PhD Scholarship•Switzerland · Geneva

CERN Next Generation Triggers — Doctoral Students

Funding

Partial / Stipend

Program dates

Dec 31, 2029

The Next Generation Triggers Project is a five-year CERN initiative (2024–2029) run across CERN’s Experimental Physics, Theoretical Physics and Information Technology departments together with the ATLAS and CMS experiments. Its goal is to get more physics out of the High-Luminosity LHC by selecting interesting collision events more efficiently — using advanced algorithms, AI/ML, heterogeneous computing and FPGAs. Through the CERN Doctoral Student Programme, the project recruits doctoral students to carry out their PhD thesis research at CERN in Geneva, in collaboration with their home university, for up to three years. Applicants must be nationals of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.

Benefits & funding

  • Monthly net allowance of 3,907 CHF (the health-insurance contribution is deducted from this).
  • Contract of 6 months, renewable up to 3 years, extendable over a maximum of 4 consecutive years to allow time at your university.
  • Enrolment in CERN’s comprehensive health-insurance scheme.
  • 30 days of paid leave per year plus roughly 2 weeks during CERN’s annual closure.
  • Family supplement and travel expenses to Geneva, depending on individual circumstances.

Eligibility

  • You have started, or are about to start, a doctoral programme at a university.
  • Your field is a STEM area relevant to the project — applied physics, engineering, computing or related.
  • Your university agrees that the research conducted at CERN will count toward your PhD thesis.
  • Good knowledge of English or French.
  • Open to nationals of a CERN Member or Associate Member State. Per-cycle nationality ceilings can apply — the 2026 start round could not accept Pakistani or Lithuanian nationals because their Associate-Membership quotas were full.

Application process

  1. 1
    Prepare a CV in English or French, plus optional supporting material such as published papers, evidence of technical work, academic reference letters and transcripts.
  2. 2
    Apply through the CERN careers portal while the doctoral position is open.
  3. 3
    Shortlisted candidates are assessed and interviewed by the project and CERN.

Program timeline

  1. Next Generation Triggers Project begins (a five-year initiative).

    2024

  2. 30 April 2026

    application deadline for the 2026 doctoral round.

  3. doctoral applications reopen for the next cycle.

    6 August

  4. project concludes.

    2029