202a - Project Officer Information

European Defence Agency; Brussel; On-site; EUR 72,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The European Defence Agency (EDA) in Brussels is seeking a Project Officer Information (Seconded National Expert) to contribute to RTI activities and manage RTI programmes and projects. The role involves coordinating Captech groups, organizing expert meetings, and supporting the uptake of results.

The post requires a university degree in a relevant field and at least seven years of defence ICT/RTI experience.

Qualifications

• University degree in a field relevant to the post (CS, IS, cyber security, or related engineering).
• At least seven years of professional experience in information and communication systems, cyber defence, C4ISR, AI/data analytics, and decision-support systems.
• Extensive experience in RT&I project management including promotion, definition, competition and evaluation.

Responsibilities

• Moderate the Information Superiority & Cyber Captech groups (Captech): Information, Cyber, Simulation, Optronics & Radar and related expert groups; focus on operational RTI aspects in project management and RTI community activities.
• Manage RTI programmes and projects including contracting, monitoring and evaluation (technical, financial, security, legal).
• Prepare briefing notes and update information on RTI projects; contribute to technology push priorities and roadmaps.
• Organize RTI experts’ meetings and workshops; represent the Agency at events.
• Contribute to Technology Watch and Foresight exercises in the area of responsibility.
• Collaborate with Member States and liaise with industry partners involved in defence R&T.

Skills

English proficiency

Teamwork

Multinational environment

Analytical skills

Education

University degree in Computer Science or related field

Engineering discipline

Job description

Directorate: Research, Technology and Innovation Directorate (RTI)

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: 07/01/2027

The European Defence Agency (EDA) was established on 12 July 2004, and isgoverned by CouncilDecision (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 andDefence 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 RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION DIRECTORATE (RTI)

The Research, Technology & Innovation Directorate (RTI) supports Member States in translating defence priorities and operational needs into technological solutions and future capabilities. On the basis of the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda, it provides an integrated, end-to-end service covering technology identification and prioritisation, collaborative research and technology development, innovation, experimentation, and support for the transition of promising solutions towards operational use.

Through its Capability Technology Working Groups, technology programmes and experimentation activities, RTI promotes collaborative defence research and innovation in areas of common interest. The Directorate also coordinates EDA’s contribution to EU-funded defence research and innovation programmes, supports the implementation of activities entrusted by the European Commission, and facilitates the management, exploitation and uptake of results in line with Member States' priorities.

The RTI Directorate comprises:

• Technology Programmes Unit (TPU) supports Member States in identifying and developing priority defence technologies through the Capability Technology Groups, the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda and collaborative R&T activities. It brings together capability pull and technology push across the air and space, maritime and land domains, as well as information superiority, cyber and resilience, power and control technologies, while promoting greater cross-domain cooperation and coherence;
• EU Programmes and RTI Coordination Unit (EPC) ensures the coherent planning, coordination and monitoring of the RTI Directorate’s portfolio. It coordinates the Directorate’s engagement in EU-funded defence research and innovation programmes, supports the implementation of entrusted activities, and promotes synergies between collaborative R&T, innovation, experimentation and capability development activities;
• Centre for European Defence Innovation (CEDI) provides a coherent and scalable innovation and experimentation function supporting Member States along the full innovation pathway. CEDI connects promising technologies and innovative solutions with end users, testing and experimentation facilities and potential follow-on pathways, helping Member States assess military utility, reduce adoption risks and accelerate the transition towards operationally relevant and deployment-ready solutions.

4. DUTIES

Under the supervision of the Head of Technology Programmes Unit, the j obholder will be re sponsible for / contribute to the following activities:

• support the moderation of the Information Superiority & Cyber related Capability Technology Groups (Captech): Information, Cyber, Simulation, Optronics & Radar and related expert groups, particularly regarding operational aspects in R&T project management and execution, and related R&T community activities;
• support and manage R&T programmes and projects including contracting, monitoring and evaluation activities (technical, financial, security and legal);
• prepare briefing notes and assist in updating information concerning the activities of the assigned R&T projects;
  contribute to R&T initiatives aimed at defining technology-push or capability-led priorities and roadmaps, Technology Building Blocks (TBBS) and the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA); specially ones involving several CapTechs (cross-CapTech);
• organize RTI experts’ meetings and workshops, participate and represent the Agency in those
• contribute to Technology Watch and Foresight exercises in the area of responsibility;
• collaborate actively with representatives and experts from the Member States;
  liaise with companies and industry associations involved in military or dual use R&T in the jobholder’s area of responsibility;
  

Duties may evolve according to the development of EDA’s structure and activities, and the 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:

• a university degree (or equivalent academic degree) in a field relevant to the post: Computer Science, Information Systems, Cyber Security, Electrical or Electronic Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Signal- and Image Processing, Systems Engineering, Applied Physics, Software Engineering, or in a closely related engineering discipline;
• at least seven (7) years of professional experience covering several of the following areas:
  • information and communication systems, digital architectures and interoperability;
  • cyber defence and cyber-physical systems;
  • C4ISR systems and enabling sensing (radar, optronics) and digital technologies;
  • artificial intelligence, image & data analytics and decision-support systems;
    
• extensive experience in R&T project management, covering all the phases: promotion, definition, competition and evaluation of proposals, running, assessment of the results, fostering of follow-up activities;
• experience in the dissemination and exploitation of defence research project results;
• familiarity with European Research and Technology programmes and funding frameworks;
• a good understanding of EDA’s main tasks and functions relevant to the area of responsibility;
• 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 with little 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:

• experience in radar, optronics, sensor systems, and signal and image processing;
• experience in modelling and simulation technologies;
• experience in systems engineering and integration of complex defence systems;
• hold a (recognised) project management qualification (e.g. PMP).

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 Information 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 Information 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, 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.