EU Proposal Writer & Funding Specialist - External Consultant (B2B)

Employers from Greece; United States; Remote; USD 92,000 - 200,000; Part time

Job summary

AI2CYBER in Greece is seeking an experienced EU Proposal Writer & Funding Specialist to join as an independent external consultant based in Greece. The role focuses on coordinating European funding proposals across cybersecurity, AI, quantum technologies and defence research, from opportunity discovery to submission.

The consultant will work with management, technical and finance teams to transform research ideas into credible, competitive project proposals.

Qualifications

• Proven experience writing and submitting European funding proposals.
• Excellent written English, with the ability to clearly communicate complex technical concepts.
• Strong knowledge of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.
• Familiarity with the European Defence Fund (EDF) and European funding programmes.
• Ability to connect technical objectives with budgets, exploitation opportunities and implementation plans.

Responsibilities

• Lead proposal development from identifying opportunities to submission.
• Coordinate contributions from companies, research organisations and other partners.
• Describe state of the art, proposed innovations and use cases clearly.
• Ensure alignment with Horizon Europe, EDF, and other calls; manage deadlines and quality checks.
• Prepare budgets, timelines and risk management for proposals.

Skills

Funding proposals

English writing

Cybersecurity knowledge

AI & ML basics

Quantum tech familiarity

EDF knowledge

Stakeholder coordination

Deadline management

Independent work

Job description

at AI2CYBER

Location: Greece (Remote)

Engagement Type: Independent External Consultant - B2B Contract

Mandatory Requirement: Applicants must already have an active, registered sole proprietorship (ατομική επιχείρηση) in Greece and be able to issue invoices for their professional services.

Please note: This is strictly an external consulting opportunity, not a salaried employment position. Applications from candidates who do not already meet the above business registration requirement will not be considered.

About the Role

At AI2CYBER, we are seeking an experienced EU Proposal Writer & Funding Specialist to collaborate with our team as an independent external consultant based in Greece.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience developing and coordinating European funding proposals across cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and defence research.

The consultant will manage the proposal development process, from identifying suitable funding opportunities and shaping project concepts to coordinating partners, preparing applications and completing submissions.

The role involves close collaboration with our management, technical and finance teams to transform research ideas and product capabilities into credible, competitive and well-structured project proposals.

The successful consultant will demonstrate excellent English writing skills, a solid understanding of cybersecurity, AI and quantum technologies, and strong knowledge of European funding programmes, including the European Defence Fund (EDF).

Requirements

• Identify and assess relevant funding opportunities across Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, EDF, Eurostars and cascade funding calls, considering eligibility, strategic fit, resources and deadlines.
• Analyse call documents, expected outcomes and evaluation criteria, and recommend opportunities aligned with the company's capabilities and priorities.
• Develop project concepts and write complete proposals covering technical excellence, methodology, implementation, impact, exploitation and dissemination.
• Collaborate with technical specialists to describe the state of the art, explain proposed innovations and define realistic use cases, validation activities and technology readiness levels.
• Structure work packages, tasks, deliverables, milestones, performance indicators and risk management plans.
• Identify potential partners, support consortium development and coordinate contributions from companies, research organisations and other stakeholders.
• Prepare project budgets, effort allocations and supporting financial information in collaboration with finance and technical teams.
• Support EDF proposal preparation by reviewing call-specific requirements and coordinating eligibility, consortium and security-related checks with relevant specialists.
• Manage submission schedules, supporting documentation and application platforms, ensuring completeness, consistency and compliance before submission.
• Support clarification requests, grant preparation and the handover of successful proposals to project delivery teams.
• Maintain proposal records and reusable materials, analyse evaluation feedback and contribute to improving future submissions.

Benefits

• Competitive consulting fees, subject to periodic review.
• Fully remote collaboration from anywhere in Greece.
• Opportunities to contribute to European research and innovation initiatives involving advanced technologies.
• Involvement in challenging projects across cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and defence research.
• Collaboration with experienced cybersecurity, AI and engineering professionals.
• Access to relevant learning materials, technical resources and collaboration tools.
• Opportunities to contribute to the company's research, innovation and funding strategy.
• A professional environment that encourages independent thinking, initiative and long-term collaboration.

