Project Officer Optronic Technologies

To be considered eligible to take part in this selection procedure, on the closing date for the submission of applications candidates must satisfy all the eligibility criteria as specified below:

• be a national of a Member State participating in the Agency;
• be entitled to his/her full rights as a citizen;
• have fulfilled any obligations imposed on him/her by the laws concerning military service;
• produce the appropriate character references as to his/her suitability for the performance of his/her duties (extract from the “judicial record” or certificate of good conduct will be requested prior to recruitment);
• be physically fit to perform his/her duties;
• have a thorough knowledge (minimum level C1 oral and written) of one of the languages of the participating Member States and a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2 oral and written) of another of these languages to the extent necessary to discharge his/her duties;
• have no personal interest (financial, family relationship, or other) which could be in conflict with disinterested discharge of his/her duties within the Agency;
• hold, or be in a position to obtain, a valid Personnel Security Clearance Certificate (national or EU PSC at SECRET UE/EU SECRET level). Personnel Security Clearance Certificate (PSCC) means a certificate issued by a competent authority establishing that an individual is security cleared and holds a valid national or EU PSC, and which shows the level of EUCI to which that individual may be granted access (SECRET UE/EU SECRET), the date of validity of the relevant PSC and the date of expiry of the certificate itself. Note that the necessary procedure for obtaining a PSCC can be initiated on request of the employer only, and not by the individual candidate;
• have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more, or a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least one year when the normal period of university education is at least three years or be a graduate of a national or international Defence College; or where justified in the interests of the service, professional training of an equivalent level.

Only diplomas that have been awarded in EU Member States or that are the subject of equivalence certificates issued by the authorities in the said Member States shall be taken into consideration. In the latter case, the authority authorised to conclude contracts of employment reserves the right to request proof of such equivalence.

For diplomas awarded in non-EU countries, a NARIC recognition is required: https://www.enic-naric.net/

Qualifications/diplomas awarded until 31/12/2020 in the United Kingdom are accepted without further recognition. For diplomas awarded after this date (from 01/01/2021), a NARIC recognition is required.

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…

A. Essential

Only applications meeting all essential selection criteria will be assessed.

(1) Professional

Candidates will be required to demonstrate the following qualifications:

• at least 8 years of professional experience acquired after the award of the qualification required as a condition of eligibility;
• university degree (or equivalent academic qualification) in electronic engineering or optical sensors technologies;
• familiarity with the defence international environment (especially with CSDP);
• a track record of working on R&T activities in government, academia or private companies;
• experience in international R&T collaboration and particularly in managing R&T projects;
• very strong knowledge/experience in the area of electro-optical sensors and relevant technologies (electro optics, sensors, signal processing) and of their application in defence and defence equipment;
• a track record of working on (transversal) R&T activities, either in a laboratory or in a company;
• a track record of delivering successful business outcomes;
• experience in leading organisational and process change, and in group management (organisation of meetings, workshops, conferences);
• 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:

• a strong sense of duty and responsibility; 
• an ability to work in team and independently in his/her area of responsibility; 
• results-oriented and strong motivation; 
• flexibility and innovativeness; 
• good communications skills; 
• strong networking and negotiation skills;
• commitment to the Agency's objectives.

B. Desirable

The following will be considered an advantage:

• familiarity with programs related to optronic technologies under other EU funding schemes (e.g. Horizon Europe, EDF);
• R&T project management experience attested by relevant certification (PMP, Prince 2, or other similar);
• experience in the whole lifecycle of a project (from inception, to results delivery);
• excellent multitasking skills, at different levels (from administrative to policy/strategic tasks);
• strong organization and problem-solving skills;
• knowledge of innovation management methodologies/frameworks;
• knowledge and understanding of Military Capability Development and Defence Research Prioritisation processes.

We are looking for a Project Officer Optronic Technologies.

Under the supervision of the Head of Unit Technology and Innovation, the jobholder will contribute to the following activities:

• moderate the CapTech Electro Optical Sensors Technologies and activities of experts' groups and related Electronic Fora on the EDA Extranet; 
• contribute to R&T initiatives aimed at defining capability-led priorities and projects;
• support and manage of R&T projects including contracting activities;
• participate and collaborate in projects and studies within integrated teams under the responsibility of the RTI Directorate or with other Directorates of EDA;
• define and organise RTI experts’ meetings and workshops;
• collaborate actively with representatives and experts from the participating Member States;
• support the development of the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda (OSRA) and the continued improvement of Captech Technology Building Block content and roadmaps.
• lead, coordinate and contribute to the Agency’s work on Optronic Technologies in a transversal way (Research and Technology, Capabilities) including aspects such as capability development support (CARD, PESCO, CDP/SCC)
• liaise with the EC and EU Agencies, companies and industry associations involved in military or dual use R&T in his/her area of responsibility;
• participate and represent the Agency in security and defence related seminars and workshops mainly in the areas covered by the CapTech;
• contribute to technology watch and foresight in his/her area of responsibility;
• be responsible for the maintenance of the Optronics Captech’s Strategic Research Agenda following agreed methodologies;
• ensure the information flow and engagement of the CapTech members;
• contribute to transversal activities among the CapTechs, and also with other work-strands within EDA, and other organizations;
• 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 Optronic Technologies 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. Renewal is possible within the limits set out in the EDA Staff Regulations. The successful candidate will be recruited as Temporary Agent, grade AD10.

The pay for this position consists of a basic salary of 10.211,93€ supplemented with various allowances, including as applicable expatriation or family allowances. The successful candidate will be graded on entry into service according to the length of his/her 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 Optronic Technologies 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 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.

EDA is an equal opportunities employer and accepts applications without distinction on the grounds of age, race, political, philosophical or religious conviction, sex or sexual orientation and regardless of disabilities, marital status or family situation.

Candidates must submit their application electronically solely via the EDA website. Applications by any other means (hard copy or ordinary e-mail) will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted no later than midnight. Candidates are reminded that the on-line application system will not accept applications after midnight (Brussels time, GMT+1) on the date of the deadline.

When applying, candidates from Ministries of Defence or other governmental entities are encouraged to inform their national administration.

A selection panel will be appointed. Please note that the selection panel's internal proceedings are strictly confidential and that any contact with its members is forbidden.

Each application will be screened based on the requirements of the job profile stated in the vacancy notice. The most suitable applicants will be called for an interview and a written test. Candidates may also be requested to take part in an assessment centre, participating in a number of individual and group activities related to the competences required for the post.

If recruited, you will be requested to supply documentary evidence in support of the statements that you make for this application. Do not send any supporting or supplementary information until you have been asked to do so by the Agency.

Please note that once you have created your EDA profile, any correspondence regarding your application must be sent or received via your EDA profile. For any prior enquiry, please refer to the FAQ (Frequently asked questions) section, or send an e-mail to recruitmenteda [dot] europa [dot] eu (recruitment[at]eda[dot]europa[dot]eu).