European Defence Agency – Project Officer Emerging Land Technologies

Published by pavlo

Deadline: 15 January 2021
Open to: applicants who 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
Benefits: the jobholder will help to improve the Union’s defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the Common Security and Defence Policy

DESCRIPTION

The vacancy title is “Project Officer Emerging Land Technologies” within the Research, Technology and Innovation Directorate (RTI) of the European Defence Agency (EDA). The 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.

Under the overall supervision of the Director RTI and the Head of the Technology and Innovation Unit, the jobholder will contribute to the following activities:

  • support the Project Officer Land Systems on managing the CapTech Ground Systems (Land) and related electronic fora on the EDA Collaborative Platform and the Project and Portfolio Management platform;
  • coordinate the input from LAND Captech for the further development of the Capability Development Plan (CDP) and Strategic Context Cases (SCC) in order to define capability-led priorities and projects with R&T initiatives;
  • coordinate and/or support land-related defence research activities under the European Commission (Preparatory Action on Defence Research and its follow-on programme);
  • coordinate the input from LAND Captech for Key Strategic Activities;
  • coordinate technology watch and foresight activities in the assigned area of responsibility;
  • contribute to improving the linkage between capability development and the system-related R&T activities;
  • promote, support and manage research projects, including contracting, monitoring and evaluation activities under the responsibility of the RTI Directorate;
  • prepare, launch and follow the tenders and contracts related to studies assigned to him/her in support of CapTech Land activities;
  • define and organise experts’ ad-hoc meetings and workshops to prepare projects or programmes assigned to him/her;
  • represent the Agency in security and defence-related conferences, seminars and workshops;
  • take on additional tasks as required in the interest of the service.

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

ELIGIBILITY

CONDITIONS FOR SECONDMENT

In accordance with the Rules applicable to national experts and military staff on secondment to the European Defence Agency (2004/677/EC), 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, in order 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.

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 of one official language of one of the participating Member States and a satisfactory knowledge of another of these languages for the performance of their duties.

SELECTION CRITERIA

A. Essential

(1) Professional

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

  • engineering or information technologies university studies and a broad scientific culture;
  • familiarity with the defence international environment and the EU defence R&T community including both governments, industry, institutes and academia; EU defence
  • specific background knowledge in the area of Land Systems in the Security & Defence context, with focus on technologies for autonomy/autonomous systems;
  • knowledge and experience in defence European and international R&T collaboration and a track record of delivering successful business outcomes;
  • experience in organisation and chairing of meetings and workshops;
  • a very good knowledge of written and spoken English.

(2) Personal

All staff must be able to fit into the Agency’s way of working. 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;
  • good interpersonal, communication and influencing skills;
  • flexibility, innovativeness, tact with a strong sense of duty and responsibility;
  • results-orientation and strong motivation;
  • accuracy and dependability;
  • ability to adapt to a quickly changing working environment;
  • genuine commitment to the Agency’s objectives.

B. Desirable

The following will be considered an advantage:

  • familiarity with the defence international environment (especially CSDP);
  • knowledge of European Defence Technological and Industrial Base;
  • hold a (recognised) project management qualification.

BENEFITS

The jobholder will have a chance 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.

HOW TO APPLY?

Candidates must submit their application electronically solely via the EDA website.

For more information please visit the official website.