Company Description

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.

The CERN Alumni Network was launched in June 2017 and has three main objectives. 

• To provide an institutional link to the Organization and demonstrate the positive impact on society of a professional experience at CERN.
• To leverage the support of CERN Alumni ambassadors to support CERN’s and its Collaborations’ mission and fundamental research.
• To support early career scientists and engineers who might be considering a career outside of academia.

We have implemented a web platform (https://alumni.cern) where members of the network are invited to update and maintain their profiles. Thanks to these profiles we can shine a spotlight on different alumni career trajectories (written articles, video clips, podcasts) and invite them to participate in events organised by the Office for Alumni Relations. The network comprises several interest, professional and regional groups, which alumni are encouraged to join and participate in. Members can also benefit from a mentoring programme, Alumni and companies seeking the skills and talents developed at CERN can post job opportunities on the platform. 

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

Job Description

Are you passionate about fostering connections, providing support, and creating engaging experiences?

Join the CERN Office for Alumni Relations!

CERN has an opening for an Early Career (Origin) Graduate in the Alumni Relations section in the Diplomacy and Stakeholders group of the International Relations (IR) sector. 

We are seeking a graduate to join our dynamic team at the Office for Alumni Relations at CERN. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the thriving community of CERN alumni, while gaining valuable skills in customer service, technical support, event organization, and communication strategies.

As a Junior Alumni Relations Support & Communications Officer, you will be at the forefront of the Office for Alumni Relations, providing essential support to our network members. This role involves a diverse range of tasks, supporting a vibrant and connected alumni community. Some key responsibilities include:

• Moderating alumni requests: acting as the initial point of contact, you will review and moderate requests from alumni seeking to join our network, ensuring a smooth onboarding process.
• Responding to network queries: addressing inquiries, providing information, guidance, and assistance as needed.
• Providing technical support: assisting alumni encountering difficulties with platform connectivity, offering first-line IT support to ensure a seamless user experience.
• Generating and maintaining a pipeline of engaged alumni, fostering active participation within the network.
• Contributing to event organisation: collaborating with the team to assist in the planning and execution of CERN Alumni events, creating memorable experiences for participants.
• Contributing to the preparation of campaigns and communications targeted at the alumni network, ensuring compelling and relevant content.
• Contributing to the evaluation and monitoring of CERN Alumni social media activities, including monthly project reports.

Qualifications/skills required

Eligibility criteria:

• You are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
• You have graduated, or are about to graduate, with a university degree (BSc or MSc) level and have no more than 2 years relevant experience after obtaining your MSc degree;
• Kindly note that experience prior to the latest obtained degree will not be taken into account for the calculation of your overall years of experience.

Essential skills and experience:

• Some experience and a strong interest in building and fostering professional relationships, showing an ability to connect with individuals and cultivate lasting networks.
• Some experience in coordinating events, demonstrating organisational skills and attention to detail in event planning and execution.
• Excellent interpersonal skills paired with strong organisational abilities, enabling effective collaboration with diverse constituencies within the alumni community.
• Good communications and presentation skills.
• Desire and ability to work in a team within a large international organisation.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, adept at prioritising tasks, thinking proactively, and working both independently and as an integral part of a team.
• Must demonstrate exceptional attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and quality in all aspects of work, particularly in providing superior customer service.
• Excellent IT skills, particularly proficient in MS Office such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Knowledge of social media/web analytics tools and web authoring would be advantageous.
• Interest in science and technology.
• Must be proficient in English (at least C1); proficiency in French is an advantage, but is not a requirement.
• Fast learner – capable of grasping rapidly and effectively new concepts.
• Having a valid driving licence would be an advantage.
• Good understanding or appreciation of the values of CERN as an institution, with the ability to articulate these values to internal and external stakeholders.

This vacancy is within the CERN Graduate Programme – Early Career professionals (Origin). 

The earliest expected start date of the post is 01.09.2024.

For further details and to submit your application, please, go to the CERN Graduate Programme pages