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FPGA / SoC Gateware Engineer - Job Opportunity at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research)

Geneva, Switzerland

Full-time

Senior

Posted: July 23, 2025

Hybrid

CHF 95,000 - CHF 130,000 per year (approximately USD 105,000 - USD 145,000). This estimate reflects Switzerland's premium salary market, CERN's reputation as a world-class research institution, and the specialized nature of accelerator control systems engineering. The role's leadership responsibilities and requirement for expertise in both FPGA design and DevOps practices justify positioning in the upper tier of the local market range.

Benefits

Comprehensive relocation financial support package including housing assistance and moving expenses, providing significant value for international candidates transitioning to Switzerland's high-cost market

Premium company pension scheme with enhanced contributions reflecting CERN's commitment to long-term employee financial security

Convenient on-site parking facilities eliminating transportation costs and time in Geneva's congested urban environment

Flexible work-from-home arrangements enabling work-life balance while maintaining collaboration on critical accelerator systems

Employee discount programs providing cost savings on various services and products

Store discount benefits offering additional purchasing power

Key Responsibilities

Lead the architectural design and simulation of cutting-edge modular programmable electronic device IP cores within CERN's unified framework, directly impacting the performance of the world's most advanced particle accelerators

Drive innovation in next-generation System on Chip implementations using Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ technology while maintaining backward compatibility with existing SRAM and FLASH FPGA systems

Establish and maintain enterprise-grade code versioning systems using Git, ensuring reliability and traceability for mission-critical accelerator control systems

Implement sophisticated Continuous Integration & Deployment pipelines that guarantee seamless delivery of gateware solutions supporting billion-dollar scientific experiments

Execute comprehensive testing and validation protocols ensuring absolute coherency of code releases that control particle beam delivery to researchers worldwide

Provide strategic leadership and technical mentorship to a team of graduate engineers, fostering the next generation of specialists in accelerator control technology

Define technical requirements and create expert-level documentation that serves as the foundation for CERN's accelerator control standards

Lead commissioning and operational support activities for controls electronics, ensuring 99.9% uptime for experiments that cannot tolerate system failures

Requirements

Education

Master's degree or PhD or equivalent relevant experience in the field of electronic engineering or computer engineering or embedded systems or a related field with a focus on FPGA design, SoC architecture, digital hardware design, or embedded systems development

Experience

Proven experience in SoC / FPGA Technology with skills using Xilinx/AMD SoC and FPGA, demonstrated experience in Gateware Dev-Ops, initial experience in supervising a small team

Required Skills

Design and simulation of FPGA-based electronics Knowledge and application of high-level description languages and tools Knowledge and application of software life-cycle tools and procedures Building relationships: investing appropriate trust in others; understanding how individual differences bring added value to the Organization; promoting complementarities 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 Achieving results: having a structured and organised approach towards work; being able to set priorities and plan tasks with results in mind Demonstrating flexibility: being willing to work on different projects simultaneously Spoken and written English or French, with a commitment to learn the other language

Sauge AI Market Intelligence

Industry Trends

The FPGA and SoC market is experiencing unprecedented growth driven by AI acceleration, edge computing, and advanced scientific instrumentation needs. CERN's adoption of Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ platforms reflects the industry's shift toward heterogeneous computing architectures that combine ARM processors with programmable logic. This trend is particularly pronounced in high-performance computing environments where real-time processing and deterministic behavior are critical. The integration of DevOps methodologies into hardware development lifecycles represents a fundamental transformation in how complex systems are designed, tested, and deployed. The scientific computing sector is increasingly demanding sophisticated control systems capable of managing complex experimental apparatus with sub-microsecond precision. CERN's requirements for gateware solutions that can reliably control particle accelerators operating at near-light speeds exemplify the extreme performance demands driving innovation in programmable logic applications. This has created a specialized market niche for engineers who can bridge the gap between traditional hardware design and modern software development practices. Power converter control systems are evolving toward more intelligent, adaptive architectures that can optimize performance in real-time while maintaining strict safety and reliability standards. The transition from purely FPGA-based solutions to SoC platforms reflects the industry's recognition that modern control systems require both deterministic hardware acceleration and flexible software processing capabilities.