Required Skills and Experience

• Demonstrable experience writing and submitting European funding proposals, with clear personal responsibility for substantive sections or complete applications.
• Excellent written English, with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly, accurately and persuasively.
• Working knowledge of cybersecurity, including cyber threat intelligence, application security, vulnerability management, security operations and critical infrastructure protection.
• Understanding of artificial intelligence and machine learning, including generative AI, intelligent automation, trustworthy AI and AI system security.
• Familiarity with quantum technologies and their security implications, particularly quantum computing, post-quantum cryptography and quantum-safe communications.
• Knowledge of the European Defence Fund (EDF), including its research and development focus, call documentation, proposal requirements, evaluation approach and consortium considerations.
• Ability to connect technical objectives with measurable outcomes, implementation plans, budgets and exploitation opportunities.
• Strong research, organisational and stakeholder coordination skills.
• Ability to manage multiple proposal deadlines while maintaining accuracy, consistency and document quality.
• Ability to work independently, take ownership of deliverables and collaborate effectively with technical and business stakeholders.

Additional Experience We Would Value

• Proven contribution to successful European funding proposals, particularly in cybersecurity, AI, quantum technologies or defence.
• Direct experience with EDF proposal writing or consortium development.
• Experience in defence research, dual-use technologies or collaboration with industrial partners and research institutions.
• Familiarity with the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and other funding submission platforms.
• Experience developing exploitation strategies, business cases, intellectual property approaches and commercialisation plans.
• Experience supporting grant preparation, project reporting or technical deliverables following a funding award.

Ideal Consultant Profile

We are looking for more than someone who can prepare funding applications.

The ideal consultant understands the European research and innovation funding landscape and can transform technically complex ideas into convincing, well-structured proposals aligned with programme objectives and evaluation criteria.

We value professionals who demonstrate:

• Strong analytical thinking and attention to detail.
• Excellent technical writing and communication skills.
• Independent problem-solving and sound judgement.
• The ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams and external partners.
• A proactive approach to identifying funding opportunities.
• Accountability and ownership throughout the proposal development lifecycle.
• An understanding of how research, technological innovation and commercial objectives contribute to competitive funding proposals.

The consultant will collaborate directly with the specialists developing our technologies and delivering our services, gaining access to the technical evidence, practical use cases and business priorities necessary to develop well-grounded proposals.

External Consulting Requirements – Important

This opportunity is exclusively available to independent professionals operating through an existing sole proprietorship in Greece.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be currently resident in Greece.
• Already have an active, legally registered sole proprietorship (ατομική επιχείρηση) in Greece at the time of application.
• Be legally able to provide professional proposal writing, funding consultancy or related services.
• Be able to issue valid invoices for the professional services provided.
• Be available to enter into a B2B consulting agreement with AI2CYBER.

This is not an employee position, and no salaried employment contract will be offered. Establishing a sole proprietorship after selection does not satisfy the eligibility requirements.

The collaboration is intended to be ongoing, with the scope, availability and deliverables agreed under the consulting arrangement.

Confidentiality

The selected consultant will have access to proprietary technical information, research concepts, funding strategies and sensitive project documentation.

Detailed information about internal projects, technologies and funding activities will be shared with shortlisted candidates and, where appropriate, under confidentiality terms.

About AI2CYBER

AI2CYBER develops cybersecurity technologies and provides specialist security services.

Our work spans threat intelligence, application security, vulnerability discovery and automated security operations.

We bring together cybersecurity expertise, artificial intelligence and software engineering to help organisations understand their exposure and address security weaknesses effectively.

Our mission is to develop innovative, reliable and practical security solutions while contributing to European research and technological advancement.

All applications will be treated with strict confidentiality.