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Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation Jobs

OCCAR

European defence procurement organisation managing collaborative armament programmes between member states. Headquartered in Bonn.

7 open positionsVisit Website

Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation is currently advertising 7 open positions on our EU Jobs Alert tracker. Every vacancy below is sourced from the official Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation careers portal, normalised into a consistent schema, and refreshed daily so you never miss a deadline.

Use the filters on this page to narrow Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation roles by grade, contract type, location, and policy domain. The listing is updated daily from official EU recruitment sources and every job links straight through to the institution's application page. No recruiter middlemen, no expired postings.

The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) is a European intergovernmental body that manages collaborative defence procurement and armament programmes for its member states. It is headquartered in Bonn, Germany, and is not an institution of the European Union, so it recruits through its own systems and EU staff grades do not apply. OCCAR was created to make multinational defence equipment programmes run more efficiently, coordinating the requirements, budgets, and industrial contracts of several countries so that shared military capabilities can be developed and delivered together. Its work is technical and programme-focused, sitting at the meeting point of engineering, contracting, and international cooperation. The roles gathered here point to technical officers, project officers, information and communications specialists, security managers, and administrative support connected to specific armament programmes. If you are interested in defence acquisition and multinational programme management, OCCAR offers a specialised career path. Check the current openings to see which programme and support roles are live at the moment.

What OCCAR is and its mandate

OCCAR manages cooperative defence equipment programmes on behalf of its member states. When several countries decide to develop or buy the same military capability together, they can place that programme under OCCAR's management to avoid duplication and to share cost and risk. The organisation handles the through-life management of these programmes, from setting common requirements and awarding contracts to industry, through to monitoring delivery, cost, and schedule. Its founding members are a group of European states with significant defence industries, and other countries can participate in specific programmes without being full members. This is an intergovernmental defence organisation, separate from the European Union, though it cooperates with EU defence initiatives where mandates align. Its programmes cover areas such as armoured vehicles, missiles, aircraft, and communications systems, and each major programme runs through a dedicated programme division. Headquartered in Bonn, OCCAR also has programme divisions and staff located near the industrial and national partners involved in particular projects, which is why duty stations appear in more than one country. The organisation's value lies in professional programme management applied to complex, multinational, high-value defence contracts. For candidates, that means the work is about running acquisition programmes to time, cost, and quality, in close contact with national defence ministries and industry, rather than policy-making or military operations. Because each programme has its own set of participating countries, the organisation has to reconcile different national requirements and timelines into a single managed contract. That coordination role is central to why the organisation exists, and it gives staff a clear view of how large European defence projects are actually delivered across borders.

Role categories and what they hire for

OCCAR vacancies center on technical, project, information, and support roles tied to its programmes. Recent titles include Technical Officer Communications, System Specialist, React Technical Project Officer, Risk, Planning and Configuration Officer, Information Security Manager, ICT Support Technician, ISS Officer, Directorate Assistant, and Senior Information Management Assistant. This mix reflects a programme organisation: technical officers and system specialists provide engineering and technical oversight of the equipment being procured, project officers manage schedule, risk, planning, and configuration, and information security and ICT roles protect and support the organisation's systems and sensitive data. Assistants and information management staff keep directorates and programmes running with documentation, coordination, and administrative support. Some titles reference specific programmes, such as ESSOR for secure software-defined radio, which shows how posts are often attached to a named capability. Because the work involves defence material and cooperation between states, roles frequently require both technical competence and the ability to handle confidential information responsibly. Backgrounds in engineering, project and programme management, ICT, information security, configuration management, and administrative support map well to the recurring profiles. If you have worked in defence acquisition, systems engineering, or in a national procurement agency, that experience is directly relevant. Review the live job listings to see which technical and programme roles OCCAR is recruiting for and which programmes they are attached to. The presence of information security and information management roles reflects how much of modern defence procurement depends on protecting technical data and keeping records accurate across many partners. Candidates who combine technical depth with discipline in handling documentation and confidential material are well matched to what the organisation needs.

Eligibility, nationality, and languages

Eligibility for OCCAR posts is different from EU bodies. Because OCCAR is an intergovernmental defence organisation owned by its member states, most staff posts are open to nationals of those member states, and some positions may be restricted further depending on the programme and the security requirements involved. This differs from EU agencies, which recruit across all EU member states through EPSO. Given the defence context, security clearance is commonly required, and candidates must be able to obtain and hold the level of clearance stated in the vacancy, which involves checks by national authorities. Language requirements reflect the organisation's working environment: a strong command of English is generally expected, and knowledge of French or another member-state language can be useful for some roles, since the organisation operates across several countries. Educational and experience requirements vary by post, with technical officer and specialist roles typically asking for a relevant engineering or technical qualification and professional experience, and project and information roles asking for corresponding degrees and track records. Assistant and support posts set their own education and experience thresholds. Because the specific nationality, clearance, language, and qualification conditions depend on the individual post and its programme, you should read each vacancy notice on the OCCAR careers pages carefully, as it will state exactly who may apply and what security and language conditions must be met.