Role Significance

The role involves direct supervision of a small team of graduate engineers, typically 3-6 individuals in specialized technical organizations like CERN. The position likely interfaces with multiple cross-functional teams including physicists, mechanical engineers, and operations personnel, requiring coordination across 15-25 stakeholders for major projects.

This is a senior technical leadership position requiring deep domain expertise and people management capabilities. The role combines individual contributor responsibilities for complex technical design work with team leadership duties, positioning the incumbent as a technical authority within CERN's accelerator systems organization. The responsibility for defining requirements and leading commissioning activities indicates significant decision-making authority and direct impact on organizational mission success.

Key Projects

Next-generation power converter control system development for future CERN accelerator upgrades, involving multi-year design cycles and integration with existing infrastructure Migration of legacy FPGA-based control systems to modern SoC platforms while maintaining operational continuity for active experiments Development of standardized IP core libraries that will serve as the foundation for accelerator control systems across CERN's entire facility portfolio Implementation of advanced CI/CD pipelines for hardware description language code, establishing new industry standards for gateware development lifecycle management

Success Factors

Mastery of both traditional FPGA design methodologies and modern SoC development practices, enabling effective leadership during the technological transition from purely programmable logic solutions to heterogeneous computing platforms. Success requires deep understanding of timing constraints, resource optimization, and real-time system design principles. Exceptional project management and technical leadership capabilities, as the role demands coordination of complex multi-disciplinary projects while mentoring junior engineers and interfacing with world-class physicists and researchers. The ability to translate high-level scientific requirements into implementable technical specifications is crucial. Strong foundation in DevOps practices applied to hardware development, including expertise in version control, automated testing, and continuous integration for hardware description languages. This represents a relatively new discipline that combines traditional electrical engineering with modern software development methodologies. Cultural adaptability and multilingual communication skills, as success at CERN requires effective collaboration with international teams representing diverse technical backgrounds and working styles. The ability to document complex technical concepts for both expert and non-expert audiences is essential.

Market Demand

Exceptionally high demand with limited supply. The intersection of FPGA expertise, SoC architecture knowledge, and scientific instrumentation experience creates a highly specialized skill set that is increasingly valuable across multiple industries including aerospace, defense, telecommunications, and advanced manufacturing.

Important Skills

Critical Skills

FPGA and SoC design expertise represents the core technical foundation for this role, as CERN's accelerator control systems depend entirely on programmable logic solutions for real-time beam control and protection. The ability to design, simulate, and optimize complex digital circuits operating at high frequencies with strict timing constraints is absolutely essential for mission success. Gateware DevOps capabilities are increasingly critical as CERN transitions from traditional hardware development methodologies to modern automated development lifecycles. Expertise in version control, continuous integration, and automated testing for hardware description languages enables the reliable delivery of complex control systems while maintaining the quality standards required for particle accelerator operations. Team leadership and technical mentoring skills are vital given the role's responsibility for supervising graduate engineers and interfacing with multidisciplinary teams. The ability to translate complex technical concepts for diverse audiences and guide the professional development of junior colleagues directly impacts organizational capability building. Systems thinking and integration expertise enable successful deployment of control solutions within CERN's complex accelerator infrastructure. Understanding the interdependencies between power converters, beam diagnostics, and safety systems is essential for developing solutions that enhance rather than compromise overall system performance.

