043e - Project Officer Maritime Domain Awareness MARSUR

European Defence Agency; Brussel Hoofdstad; On-site; EUR 80,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

European Defence Agency in Brussels is seeking a Project Officer for Maritime Domain Awareness (MARSUR) to lead project management and procurement activities.

You will coordinate with Member States, manage governance, develop roadmaps and ensure coherence between capability requirements, technical development, and operational implementation. This role is a three-year secondment at AD9/AD10 level.

Qualifications

• Sound knowledge of maritime capabilities, notably MDA and related C4I systems.
• Seven years of naval or maritime operations experience and three years in programme management in international/public sectors.
• Experience in defence capability development, translating requirements into solutions and plans.

Responsibilities

• Support and coordinate Maritime Domain Awareness-related projects and programmes.
• Oversee MARSUR programme management, governance, and procurement activities.
• Translate stakeholder requirements into programme objectives, roadmaps and contractual actions.
• Prepare and monitor budgets, milestones, and risks; report progress to Member States and EDA.
• Ensure coherence between capability requirements, technical development and operational implementation.

Skills

Maritime Domain Awareness

Project Management

Procurement

International Cooperation

Contracting

EU Defence

Job description

043e - Project Officer Maritime Domain Awareness MARSUR

Contract type: Seconded National Expert

Directorate: Capability, Armament & Planning Directorate (CAP)

Group: N.A.

Grade: AD9/AD10

Level of Security Clearance: SECRET UE/EU SECRET

Management of staff: N.A.

Location: Brussels

Closing date for applications: 10/12/2026

The European Defence Agency (EDA) was established on 12 July 2004, and is governed by Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/1835 defining the statute, seat and operational rules of the European Defence Agency. The Agency has its headquarters in Brussels.

The main task of EDA is to support the Council and the Member States in their effort to improve the Union's defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) as it currently stands and as it develops in the future.

The Agency is structured into four directorates. The Corporate Services Directorate (CSD) and three operational directorates: Capability, Armament & Planning (CAP); Procurement, Support, Industry & Interoperability (PSII); Research, Technology & Innovation (RTI).

2. THE AGENCY'S WAY OF WORKING

The Agency is an “outward-facing” organisation, constantly interacting with its shareholders, the Member States, as well as with a wide range of stakeholders. It works in an integrated way, with multi-disciplinary teams representing all of the Agency’s functional areas, to realise its objectives. Its business processes are flexible and oriented towards achieving results. Staff at all levels need to demonstrate the corresponding qualities of commitment, flexibility, innovation, and team-working; to work effectively with shareholders and stakeholder groups, formal and informal; and to operate without the need for detailed direction.

3. THE CAPABILITY, ARMAMENT & PLANNING DIRECTORATE (CAP)

The Capability, Armament & Planning Directorate (CAP) supports Member States in collaboratively planning, developing and acquiring defence capabilities that meet their needs as well as EU priorities. This implies supporting Member States in identifying, preparing and supporting the execution of possible cooperation projects and programmes ranging from long term military capability development to short term armament procurement. This includes obtaining agreement on shared needs and related priorities, harmonising capability requirements and conducting capability development preparatory activities across all dimensions of capabilities (concept & doctrine, organisation, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities, and interoperability). It also includes aggregating demand towards joint procurement of defence products and services.

The Directorate, together with Member States and with the support of other competent EU institutions and bodies, operates the intergovernmental EU Capability Development Planning System (EU-CDPS) comprising several EU tools. The Capability Development Plan (CDP), managed with the EU Military Committee (EUMC) and EU Military Staff (EUMS) contributions, leads to the identification of Capability Development Priorities agreed at EU level as a reference for all EU initiatives on Defence. The Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), conducted with the contribution of EUMS, enables the analysis of the “State of the Union on Defence” and to identify opportunities for cooperation. The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), conducted together with the European External Action Service (EEAS), including EUMS, coordinates the analysis of the annual PESCO National Implementation Plans to assess the participating Member States’ fulfilment of the PESCO commitments, assesses Member States' PESCO project proposals and monitors their progress.

Within EU-CDPS, the Directorate engages with Member States’ capability planners and experts to implement the EU Capability Development Priorities based on agreed collaborative roadmaps. When preparatory activities enable the identification of a possible cooperation project, the Directorate supports Member States interested in the project by elaborating a business case with them.

The CAP Directorate comprises six units and one Coordination and Strategic Analysis Office. Five units address capability development and armament procurement activities of operational domains associated to EU agreed priorities and one operates the EU-CDPS and related processes and tools:

• Air & Space Domain Unit: Air Combat, Airborne Command and Inform Capabilities, Integrated Air and Missile Defence, Air Transport, Space Operations and Space Services;
• Maritime Domain Unit: Naval Combat and Maritime Interdiction, Underwater and Seabed Warfare, Maritime Domain Awareness;
• Land Domain Unit: Ground Combat Capabilities, Land-Based Precision Engagement, Future Soldier Systems;
• Strategic Enablers & Cyber Unit: Cyber Warfare & Operations, Electro Magnetic Spectrum Operations & Electronic Warfare, Command / Control / Communications / Computers / Information Systems / Surveillance / Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance (C4ISTAR), Special Operation Forces;
• Resilience & Support Unit: Military Mobility, Logistics, CBRN Defence, Critical Infrastructure Protection, Medical Support, Energy;
• Maritime Unit: Naval Combat and Maritime Interdiction, Underwater and Seabed Warfare, Maritime Domain Awareness;
• Cooperation Planning Unit: Management of EU-CDPS, including the conduct of the Capability Development Plan, CARD and PESCO.

