Project Officer EU-funded Defence Research

European Defense Agency; Brussel Hoofdstad; Sur place; EUR 94 000 - 105 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

European Defence Agency is seeking a Project Officer EU-funded Defence Research in Brussels. You will manage EU-funded defence research projects and coordinate with CapTechs, HEDI and other internal units to maximise impact of funded activities.

The role requires a university degree in a relevant field, six years of relevant experience, and strong English proficiency. You will contribute to progress reporting and liaison with the European Commission, while supporting strategic collaboration

Qualifications

• University degree in STEM or related field.
• Minimum six years of relevant professional experience after the award of the qualification.
• Familiarity with EU defence cooperation environment.
• Experience engaging with EU institutions and defence stakeholders.
• Proven track record delivering project outcomes.
• Very good command of written and spoken English.

Responsabilités

• Manage projects entrusted to EDA for indirect management under EDF.
• Liaise with internal units for negotiations and signature of grant agreements.
• Cooperate with CapTechs and HEDI to look for synergies and exploit results.
• Manage and monitor assigned projects and review deliverables.
• Provide oversight and participate in review meetings of projects.
• Prepare inputs to obligatory reports to the European Commission.
• Prepare briefing notes and update information on project activities.
• Contribute to assessment of projects and draw lessons learned.
• Represent the Agency at public conferences and seminars.

Connaissances

Project management

Stakeholder collaboration

English proficiency

Teamwork

Negotiation

Formation

University degree in STEM or related field

Outils

COMPASS

SYGMA

Description du poste

Project Officer EU-funded Defence Research

Contract type: Temporary agent

Directorate: Research, Technology and Innovation Directorate (RTI)

Group: N.A.

Grade: AD7

Level of Security Clearance: SECRET UE/EU SECRET

Management of staff: N.A.

Location: Brussels

Closing date for applications: 13/10/2026

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: Industry, Synergies and Enablers (ISE); Capability, Armament & Planning (CAP); Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI).

2. THE AGENCY'S WAY OF WORKING

The Agency is an “outward-facing” organisation, constantly interacting with its shareholders, the participating 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) promotes and supports defence research at EU level. Based on the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda (OSRA), developed together with the Member States, the Directorate coordinates and plans joint research activities and the study of technical solutions to meet future operational needs.

The RTI Directorate provides support to Member States and to the European Commission for the Preparatory Action for defence research, including its implementation, and the research dimension of the European Defence Fund. The RTI directorate also ensures the promotion of innovation in defence and the exploitation of synergies at EU level with civil research in dual-use technology fields.

At present, the RTI Directorate comprises two Units, the EU-funded Defence Research Unit and the Technology & Innovation Unit, as well as the Hub for European defence Innovation (HEDI) and the RTI Coordination Team, with the following key tasks:

The EU-funded Defence Research Unit: upstream, implementation and downstream support linked to defence research activities funded by the EU budget under delegation by the European Commission.

The Technology & Innovation Unit: facilitation of the work of the Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs) and the Energy & Environment Working Group as well as development and management of ad hoc research activities based on sectoral Strategic Research Agendas.

HEDI: focal point for defence innovation, driving the development of military capabilities while strengthening cooperation between EU Member States and associated countries. HEDI’s mission is to turn promising ideas into usable defence capabilities faster, while supporting EU defence priorities and strengthening Europe’s technological edge.HEDI is expected to become a dedicated Defence Innovation Centre (designation subject to approval of forthcoming organisational structure).

The RTI Coordination Team: coordination of the RTI Directorate’s contributions to EDA’s transversal activities (such as capability development priorities (CDP), Capability Annual Review on Defence (CARD), Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), and Key Strategic Activities (KSA); overview of the Agency’s research portfolio.

4. DUTIES

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);
• liaisewiththeinternalunits(contracting,financeandsecurity)forthenegotiationsandsignatureoftheassignedgrant agreements;
• liaise/cooperatewithrelevantEDAinternalworkinggroups,especially Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs) and Hub for European Defence Innovation (HEDI),tolookforsynergiesandexploitation 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;
• prepareinputstoobligatoryreportstowardsthe European Commission,especiallytheannualprogressreport,theinterimprogress 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 the development of EDA’s structure and activities, and the decisions of EDA management.

5. 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 them 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 satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2 oral and written) of another of these languages to the extent necessary to discharge their duties;
• have no personal interest (financial, family relationship, or other) which could be in conflict with disinterested discharge of their 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 ofeducation 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-language-skills

6. SELECTION CRITERIA

(1) Professional

Candidates will be required to demonstrate the following qualifications:

• a University degree (or equivalent academic qualification) in one of the following fields: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), economics, finance, business management, political sciences or other domain relevant to this post;
• a minimum of six (6) years of relevant 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, especially research & technology and related policies;
• practical experience in cooperating with the European defence institutional stakeholders (European Commission/DG DEFIS, EDA, EUMS), ministries of defence of the EU Member States, European research organisations, academia and defence industry incl. SMEs, and with internal stakeholders;
• a track record of delivering successful project outcomes;
• 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;
• strong interpersonal and negotiation skills;
• flexibility, proactiveness and innovativeness;
• results-orientation and strong motivation;
• a strong sense of duty and responsibility;
• genuine commitment to the Agency's objectives.

The following will be considered an advantage:

• experience in the dissemination and exploitation of research project results;
• proven experience in managing defence research & technology projects, including practical experience in the use of European Commission grant management IT tools (COMPASS, SYGMA);
• knowledge of, and/or experience in, the implementation of the EU Financial Regulation;
• proven experience in handling classified information;

7. APPOINTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR TEMPORARY AGENTS AT EDA

EDA, whose staff are governed by its own Staff Regulations, offers specific conditions of employment with regards to contract duration and pension arrangements.

CONTRACT DURATION

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 4-ye ar period. Renewal is possible only once for an additional period of 4 years, within the limits set out in the EDA Staff Regulations and subject to budget availability. The su ccessful candidate will be recruited as Temporary Agent, grade AD7 . In line with EDA's Staff Regulations, the Agency does not offer inter-Agency mobility.

FINANCIAL ENTITLEMENTS

The pay for this position consists of a basic salary of 7 876,27 € 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 is deducted at source.

PENSION ARRANGEMENTS SPECIFIC TO EDA

Prospective staff members considering a career at the European Defence Agency (EDA) should be aware that EDA has its own pension provisions and is not part of the EU institutions' pension scheme (PSEUI).

In addition, EDA staff have several flexible options regarding their pension contributions at the end of their contract, under certain conditions, such as:

• transfer to a public pension scheme;
• transfer to a private pension scheme;
• direct payment as a severance grant.

For further information on working conditions please refer to: https://eda.europa.eu/jobs/what-we-offer

8. 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.

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.eda.europa.eu/jobs/dataprotection