxDB).
• Exposure to Linux environments, scripting, and Git-based collaborative workflows.
• Familiarity with network monitoring, time-series data handling, or performance analysis tools.
• Hands-on experience in building or operating containerized services (Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift) is desirable.

Nice to Have

• Programming experience in Python and solid knowledge of Linux environments.
• Familiarity with distributed systems, network monitoring, and data streaming frameworks.
• Some experience or interest in Go (Golang) would be an advantage.
• Experience with REST APIs and structured data formats (JSON, Avro, Parquet).
• Experience with data processing frameworks such as Apache Kafka or Spark.

What We Offer

• A monthly stipend between 5266-5793 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).
• 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.
• On-the-job and formal training including language classes.
• Possibility to extend your contract up to 36 months.