Based on this organization, in coordination with other Directorates, CAP supports Member States with concrete proposals for cooperation at levels ranging from the technical to the political, while actively contributing to various capability-related initiatives launched by Member States at EU level, such as the EU Defence Readiness objective and associated Priority Capability Areas.

4. DUTIES

Under the supervision of the Head of Unit Maritime Domain, the jobholder will be responsible for/contribute to the following activities:

Maritime capability development and coordination

• support Member States in ongoing and future projects related to Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and Underwater Situational Awareness (UWSA);
• coordinate EDA participation in exercises, experimentation and operational demonstrations related to MDA/ and translate lessons identified into capability development;
• contribute to the development and implementation of EU Capability Development Priorities and related Priority Implementation Plan;
• support and manage ad-hoc projects/programmes (Category A/B and Operational Budget);
• monitor relevant R&T and capability developments and promote coherence and coordination across EDA Directorates;
• develop and maintain close cooperation with Member States, other relevant EU Bodies, offices and agencies and NATO;
• represent EDA at relevant conferences, seminars and other fora;

MARSUR programme management and procurement

The jobholder will have primary responsibility for the project management and procurement activities related to the MARSUR programme and its possible future evolution, including:

• manage the MARSUR Programme, including its governance, implementation and further development, and act as the primary EDA point of contact for participating Member States;
• manage MARSUR-related working bodies and organise Programme Arrangement Board meetings, workshops and symposia;
• translate Member States’ operational and capability requirements into programme objectives, implementation plans and contractual activities;
• prepare and monitor programme roadmaps, milestones, budgets, risks and deliverables and report progress to Member States and EDA management;
• coordinate programme governance and decision-making between participating Member States, EDA, contractors and relevant stakeholders;
• prepare and manage procurement activities, including requirements, market surveys, acquisition strategies, Statements of Work, tender documentation and contracts;
• manage and monitor MARSUR-related contracts, including technical and financial implementation, deliverables, risks and contractor performance;
• ensure coherence between capability requirements, technical development, experimentation, procurement and operational implementation;
• contribute to strengthening EDA programme/project management and procurement processes and competencies.

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

5. CONDITIONS FOR SECONDMENT

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-language-skills

6. SELECTION CRITERIA

IMPORTANT:Confirmation of sponsorship is required at the latest by the deadline for applications and in any case before a decisionon a candidate selected for secondment is taken by EDA.

Only applications meeting all essential selection criteria will be assessed.

(1) Professional

The candidate will be required to demonstrate that he/she has:

• sound knowledge of maritime capabilities, notably Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), maritime surveillance, manned and unmanned systems, sensors and related C4I systems;
• at least seven (7) years of professional experience as a naval military officer, including experience at higher Military Staff/HQ or Ministry of Defence level;
• at least three (3) years of concrete project/programme management experience in an international, governmental or public-sector organisation;
• proven experience in defence capability development, including the translation of operation or capability requirements into compatibility solutions, plans or multinational initiatives;
• experience in procurement and contracting activities, including drafting of requirements, procedural documents, notes and briefs;
• good knowledge of the international defence environment, particularly CSDP, EU capability development and EDA’s role and activities;
• a 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 his/her area of responsibility;
• ability to work effectively in a multinational environment;
• reliability and capacity to work under pressure and with limited supervision;
• good communication and organisational skills;
• strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills;
• results-orientation and strong motivation;
• flexibility and innovativeness;
• genuine commitment to the Agency's objectives.

The following will be considered an advantage:

• a university degree in systems engineering, computer science or a related technical field;
• professional experience with MARSUR or comparable national, EU or NATO Maritime Domain Awareness/information-sharing systems;
• experience with NATO interoperability, exercises, experimentation and operational demonstrations;
• knowledge of classified Communication and Information Systems (CIS) environments, information assurance, security policy and requirements;
• knowledge of emerging MDA technologies, including data fusion, Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomous systems and Underwater Situational Awareness;
• hold a recognised Project/Programme Management qualification.

7. INDEPENDENCE AND DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The selected candidate will be required to make a declaration of commitment to act independently in the Agency’s interest and to make a declaration in relation to interests that might be considered prejudicial to their independence.

8. APPOINTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR SECONDED NATIONAL EXPERTS (SNE) AT EDA

The Project Officer Maritime Domain Awareness MARSUR 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 candidate will be seconded as AD9/AD10 equivalent.

Applications are invited with a view to establish a reserve list for the post of Project Officer Maritime Domain Awareness MARSUR at EDA. This list will be valid until 31/12/2028, 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.

9. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

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.

11. DATA PROTECTION

Please note that EDA will not return applications to candidates. The personal information EDA requests from candidates will be processed in line with Regulation (EU) N° 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices, and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) 45/2001 and Decision No. 1247/2002/EC.

The purpose of processing personal data which candidates submit is to manage applications in view of possible pre-selection and recruitment at EDA. More information on personal data protection in relation to selection and recruitment can be found on the EDA website: http://www.eda.europa.eu/jobs/dataprotection