Project Officer Defence Test and Evaluation

In accordance with the Rules applicable to national experts and military staff on secondment to the European Defence Agency (Council Decision (EU) 2016/1352), Seconded National Experts are seconded to the Agency while remaining in the service of their national employer and continue being paid their national salary by that employer.

Therefore, to be considered in the selection process, candidates for SNE posts must be sponsored by their national authorities. Confirmation is required in the form of a letter of sponsorship addressed to the Agency as far as possible by the closing date for the receipt of applications and in any case before a decision is taken by EDA on the candidate to be selected for a secondment.

The Rules are available on the EDA website http://www.eda.europa.eu - vacancies.

To qualify for secondment to the Agency, experts shall:

• have worked for their employer on a permanent or contract basis for at least 12 months before their secondment;
• remain in the service of their employer throughout the period of secondment and continue to be paid by that employer;
• have at least three years' full-time experience in defence, administrative, scientific, technical, operational, advisory or supervisory functions relevant to the performance of the duties assigned to them. Before the secondment, the employer shall supply the Agency with a statement of the expert's employment covering the previous 12 months;
• be nationals of a participating Member State or falling within the provisions of the second paragraph of Article 1 of Council Decision (EU) 2016/1352 of 4 August 2016;
• have a thorough knowledge (minimum level C1 oral and written) of one official language of one of the participating Member States and a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2 oral and written) of another of these languages for the performance of their duties.

For native English speakers, your ability to communicate in another EU language will be tested during the selection process. To assess your foreign language levels, see: https://europa.eu/europass/en/common-european-framework-reference-langu…

SELECTION CRITERIA

A. Essential

Only applications meeting all essential selection criteria will be assessed.

(1) Professional

Candidates will be required to demonstrate the following qualifications:

• a thorough understanding, knowledge and professional experience in Defence Test and Evaluation and Qualification/Certification;
• a proven experience in managing Defence Test and Evaluation projects and in the areas of qualification and certification;
• familiarity with European defence cooperation structures;
• a thorough and proven international experience;
• a track record in delivering successful business outcomes;
• excellent knowledge of written and spoken English.

(2) Personal

All staff must be able to fit into the Agency's way of working (see para. 2). Other attributes important for this post include:

• strong conceptual, interpersonal, and analytical skills;
• flexibility and innovativeness;
• ability to work in a team and independently in his/her area of responsibility;
• ability to work effectively in a multinational environment;
• good leadership and organisational skills;
• results-orientation and strong motivation;
• good communication skills;
• genuine commitment to the Agency's objectives.

B. Desirable

The following will be considered an advantage:

• University degree in engineering with a specialisation in defence related subjects such as electronics, communications, aeronautics, mechanics, naval architecture;
• further qualifications in programme management subjects;
• experience of working in a multinational environment;
• hold a (recognised) project management qualification.

We are looking for a Project Officer Defence Test and Evaluation.

Under the supervision of the Head of Critical Enablers Unit, the jobholder will contribute to the following activities:

• develop full spectrum test & evaluation capabilities in Europe based on a fully coordinated network of national centres; this entails fostering collaborative activities among Test Centres, creating networks of excellence and systematically relating them to EDA projects;
• ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the Defence Test and Evaluation Base (DTEB) Strategy in close coordination with the DTEB Plenary Group;
• maintain and develop the European Database for Test and Evaluation capabilities and management;
• ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the Strategy for Achieving Harmonised Certification Requirements for Ammunition Safety in close cooperation with the European Network of National Safety Authorities on Ammunition (ENNSA).
• understand the standardisation framework and advise on deriving actions in qualification and certification processes;
• understand the capability development process and advise on deriving actions in qualification and certification processes and vice versa;
• contribute to the development of an integrated approach to critical enablers for cooperation, including Test and Evaluation, Standardisation and Certification; 
• develop and outline studies as required;
• take on additional tasks as required in the interest of the service.

Duties may evolve according to development of the EDA’s structure and activities, and the decisions of EDA management.

The Project Officer Defence Test and Evaluation will be appointed by the Chief Executive.

Secondment will be as a member of the Seconded National Expert staff of the Agency for a three-year period. Renewal is possible within the limits set out in the EDA SNE Rules. The successful candidates will be seconded as AD10/AD11 equivalent.

Applications are invited with a view to establish a reserve list for the post of Project Officer Defence Test and Evaluation at EDA. This list will be valid until 31/12/2025, and may be extended by decision of the Chief Executive. During the validity of the reserve list, successful candidates may be offered a secondment in EDA according to their competences in relation to the specific requirements of the vacant post. Inclusion on the reserve list does not imply any entitlement of secondment to the Agency.