Research

Non-Member State Postdoc Fellowship Programme (Theoretical Physics) - European Organization for Nuclear Research (Geneva)

Contract Type Other

About this position

The summary below is published by European Organization for Nuclear Research on the official vacancy notice. Our own analysis — salary realism, comparable openings, career trajectory, language profile — follows further down the page.

* Full-time

At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. Using the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments, they study the basic constituents of matter - fundamental particles that are made to collide together at close to the speed of light. The process gives physicists clues about how particles interact, and provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature. Find out more on http://home.cern.ch

_Diversity has been an integral part of CERN's mission since its foundation and is an established value of the Organization._

**_Welcome to the Non-Member State Postdoc Fellowship Programme (Theoretical Physics)_**

Two postdoctoral fellowships are awarded each year by the Non-Member State Fellowship Programme in Theoretical Physics. The Fellowship is granted for two years and can exceptionally be extended to a third year.

In order to qualify for one of these prestigious Fellowships you will need to meet the following requirements:

* You are *not* a national of a [CERN Member State or Associated member…

Excerpt shown; read the full notice on the official page. The structured breakdown below covers the key facts.

Are you eligible?

Check these requirements from the notice before investing time in an application:

  • Education: PhD in theoretical physics (or defense date already scheduled; must be completed by appointment start date)
  • Experience: No more than 6 years' research experience after completion of PhD degree
  • Eligibility: Not a national of a CERN Member State or Associated member state. CERN Staff members are not eligible to apply.

Selection process

The notice describes the following selection steps:

  • CV submission
  • Submission of most recent relevant qualification
  • Statement of research interests
  • Three letters of recommendation (not older than one year at deadline)

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: 24 months, with possible extension up to 36 months.

Hiring unit: Theoretical Physics.

Position details

Reference
AGC-2025-2/NMSTH
Last Verified
22 July 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Non-Member State Postdoc Fellowship Programme (Theoretical Physics) at CERN based in Geneva (Other). The vacancy reference is AGC-2025-2/NMSTH. The role falls under the Research domain.

* Full-time

At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. Using the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments, they study the basic constituents of matter - fundamental particles that are made to collide together at close to the speed of light. The process gives physicists clues about how particles interact, and provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature. Find out more on http://home.cern.ch

_Diversity has been an integral part of CERN's mission since its foundation and is an established value of the Organization._

_Welcome to the Non-Member State Postdoc Fellowship Programme (Theoretical Physics)_

Two postdoctoral fellowships are awarded each year by the Non-Member State Fellowship Programme in Theoretical Physics. The Fellowship is granted for two years and can exceptionally be extended to a third year.

In order to qualify for one of these prestigious Fellowships you will need to meet the following requirements:

* You are *not* a national of a [CERN Member State or Associated member states.](https://home.cern/about/who-we-are/our-governance/member-states?check_logged_in=1) Nationals from CERN Member States or Associated member states (irrespective of their current place of study and/or residence) should apply to the '[Standard' Fellowship Programme](https://smrtr.io/tp9kQ)). * You have a PhD in theoretical physics (or the defense date is already scheduled). In any event, you should have finished your PhD studies by the time you take up your appointment at CERN. * You have no more than 6 years’ research experience after completion of your PhD degree. * _Please note that CERN Staff members are not eligible to apply for a Fellowship._

CERN would very much like to benefit from your expertise, commitment and passion. In return, CERN will provide you with:

* An employment contract for in principle 24 months, with a possible extension up to 36 months. * A stipend ranging from 6,911 to 7,326 Swiss francs per month (net of tax). * Coverage by CERN’s comprehensive health scheme (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN Pension Fund. * Depending on your individual circumstances: an installation grant, family, child and infant allowances as well as travel expenses to and from Geneva. * 2.5 days of paid leave per month.

This is how you can apply:

You will need the following documents (in PDF format, as separate files) to complete your application:

* A CV. * Your most recent relevant qualification. * A statement of research interests highlighting your plans for the research fellowship. * Three recent letters of recommendation (not older than a year at the time of the deadline for applications) giving an overview of your academic and/or professional achievements. * You will be provided with a link as soon as you have submitted your application to forward to your referees to upload their letters confidentially. Please note this must be done before the closing date. You can also upload these letters at the time of the application if you have them to hand.

Ready to take part? Then please submit your applicationby 3rd November 2025 at midnight (23:59 AM CEST).

Please make sure you have all the documents needed to hand as you start your application, as once it is submitted, you will not be able to upload any documents or edit your application further.

By clicking the link above or any third-party link within this posting, you are leaving this site and going to a third-party website where the third-party website's terms and privacy policy apply

[I'm interested](https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/oneclick-ui/company/CERN/publication/fe63a94f-2bbf-4ac6-85fe-e8671a2c3786?dcr_ci=CERN)[I'm interested](https://www.smartr.me/oneclick-ui/company/CERN/publication/fe63a94f-2bbf-4ac6-85fe-e8671a2c3786?dcr_ci=CERN&utm_source=job-ad-smartr-apply)[Privacy Notice](https://careers.cern/privacy-policy)

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 28 May 2026, 55 days ago.

No closing date is published in the source feed for this position. EU vacancies typically remain open for four to eight weeks; check the official vacancy notice for the cut-off date and time.

Last verified against the EU Careers feed on 22 July 2026.

Where to learn more

For headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at CERN see the CERN institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Geneva see our Geneva location page; for related vacancies in the Research field browse our Research domain page.

New to EU careers? Our beginner's guide walks through entry routes, EPSO competitions, and what to prepare. For application logistics see application tips and EPSO competitions.

Career trajectory

Career progression for this grade staff is governed by Articles 44 to 46 of the Staff Regulations (consolidated text on EUR-Lex) and Annex IB on the promotion procedure. Step increases are automatic every two years (Art. 44); grade promotion is competitive, based on the appraisal exercise (Art. 45) and the Career Development Review. For roles at CERN, progression to the next grade typically takes three to five years on merit, with two-yearly step increases in between. Article 46 governs the classification at recruitment, which sets the starting step within the grade (usually step 1 for external recruits without prior EU service, step 2 or 3 where relevant professional experience is recognised).
Mobility within the institutions is encouraged via the inter-institutional and intra-institutional vacancy publication system: temporary agents who pass the probation period and reservists from EPSO laureate lists can typically apply to internal vacancies after one year of service. Lateral moves between Directorates-General reset the seniority clock for promotion only if the new post carries a different grade.

Language profile

Beyond the formal language requirements stated in the vacancy notice, the day-to-day working languages at this employer are English and French in roughly equal measure, with German appearing in some technical files. Internal meetings and most policy drafting in Brussels run in English; French remains the preferred internal language in Luxembourg-based services and parts of DG TRADE.

Application cadence

CERN has not advertised another comparable role with the same grade and Research signature in the past twenty-four months. This opening has rarely been seen on the EU Careers feed and may be the first such posting in our two-year window. Applicants who pass the eligibility checks should not assume the same profile will reopen on a predictable cadence.

Source: This job listing was sourced from the official EU Careers portal (EPSO). First published: .

Remove ads and unlock all features Go Premium