Electrical Engineer or Applied Physicist - Superconductivity and Electrodynamic Simulations

Introduction

Are you interested in the operation of 1000’s of superconducting magnets and their protection systems, and in programming techniques to study and analyse existing and future superconducting magnets and circuits? This is your chance!
Within the TE Department, the MPE group provides support to the operation of the entire accelerator complex and develops, operates and maintains state?of?the art technology for magnet circuit protection and interlock systems.
The superconducting magnet circuits of CERN’s largest accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), operate with currents of up to 12 kA and stored energies of more than 1 GJ. The TE-MPE-PE section develops tools to better understand the behaviour and protection of these circuits, conducts studies of emerging protection issues, and monitors the evolution of their performance. Furthermore, the section participates in all design studies for the magnet circuits of upcoming upgrades of the LHC and future accelerators.

Functions

During your time at CERN you will:

• Develop software to monitor the behaviour of the new High-Lumi LHC superconducting magnets and existing circuits in the test set-up and in the LHC.
• Analyse the long-term behaviour of the above-mentioned circuits, in correlation to current cycling, thermal cycling, quenches, and radiation dose. The use of Machine Learning methods seems promising.
• Contribute to the further development of specific computer tools/models as part of the framework for the simulation of steady-state and transient effects in superconducting wires, cables, magnets, and circuits.
• Cross-check the above-mentioned tools against other existing computer codes (if available) and validate the tools by means of experimental data obtained during tests on various coils and magnets.
• Supervise technical students and possibly graduates working on development of technology and tools for operation and protection of high-field magnets.

Requirements

Master's degree or PhD or equivalent relevant experience in the field of electrical engineering, applied physics, or computational engineering, or a related field.

Experience:

• Proven experience in the field of electromagnetics, thermodynamics and applied superconductivity.
• Proven experience in modern simulation techniques and, preferably, working experience with Python.
• Experience in the field of modern Machine Learning or AI methods would be an asset.
• Experience in the field of superconducting magnet technology would be an asset.

Technical competencies:

• Knowledge and application of computational methods and tools in electromagnetism;
• Design and modelling of protection systems for superconducting magnets;
• Development of application software: includes from complex numerical simulations and technical code development simulations to small applications;
• Knowledge and application of numerical modelling in fluid mechanics and/or heat transfer (finite-element);
• Knowledge of programming techniques and languages, especially Python.

Behavioural competencies:

• Achieving Results:
  • Having a structured and organised approach towards work; being able to set priorities and plan tasks with results in mind.
• Solving Problems:
  • Being open to original ideas and creative options by which to address issues; continually driving change by seeking new ways to improve outcomes;
  • Recognizing what is essential; discriminating between important and peripheral information and being able to see the whole picture.
• Working in Teams:
  • Cooperating constructively with others in the pursuit of team goals; balancing personal goals with team goals;
  • Working well in groups and readily fitting into a team; participating fully and taking an active role in team activities.
• Learning and Sharing Knowledge:
  • Keeping up-to-date with developments in own field of expertise and readily absorbing new information;
  • Thinking "out of the box" and proposing fresh ideas, insights and methodologies.

Language skills:

Spoken and written English: ability to understand and speak in professional contexts. Ability to draw-up technical specifications and/or scientific reports and to make oral presentations.
Ability to understand and speak, or willingness to learn and improve 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 22.10.2024 at 23:45 CET

Employment Conditions

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

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: TE-MPE-EP-2024-139-LD

Benchmark Job Title: Electrical Engineer