Database Infrastructure Engineer (PostgreSQL/MySQL)

About the role

CERN is looking for a Database Infrastructure Engineer to join a small team managing the PostgreSQL and MySQL databases that support the LHC experiments, accelerator operations and organisation-wide services. You will help build and automate a modern, highly available database platform, with training and mentoring. The position is a limited-duration contract of 5 years, 40 hours per week, hybrid, in Geneva.

Key responsibilities

• Operate and improve production PostgreSQL (and MySQL) databases: troubleshooting, upgrades, migrations, patching and scaling.
• Help design, deploy and run highly available database setups with automated failover.
• Automate provisioning, configuration and routine operations using scripting and infrastructure tools.
• Monitor databases for performance, stability, availability and security.
• Contribute to backup, disaster recovery and service continuity strategies.
• Support application developers in diagnosing database and query issues.
• Document procedures and share knowledge within the team.

Required profile

• Master's degree or equivalent experience in Computing Science, a science discipline such as Physics, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience (typically 2+ years, including internships or substantial projects) administering relational databases, ideally PostgreSQL, in a professional environment.
• Good troubleshooting skills: performance analysis, query tuning, replication, backup and recovery.
• Knowledge of SQL, and scripting in Python or shell for automation.
• Good understanding of Linux systems and an interest in database infrastructure, reliability and automation.
• Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.

Required skills

• Administration of database architectures and knowledge of Linux.
• SQL, Python and shell scripting.
• Familiarity with high availability, replication, clustering, backup/recovery or infrastructure automation is an advantage.
• Experience with Patroni, Consul, HAProxy, PgBouncer, Kubernetes or configuration-management tools is welcome but not required.

What we offer

• A competitive tax-free salary increasing with years of relevant experience.
• 30 days of paid leave per year plus 2 weeks annual closure.
• Health insurance coverage for yourself, your spouse and children, and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
• Family, child and infant monthly allowances depending on circumstances.
• A relocation package depending on circumstances.
• Possibility to extend the contract up to 8 years and eligibility for an indefinite contract.