C073a - Project Officer Transition

European Defence Agency; Brussel Hoofdstad; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

European Defence Agency (EDA) in Brussels invites applications for the Project Officer Transition in the RTI Directorate. The role focuses on translating innovation and experimentation outputs into usable inputs for Member States’ capability development, qualification, integration and procurement decisions.

It is an Agency’s Contractual Staff position with responsibilities spanning coordination, reporting and stakeholder engagement. Application deadline is 2026-11-26.

Responsibilities

• Support the preparation and delivery of activities translating innovation and experimentation into inputs for capability development, qualification, integration and procurement decisions.
• Contribute to development of transition packages for Member States, including evidence summaries and use-case descriptions.
• Coordinate studies, service contracts or external support related to transition planning and qualification pathways.

Job description

C073a - Project Officer Transition at the European Defence Agency (EDA), Brussels, Belgium. Contract type: Agency’s Contractual Staff. Grade: N.A.. Directorate: Research, Technology & Innovation Directorate (RTI). Reference: EDA/2026/C073a. Security clearance: SECRET UE/EU SECRET. Application deadline: 2026-11-26.

BACKGROUND

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).

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.

THE RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY & 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.

DUTIES

Under the supervision of the Head of the Centre for European Defence Innovation, the Project Officer Transition will contribute to the following activities:

• support the preparation and delivery of EDA activities aimed at translating innovation and experimentation outputs into usable inputs for Member States’ capability development, qualification, integration and procurement‑related decision‑making;
• contribute to the development of transition packages for Member States, including evidence summaries, operational use‑case descriptions, integration notes, qualification considerations, draft technical specifications, lessons learned and other outputs supporting uptake and transition;
• support the consolidation of results from digital experimentation, modelling and simulation, field trials, demonstrations and operational experimentation campaigns, ensuring that findings are structured, traceable and usable beyond the specific event or activity in which they were generated;
• assist in identifying, documenting and following up transition pathways for innovative solutions, including potential links to national uptake, collaborative projects, further experimentation, EU defence instruments, procurement‑related activities or additional research and technology maturation;
• support the design of experimentation activities to ensure that clear transition objectives, evidence requirements and follow‑up arrangements are defined from the outset;
• support engagement with Member States’ capability planners, operational users, test centres, qualification bodies, procurement authorities and other relevant national stakeholders;
• contribute to the preparation of briefings, notes, reports, presentations and other deliverables for Member States, EDA management and external stakeholders on transition, qualification enablement and uptake of innovative solutions;
• contribute to the organisation and follow‑up of meetings, workshops, expert discussions and Member State consultations related to transition and qualification enablement;
• support the coordination of studies, service contracts or outsourced support activities related to transition planning, qualification pathways, integration analysis or procurement‑relevant evidence, as required;
• ensure proper documentation, knowledge management and traceability of transition‑related outputs, supporting continuity across the innovation portfolio;
• take on additional tasks as required in the interest of the service.

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

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

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 their full rights as citizens;
• have fulfilled any obligations imposed on their by the laws concerning military service;
• produce the appropriate character references as to their suitability for the performance of their duties (extract from the “judicial record” or certificate of good conduct will be requested prior to recruitment);
• be physically fit to perform their duties;
• have a thorough knowledge (minimum level C1 oral and written) of one of the languages of the participating Member States and a