Data Privacy Specialist
CERN · Tills vidare · Deadline 2026-11-09
CERN is recruiting a **Data Privacy Specialist** to join the Office of Data Privacy within the Office of the CIO. Reporting to the Data Privacy Advisor, the role acts as an independent and impartial advisor to management, data subjects, and external entities on personal data processing. Core responsibilities include providing legal and operational compliance guidance across the full data lifecycle, assessing risks for emerging technologies, and managing privacy projects such as international data-sharing initiatives. The specialist also oversees data subject rights, handles grievances, reviews governance structures, maintains regulatory relationships, and conducts awareness campaigns and training across the organization. Candidates must hold a **master's degree or equivalent relevant experience** in law, data protection, privacy, IT, or a related field, alongside proven, extensive practical data protection experience gained at national or international level. Fluency in **both English and French** (spoken and written) is required, as is knowledge of EU regulations, compliance auditing, risk assessment, and official document drafting. Applicants must be nationals of a CERN Member or Associate Member State (excluding Pakistani, Lithuanian, Latvian, Cypriot, Croatian, and Turkish nationals due to quota ceilings). Prior CERN Staff contract holders are ineligible. Professional privacy certifications (such as IAPP or CIPP) or bar admission are considered assets.
What you'll do
As a Data Privacy Specialist, you will join the Office of Data Privacy (ODP) in the Office of the CIO. ODP is CERN's independent and impartial centre of expertise in the area of data privacy. You will report to the Data Privacy Advisor, CERN's Data Protection Officer, and will advise CERN Management as well as Data Subjects and External Entities involved in the Processing of Personal Data, on all issues related to the Organization's data privacy protection.
Your responsibilities
-Provide specialised legal and operational advice to ensure that CERN's processing of personal data complies with applicable data privacy protection requirements throughout the data lifecycle, including projects, contracts, risk assessments, data transfers, and data breach response, taking into account data protection implications of emerging technologies.
-Manage or contribute to projects in the privacy and data protection field involving internal and external stakeholders (e.g. international data-sharing initiatives).
-Advise on the relevant governance structures, policies, documentation, stakeholder engagement, and establish and maintain regulatory relationships necessary to support CERN's data privacy protection framework.
-Ensure the effective exercise of data subject rights and the prompt handling of grievances and complaints.
-Promote a strong culture of data privacy protection through communication, awareness campaigns, guidance materials, and targeted training for CERN personnel and stakeholders.
-Oversee the effectiveness of CERN's data privacy protection framework, identify improvement opportunities, and ensure ongoing alignment with evolving regulatory expectations and recognised best practices.
Your profile
-You have proven data protection expertise and experience.
-You have extensive practical experience in data protection acquired at national or international level, in particular practical experience in applying data protection rules (preferably EU data protection framework).
-You preferably have experience working in an international environment and in dealing with EU actors and bodies or Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs).
-You will act with the required independence and impartiality.
-Master's degree or equivalent relevant experience in the field of Law, Data Protection, Privacy, IT or a related field. Holding a certification in the domain of data privacy protection (e.g. International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP)), or equivalent, or admission to the bar or equivalent legal qualification would be an asset.
Your skills
-Knowledge of EU regulations.
-Knowledge of administrative rules and procedures.
-Drafting and writing of official documents.
-Stakeholder relationship management, in particular data protection commissions, communities of DPOs of other IGOs.
-Risks assessment for compliance and data protection purposes.
-Compliance auditing.
-Delivers presentations in a structured and clear way; adjusts style and content to the audience; responds calmly and confidently to questions.
-Has a structured and organised approach towards work; is able to set priorities and plan tasks with results in mind.
-Is willing to work on different projects simultaneously.
-Maintains confidentiality.
-Spoken and written both English and French.
Be sure to meet the eligibility criteria
You are a national of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State. Currently, we cannot consider applications from Pakistani, Lithuanian, Latvian, Cypriot, Croatian and Turkish nationals, as the ceiling defined under Article II.5 of the Associate Membership Agreement has been reached.
You have relevant qualifications and professional experience.
If you have previously held a Staff contract at CERN, you will not be eligible for these positions.
Please pay attention to the additional criteria and requirements for this specific position and mentioned above.
You will need these documents to complete your application
Your CV (English or French)
Any document you consider relevant to your application