Systems Engineer

EPFL

EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, is one of the most dynamic university campuses in Europe and ranks among the top 20 universities worldwide. The EPFL employs more than 6,500 people supporting the three main missions of the institution: education, research and innovation. The EPFL campus offers an exceptional working environment at the heart of a community of more than 17,000 people, including over 12,500 students and 4,000 researchers from more than 120 different countries.Systems EngineerMissionAs a Systems Engineer at EPFL's School of Engineering (STI), you will enable and support research, education, and innovation on global scale. Acting as a 3rd-level expert, you will drive automation, modern infrastructure approaches, and improved application deployment standards, working closely with skilled peers to deliver robust, scalable services with real scientific impact.You will work across Linux and Windows server environments, VMware virtualisation, NAS storage provisioning, and automation using Ansible and GitLab, while also operating software license services and addressing complex accreditation and access control issues.Main duties and responsibilitiesImplement Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) principles, emphasizing reliability, automation, and sustainable service operation, through strong observability, clear ownership, and the systematic reduction of toilManage EPFL-wide shared storage services for STI, including access management and service enablement for research laboratories and institutional unitsDesign and improve application deployment workflows, supported by a robust, scalable server and virtualisation infrastructureExpert-level consulting to resolve complex issues, proposing sustainable, long-term infrastructure and platform solutions for STI unitsManage software license services, ensuring reliable and compliant access for STI usersOffer expertise on data storage architectures, backup strategies, access control, and best practicesProvide as the technical reference for accreditation and access control within the School of EngineeringAct as an escalation point for complex incidents, including IT security and compliance-related inquiries.Act as a link between STI and EPFL's central IT, promoting close collaboration and strategic delivery of IT infrastructure and services.ProfileWho You Are:Have completed higher education in computer science (HES "” EPFL) or possess practically equivalent training / experienceA team player who enjoys working across teams and supporting a diverse community of researchers, engineers, and stakeholdersMethodical and solution-focused, with strong attention to detail in operating and evolving complex IT systemsA clear and confident communicator, fluent in spoken and written French and English (minimum level B2), able to engage with both technical and non-technical audiencesAt least 5 years of hands-on experience in system or infrastructure engineering within complex and heterogenous IT environmentsHands-on experience with DevOps and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) approaches and tools, particularly AnsibleStrong programming skills, including Python, shell scripting, and PowerShell: be able to write softwareProficiency in the three main operating systems: Windows, macOS, and LinuxExperience with virtualisation and container technologies, in production or research environmentsStrong knowledge of software license managementExperience working with IT governance, security, and compliance requirementsSolid experience handling large datasets, and working with common storage access protocolsPractical experience with data centre infrastructure, including racks, servers, networking equipment, and hardware lifecycle operationsProficiency in configuration management and CI/CD pipelines supporting infrastructure and application deploymentsThorough understanding of the OSI network modelNice-to-Haves:Experience working in a research and/or educational context, particularly with data-intensive workloadsPrevious experience providing technical leadership, mentoring colleagues, or coordinating infrastructure initiativesCertifications in project management / track record of leading complex deployment and migration assignmentsUnderstanding and knowledge of Swiss and European data protection laws and related, Swiss legislative frameworkWe offerAdditional Info:The duty station for this position is EPFL's campus at Ecublens, Lausanne.Occasional travel may be required to other EPFL campuses (travel is compensated).Perks & Benefits:A dynamic, interdisciplinary and multicultural work environmentOpportunities for professional growth, technical ownership, and long-term infrastructure developmentFlexible working hoursPlease submit your CV and cover letter in French or in English via the EPFL recruitment portal.This job posting will be kept online until the position has been filled.InformationsContract Start Date : 06/01/2026Activity Rate : 100,00Contract Type: CDIReference: 2046