Science And Research

Project Officer - Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (AD7, Brussels)

GradeAD7
Contract TypeTemporary Agent
Salary Range€7,876 - €8,911/month
Deadline3 September 2026

About this position

The summary below is published by Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking on the official vacancy notice. Our own analysis — salary realism, comparable openings, career trajectory, language profile — follows further down the page.

The Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU), based in Brussels, Belgium

is looking for candidates to establish a reserve list for the

Project Officer

(Temporary Agent grade AD 7)

Ref.: CAJU 09-2026 Project Officer

Please send us your application by no later than 3rd of September 2026 at 23:59(Brussels time), following the instructions in the ANNEX I

Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking is the largest European research program in aeronautics, developing innovative, cutting-edge technology aimed at increasing commercial aircraft efficiency. The main objective of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking is to contribute to reducing the ecological footprint of aviation by accelerating the development of climate neutral aviation technologies for their earliest possible deployment, therefore significantly contributing to the ambitious environment impact mitigation goals of the European Green Deal and Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council, that is to say a 55 % emissions reduction by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and climate neutrality at the latest by 2050.

The lifetime of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking and the implementation of its budget and…

Excerpt shown; read the full notice on the official page. The structured breakdown below covers the key facts.

Key responsibilities

According to the vacancy notice, the role centres on the following duties:

  • Managing the preparation of the evaluation phase (selection of experts, eligibility checks of proposals)
  • Managing the evaluation of proposals, chairing meetings with experts, hearings, preparation of evaluation reports and final ranking of proposals
  • Managing grant-agreement life-cycle tasks for an assigned portfolio of projects
  • Liaising with the project coordinator and the consortia and being a single focal point for CAJU communications with them
  • Monitoring financial and legal obligations of beneficiaries
  • Technical monitoring of results and evaluation of progress for the assigned portfolio projects
  • Leading the monitoring of clusters of Grants around dedicated technological areas
  • Monitoring the performance of projects (assessment of quarterly reports, KPIs) and progress of research activities

Are you eligible?

Check these requirements from the notice before investing time in an application:

  • Education: Master's degree, where the normal duration of university education is four years or more, in Aeronautics/Aerospace Engineering domain
  • Experience: Minimum professional experience of at least seven years in the Aeronautics/Aerospace domain including at least five years of experience in Project/Program Management. Proven professional experience in aeronautical development programs.
  • Languages: English (C2), another language of the European Union (satisfa…)
  • Key skills: Excellent analytical skills to synthesize complex information into clear, high-value executive summaries for senior stakeholders, Negotiation skills and problem solving, Ability to effectively engage with stakeholders and proactively steer discussions to secure their commitments, Ability to accurately analyze and identify obstacles or issues, tackling them in a pro-active, constructive, and problem-solving approach, Ability to coordinate activities and collaborate effectively in a multicultural environment, Strong sense of responsibility and accountability, with proven persistence, resilience, and the ability to maintain effectiveness when working under competing priorities, Ability to lead, inspire and develop high-performing teams in a complex stakeholder environment, Capacity to provide strategic guidance, drive organizational objectives and foster a collaborative and inclusive working culture, Strong people-management skills
  • Eligibility: Be national of one of the Member States of the EU and enjoy full rights as citizens. Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service. Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post.

Selection process

The notice describes the following selection steps:

  • Evaluation based on eligibility criteria
  • Evaluation based on selection criteria including essential qualifications and experience, advantageous qualifications and experience, and proven capability to perform specific duties and responsibilities

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: Temporary Agent position.

Hiring unit: Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU), Project Management Unit.

Position details

Reference
CAJU 09 - 2026 Project Officer
Vacancy Notice
Download PDF
Last Verified
7 August 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Project Officer at Clean Aviation based in Brussels at the AD7 grade level (Temporary Agent). The vacancy reference is CAJU 09 - 2026 Project Officer. The role falls under the Science And Research domain.

The Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU), based in Brussels, Belgium

is looking for candidates to establish a reserve list for the

Project Officer

(Temporary Agent grade AD 7)

Ref.: CAJU 09-2026 Project Officer

Please send us your application by no later than 3rd of September 2026 at 23:59(Brussels time), following the instructions in the ANNEX I

Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking is the largest European research program in aeronautics, developing innovative, cutting-edge technology aimed at increasing commercial aircraft efficiency. The main objective of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking is to contribute to reducing the ecological footprint of aviation by accelerating the development of climate neutral aviation technologies for their earliest possible deployment, therefore significantly contributing to the ambitious environment impact mitigation goals of the European Green Deal and Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council, that is to say a 55 % emissions reduction by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and climate neutrality at the latest by 2050.