Recruitment process and how to apply

OCCAR recruits through its own vacancies process, not through EPSO or any EU competition. Open positions are published on the OCCAR website under its human resources section, at the vacancies page, and you apply as directed in each notice. A typical process starts with screening applications against the eligibility, qualification, and security criteria set for the post, followed by shortlisting, and then assessment steps that can include technical evaluation and interviews with a selection panel. Because many posts require security clearance, an offer may be conditional on obtaining the necessary clearance through national authorities, which can add time to the process before a start date is confirmed. Some vacancies are tied to specific programmes and their timelines, so the availability of roles reflects which programmes are active and staffing up. It is worth checking the OCCAR vacancies page regularly, since posts are added as programmes require them and application windows can be limited. When applying, present clear evidence of your technical or programme-management expertise, your experience with defence or complex multinational projects if you have it, and your ability to handle sensitive information appropriately. You can also monitor OCCAR openings through the aggregated jobs feed and then submit your application through the official OCCAR portal for any role that matches your profile and clearance eligibility.

Staff categories and contract types

OCCAR uses its own staffing arrangements rather than the EU's AD, AST, and contract agent categories. Staff are generally engaged on fixed-term appointments tied to the organisation's programmes and functions. In common with many intergovernmental bodies of this kind, some personnel are recruited directly by the organisation, while others may be seconded or made available by member states' national administrations, particularly for specialised technical or programme roles where national expertise is valuable. Posts are structured around the organisation's central administration and its programme divisions, so a role can be attached either to the running of OCCAR itself or to a specific armament programme. Job titles in the sample carry numbers, such as System Specialist 2 or Directorate Assistant 2, which indicate the level or seniority of the post within OCCAR's own grading structure rather than any EU grade. Because appointments are fixed-term and often linked to programme lifecycles, contract duration can depend on the phase and funding of the programme a role supports. Security clearance requirements and the handling of classified material are woven into the terms of many posts. When you consider a role, note whether it is a directly recruited position or one that expects secondment from a national administration, and check the stated appointment length, since these factors shape both how you apply and how long the assignment is likely to last.

Pay, duty stations, and practical guidance

Pay at OCCAR is set on the organisation's own salary scales, agreed by its governing bodies, and is not connected to the EU salary tables. As an international defence organisation, it typically offers competitive remuneration for technical and programme professionals, and terms can include allowances appropriate to international service, but the reliable figures for any given role come from the specific vacancy and the organisation's HR information rather than from EU scales. Rather than quoting a fixed number, the practical point is that pay depends on the post's level, the duty station, and whether you are directly recruited or seconded, with seconded staff often remaining on their national terms. Duty stations in the current sample include Bonn, where the organisation is headquartered, along with Munich, Madrid, and Rome, reflecting the location of programme divisions and partner countries. Some roles therefore require relocation to the country where a programme is managed, so consider mobility when applying. For a strong application, align your materials with OCCAR's mission of professional multinational armament programme management, evidence your technical or project expertise, confirm you can meet the security clearance requirement, and be clear about your language skills. You can explore the Bonn city page to see roles at the headquarters and use the aggregated jobs listings to track which OCCAR duty stations and programme posts are currently open. Since programmes move through phases, the number and type of vacancies can rise and fall over time, so it is worth checking back rather than assuming a quiet period reflects the organisation's long-term needs.

Frequently asked questions

Is OCCAR an EU agency?
No. OCCAR is an intergovernmental defence procurement organisation owned by its member states, not an institution of the European Union. It recruits through its own vacancies process rather than EPSO, and EU staff grades and salary scales do not apply to its personnel.
Where is OCCAR headquartered?
OCCAR is headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It also has programme divisions and staff in other locations connected to its armament programmes and partner countries, including duty stations such as Munich, Madrid, and Rome, so some roles require relocation abroad.
Do OCCAR jobs require security clearance?
Many OCCAR posts require security clearance because the work involves defence programmes and sensitive information. Candidates must be able to obtain and hold the clearance level stated in the vacancy, which involves checks by national authorities and can extend the time before a start date.
Who is eligible to apply to OCCAR?
Most OCCAR staff posts are open to nationals of its member states, and some positions may be further restricted depending on the programme and security requirements. Each vacancy notice states exactly which nationalities may apply and what clearance and language conditions must be met.
How do I apply for a role at OCCAR?
You apply through OCCAR's own vacancies page on its website, following the instructions in each notice. The process typically includes screening against eligibility and security criteria, shortlisting, technical assessment, and interviews, with offers often conditional on obtaining the required security clearance.
What kind of work does OCCAR do?
OCCAR manages cooperative defence equipment programmes for its member states, handling requirements, contracts with industry, and through-life management of cost, schedule, and delivery. Its roles are mainly technical, project management, information security, and administrative support attached to specific armament programmes.

Browse by Location

Madrid (3)Bonn (2)Munich (2)

7 positions found

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