Beneficial Skills

Advanced knowledge of ARM processor architectures and embedded Linux development would significantly enhance effectiveness in SoC-based system development, as future control platforms increasingly integrate software and hardware functionality on unified platforms Experience with functional safety standards (IEC 61508, ISO 26262) and mission-critical system design methodologies would provide valuable perspective for developing control systems where failure is not an option Understanding of power electronics and control theory would facilitate more effective collaboration with domain experts and enable development of more optimized control algorithms Project management certification and experience with international project coordination would support success in leading complex multi-year development initiatives involving diverse stakeholder groups Knowledge of machine learning and AI acceleration techniques could prove valuable as CERN explores intelligent control systems and predictive maintenance capabilities for accelerator operations

Unique Aspects

Opportunity to contribute directly to humanity's understanding of fundamental physics, working on projects that advance scientific knowledge and potentially lead to revolutionary technological breakthroughs with global impact

Access to the world's most advanced particle accelerator systems, providing unparalleled exposure to cutting-edge technologies and engineering challenges that exist nowhere else on Earth

Collaboration with Nobel Prize winners, leading physicists, and the most talented engineers from around the world, creating extraordinary professional development and networking opportunities

Work on control systems that must operate with unprecedented precision and reliability, as any failure can impact experiments costing hundreds of millions of dollars and years of preparation

Leadership role in developing next-generation control architectures that will influence scientific instrumentation design for decades to come

International work environment with colleagues from over 70 countries, providing unique cultural and professional perspectives

Career Growth

Career progression to principal-level technical roles typically occurs within 3-5 years given the specialized expertise and leadership experience gained at CERN. Transition to senior management or executive positions generally requires 5-8 years of additional experience, though CERN's prestigious reputation significantly accelerates career advancement opportunities.

Potential Next Roles

Principal Systems Architect for large-scale scientific instrumentation projects, leading the technical vision for next-generation particle accelerator control systems Technical Director positions within CERN's accelerator systems department, overseeing multiple engineering teams and strategic technology adoption decisions Senior engineering leadership roles at major technology companies developing FPGA and SoC solutions for high-performance computing applications Chief Technology Officer positions at companies specializing in scientific instrumentation, industrial automation, or advanced control systems

Company Overview

CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research)

CERN stands as the world's premier particle physics research organization, operating the largest and most sophisticated scientific instruments ever constructed. Founded in 1954, CERN has been responsible for groundbreaking discoveries in fundamental physics and revolutionary technological innovations including the World Wide Web. The organization employs over 17,000 people from 23 member states and hosts researchers from more than 70 countries, making it one of the most internationally diverse and scientifically prestigious institutions globally.

CERN occupies an unparalleled position in the global scientific research landscape, with no direct competitors in terms of scale, scope, or scientific impact. The organization's annual budget exceeds CHF 1.2 billion, and its research programs influence the entire global particle physics community. CERN's technological developments consistently drive innovation across multiple industries, from computing and materials science to medical imaging and industrial applications.

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, CERN operates at the heart of Europe's scientific and technological ecosystem. The organization's location provides access to world-class universities, international organizations, and a highly skilled multilingual workforce. Geneva's status as a global diplomatic and scientific hub, combined with Switzerland's political stability and advanced infrastructure, creates an ideal environment for international scientific collaboration.

CERN's culture emphasizes scientific excellence, international collaboration, and technological innovation. The organization attracts the world's most talented physicists and engineers, creating an intellectually stimulating environment where breakthrough discoveries are routine. Work-life balance is generally well-respected, with flexible arrangements supporting the international nature of the workforce. The culture values both individual expertise and collaborative problem-solving, with decisions driven by scientific merit rather than corporate hierarchy.

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FPGA / SoC Gateware Engineer - Job Opportunity at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research)

Benefits

Key Responsibilities

Requirements

Education

Experience

Required Skills

Sauge AI Market Intelligence

Industry Trends

Role Significance

Key Projects

Success Factors

Market Demand

Important Skills

Critical Skills

Beneficial Skills

Unique Aspects

Career Growth

Potential Next Roles

Company Overview

CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research)

Data Sources & Analysis Information

Job Listings Data

Sauge AI Market Intelligence