Project Officer EU-funded Defence Research

Essential

Only applications meeting all essential selection criteria will be assessed.

(1) Professional

Candidates will be required to demonstrate the following qualifications:

• a University degree (or equivalent academic qualification) in one of the following fields: electro-mechanics, information technology, electronic engineering, telecommunications or satellite systems;
• a minimum of 6 years of professional experience acquired after the award of the qualification required as a condition of eligibility (see eligibility criteria section above);
• familiarity with the EU defence cooperation environment, including research & technology and related policies;
• familiarity with EU research programmes and funding frameworks, including proven practical experience in the use of EC grant management IT tools;
• practical experience of cooperation with the European Commission and management of stakeholders in public institutions and industry;
• a track record of delivering successful project outcomes;
• experience in the dissemination and exploitation of research project results;
• very good command 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:

• ability to work in a team and independently in their area of responsibility;
• results-orientation and strong motivation;
• flexibility and innovativeness;
• good communication skills;
• a strong sense of duty and responsibility;
• commitment to the Agency's objectives.

Desirable

The following will be considered an advantage:

• a minimum of 5 years of experience in the management of R&T projects;
• knowledge and/or experience in the implementation of the EU Financial Regulation;
• proven record of cooperation with military stakeholders;
• proven experience in handling classified information.

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Project Officer EU-funded Defence Research.

Under the supervision of the Head of Unit EU-funded Defence Research, the jobholder will be responsible for/contribute to the following activities:

• manage projects entrusted to EDA for indirect management under the European Defence Fund (EDF) 
• liaise with the internal units (contracting, finance and security) for the negotiations and signature of the assigned grant agreements;
• liaise/cooperate with relevant EDA internal working groups, especially CapTechs, to look for synergies and exploitation of projects results;
• manage and monitor assigned projects once the grant agreements are signed and review the deliverables;
• provide oversight and participate in the review meetings of the assigned projects;
• implement risk management for assigned projects;
• prepare inputs to obligatory reports towards Commission, especially the annual progress report, the interim progress report and the final report of assigned projects;
• prepare briefing notes and assist in updating information concerning the activities of the assigned projects;
• contribute to the assessment of assigned projects and draw lessons learnt and propose appropriate follow-on actions;
• represent the Agency at public conferences and seminars;
• 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 EU-funded Defence Research will be appointed by the Chief Executive.

Recruitment will be as a member of the temporary staff of the Agency for a four-year period. The successful candidate will be recruited as Temporary Agent, grade AD8.

Contract renewal is possible within the limits set out in the EDA Staff Regulations and subject to a decision/agreement on future contribution agreements signed between the European Commission and the European Defence Agency under the European Defence Fund for entrusted projects responding to EDF calls.

The pay for this position consists of a basic salary of 8.553,32€ supplemented with various allowances including, as applicable, expatriation or family allowances. Successful candidates are graded on entry into service according to the length of their professional experience. Salaries are exempted from national tax, instead an Agency tax at source is paid. For further information on working conditions please refer to: https://eda.europa.eu/jobs/what-we-offer

Failure to obtain the requisite security clearance certificate before the expiration of the probationary period may be cause for termination of the contract.

Candidates are advised that part of the recruitment process includes medical analyses and physical check-up with the Agency’s Medical Adviser.

Applications are invited with a view to establish a reserve list for the post of Project Officer EU-funded Defence Research at EDA. This list will be valid until 31/12/2026, and may be extended by decision of the Chief Executive. During the validity of the reserve list, successful candidates may be offered a post 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 employment in the Agency.