Post Career Break Fellowship Programme

CERN has launched a program to offer full-time or part-time Fellowships to science and engineering graduates looking for a way back into science. This is an outstanding chance for you to update your knowledge and skills working for up to three years in an international environment at the forefront of research.

Required Qualifications

In order to qualify for a place on the program you will need to meet the following requirements:

  1. You have been on a career break for personal reasons (for example for family or caring responsibilities, health issues) for at least two years. Please note that periods of unemployment or a change in field from your studies or in the direction of your career are not considered a “career break” within the spirit of our program.
  2. The candidate should have either a “Senior Fellow” profile, with a MSc level diploma or PhD and between 4 and 10 years’ relevant experience after completion of your MSc. If you are applying in the fields of experimental or theoretical physics, you must hold a PhD (or be about to finish your thesis).
    Alternatively, candidate should have a “Junior Fellow” profile, with a BSc or technical engineer diploma and no more than four years’ relevant experience, and you are a national of a CERN Member or Associate Member State.
  3. Please note that candidates who are registered as CERN Users may be asked to justify how their status relates to their application.
  4. CERN Staff members are not eligible to apply for a Fellowship.

Additional Information

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

  1. An employment contract for between 6 months (minimum) up to a maximum of 36 months.
  2. A stipend ranging from 5,185 to 7,994 Swiss Francs per month (net of tax).
  3. Coverage by CERN’s comprehensive health scheme (for yourself, your spouse and children), and membership of the CERN Pension Fund.
  4. Depending on your individual circumstances: an installation grant, family, child and infant allowances as well as travel expenses to and from Geneva.
  5. 2.5 days of paid leave per month.

Application Procedure:

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

  1. A CV.
  2. A letter covering your experience and career break and how your research interests and skills relate to CERN’s diverse activities.
  3. Your most recent relevant qualification.
  4. Two letters of recommendation giving an overview of your most relevant academic and/or professional achievements.

Deadline: September and March Yearly (12.00 PM CET)

Quick Overview————-
OrganizationCERN
CountrySwitzerland
Fellowship LevelGrants
Subject areasScience, Engineering, Physics
Fellowship amountAllowance
EligibilityOpen to all nationalities
DeadlineSeptember and March Yearly
————————————

Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholars Program

The Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholars Program appeals high-achieving postdoctoral scholars from premier universities in the United States to do research at

Google India PhD Fellowships

The Google PhD Fellowship Program is a prestigious initiative supporting exceptional PhD students in computer science and related fields. It

Postdoctoral fellowship student food security University of Guelph

The University of Guelph offers a postdoctoral fellowship focusing on research to combat student food insecurity. This program supports early-career

Eiffel Scholarships: Masters and PhD Grants

The Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme 2025 is a prestigious initiative by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs that

NPU President Scholarship Program

The NPU President Scholarship by Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), located in Xi’an, China, offers a prestigious pathway for international students seeking exceptional

Netherlands International Postdoctoral grants in Humanities, Life and Natural Sciences

The Rubicon Programme is a prestigious fellowship by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), designed for recent PhD graduates

Postdoctoral Fellowship academic hub

Tufts University Residential Postdoctoral Fellowships The Tufts University Residential Postdoctoral Fellowships, managed by the esteemed Center for the Humanities at

ERCIM Alain Bensoussan Fellowship Programme

Europe: ERCIM Alain Bensoussan Fellowship Programme Embark on a transformative journey with the ERCIM Alain Bensoussan Fellowship Programme! This esteemed

HBIGS: International PhD programme; Life Sciences

The HBIGS International PhD Program offers a fully funded, globally recognized research fellowship in advanced biosciences. It targets both fresh

Fully funded, two-year residential program for junior scholars

The Tufts University Residential Postdoctoral Fellowships, hosted by the Center for the Humanities at Tufts (CHAT), offer a fully funded,

Job Location