The lifetime of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking and the implementation of its budget and activities financed under the ongoing Horizon Europe program are expected to run until 31/12/31 the latest.

The European Commission published on 16/07/2025 a proposal for the next Multi-Financial Framework (MFF) for the years 2028-2034 and a legislative package of the newly proposed Horizon Europe Framework Program for R&I and of the newly proposed European Competitiveness Fund. As part of the exploratory memorandum of the legislative proposal of Horizon Europe, Clean Aviation has been listed amongst the so called proposed “Moonshots” projects areas .

This information is provided as supporting information and without bias to the outcome of the ongoing legislative process with the Council of the EU and European Parliament and of any possible legislative proposal by the Commission on the future Joint Undertakings.

The Clean Aviation JU is located in Brussels, Belgium.

For further information, please consult the following website: https://www.clean-aviation.eu/

1. General profile of the post

Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking is looking for an experienced, dynamic, and committed colleague who will be appointed as Project Officer.

The Project Officer will join the Project Management Unit for the overall monitoring & the implementation of Clean Aviation calls and research activities launched. The Project Officer will manage the Grant Lifecycle tasks for the assigned projects, from the grant preparation to the closure and promotion of results and will support the management of the Unit in transversal tasks that are relevant for the monitoring of the program.

2. Specific duties and responsibilities

In particular, the Project Officer will be responsible for:

•Preparation and management of Calls

o Managing the preparation of the evaluation phase (selection of experts, eligibility checks of proposals);

o Managing the evaluation of proposals, chairing meetings with experts, hearings, preparation of evaluation reports and final ranking of proposals;

•Grant Agreement management

o Managing grant-agreement life-cycle tasks for an assigned portfolio of projects;

o Liaising with the project coordinator and the consortia and being a single focal point for CAJU communications with them;

o Monitoring financial and legal obligations of beneficiaries;

o Technical monitoring of results and evaluation of progress for the assigned portfolio projects;

o Leading the monitoring of clusters of Grants around dedicated technological areas.

o Monitoring the performance of projects (assessment of quarterly reports, KPIs) and progress of research activities.

o Validation (both technical and financial) of reporting period periods associated to contractual obligations and following Horizon Europe Program rules.

•Project Continuous Monitoring

o Assessing and validating technical deliverables for the assigned projects

o Leading major funding projects and consolidating technical assessment of cluster of projects around dedicated technological areas;

o Monitoring project planning, developing integrating planning (across projects, techno-bricks) and risk and mitigation evolution;

o Assessing milestones and project progress;

o Preparing communication materials, including the translation of complex technical concepts into clear and accessible language for non-specialist audiences;

o Supporting the development of tools and statistics relevant for the monitoring of the project or the overall program.

•Managing Project Reviews

o Preparing project reviews and related reporting with or without experts involved.

o Chairing progress reviews and delivering the project reporting.

o Delivering internal summaries, notes and/or presentation on outcomes of reviews.

•Delivering program impact

o Coordinating in the preparation of dashboards including [KPIs] across cluster of projects

o Delivering content and recommendations based on data analyses including integrated cross-project analyses

o Supporting and coordinating the preparation of strategic documents, briefing notes and reports for governance bodies and senior management

o Contributing to the unit in enhance the program/project management processes.

o Fostering collaboration across technical domains, projects and organizational units to maximize program synergies and impact

o Representing CAJU at high-level events, conferences, meetings and international fora across Europe and worldwide, promoting the Joint Undertaking’s ambitions, activities and project results.

o Identifying emerging risks, opportunities and strategic priorities and proposing corrective actions or improvement measures to senior management.

o Coordinating transversal activities, including conferences, stakeholder forums, workshops, communication campaigns and dissemination events.

•Perform any other tasks assigned by the JU management in the interest of the smooth operation and support of the projects and the program. This may include contributing to transversal Clean Aviation activities such as communication events, preparation of articles, support to the Work Program and Annual Activity Report, conducting analyses on technologies mapping, state of the art reached, implementation and exploitation scenarios, and other strategic or technical topics.

3. Eligibility criteria

To be considered eligible for selection, an applicant must have met by the closing date of this call, the following formal requirements:

• Be national of one of the Member States of the EU and enjoy full rights as citizens.

• Education: Evidence of a level of education corresponding to completed university studies, attested by a Master's degree, where the normal duration of university education is four years or more.

• Languages: Evidence of English knowledge (C2 or equivalent), and a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the European Union to the extent necessary for for the performance of the duties associated with the post.

• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service.

• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post. Prior to appointment, the selected candidate as temporary staff position shall be required to undergo a medical assessment conducted by one of the institution's medical officers in line with the requirement of Art. 12(2)(d) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS).

4. Selection criteria

Candidates selected based on the above eligibility criteria will then be evaluated according to the following selection criteria.

4.1 Essential qualifications and experience

• A level of university education of minimum four years in Aeronautics/Aerospace Engineering domain, which corresponds to at least a completed university Master's degree studies.

• A minimum professional experience of at least seven years in the Aeronautics/Aerospace domain including at least five years of experience in Project/Program Management. Only professional experience gained after obtaining the minimum qualification required & up to the vacancy closing date, will be considered.

• Proven professional experience in aeronautical development programs and excellent analytical skills to synthesize complex information into clear, high-value executive summaries for senior stakeholders.

4.2 Advantageous qualifications and experience:

• Knowledge of EU Institutions’ procedures and processes linked to Grant Management and policies and activities in the field of research and/or other linked EU policies Horizon Europe Framework Program with specific focus on large industrial programs.

4.3 Proven capability to perform the specific duties and responsibilities:

4.3.1 Negotiation skills and problem solving: Proven professional experience to effectively engage with the stakeholders and proactively steer discussions to secure their commitments.

Proven professional experience to accurately analyze and identify obstacles or issues, tackling them in a pro-active, constructive, and problem-solving approach.

4.3.2 Organizational and communication skills

Demonstrated ability to coordinate activities and collaborate effectively in a multicultural environment, adapting to evolving working practices and contributing to the establishment of efficient interfaces and processes, while working both independently and as part of a team. Strong sense of responsibility and accountability, with proven persistence, resilience, and the ability to maintain effectiveness when working under competing priorities.

Demonstrated ability to lead, inspire and develop high-performing teams in a complex stakeholder environment. Proven capacity to provide strategic guidance, drive organizational objectives and foster a collaborative and inclusive working culture. Strong people-management skills, with the ability to de

Salary at this grade

Basic monthly salary at AD7 runs from €7,876 (step 1) to €8,911 (top step), giving an annual range of roughly €94,512 to €106,932 before tax and allowances. Steps increase automatically every two years; the figures here are taken from the salary grid in the EU Staff Regulations.

Eligible staff posted away from their country of nationality also receive an expatriation allowance worth 16% of basic salary (around €1,260 per month at step 1 of AD7) together with household, dependent-child, and education allowances where applicable. Take-home pay is then adjusted by the country correction coefficient for Brussels. For a worked example see our correction coefficients guide and the EU salaries overview.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 7 August 2026, today.

The application deadline is 3 September 2026, 26 days from today. Late applications are not accepted, so submit through the official EU Careers portal well in advance.

Last verified against the EU Careers feed on 7 August 2026.

Where to learn more

For full responsibilities, requirements, and career progression at AD7 see our AD7 grade page; for headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at Clean Aviation see the Clean Aviation institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Brussels see our Brussels location page; for related vacancies in the Science And Research field browse our Science And Research domain page.

New to EU careers? Our beginner's guide walks through entry routes, EPSO competitions, and what to prepare. For application logistics see application tips and EPSO competitions.

Net pay at this grade

At step 1 of AD7, gross monthly basic salary on the Administrators grid is €7,876. Eligible expatriate staff add a 16% expatriation allowance on top (roughly €1,260 per month) before two automatic deductions reduce the taxable base: the joint sickness insurance scheme (JSIS, ~3.6%, €329) and the EU pension contribution (~10.3%, €941). EU community tax (Council Reg. 260/68) is then applied progressively; for the AD7-equivalent band the effective rate sits in the 11 to 13% range, which works out to about €944 per month here.
Brussels carries a correction coefficient of 100.0% (Article 64 of the Staff Regulations), so the net is multiplied by 1.00 to reflect the local cost of living. On those assumptions take-home pay is approximately €6,923 per month, or about €83,070 per year, before household and dependent-child allowances, which can add several hundred euros monthly for staff with families. For the exact bracket-by-bracket computation see our net-pay methodology, and our correction coefficients guide for the full duty-station table.

Comparable recent roles

In the last twenty-four months Clean Aviation (and the wider Commission and agencies family) has filled several adjacent roles at the same AD7 grade level. The most recent comparable vacancies, with their actual application windows:
  • Senior Cybersecurity Officer (AD 7) at EUAA (published 2026-07-31, closed 2026-09-08)
  • Senior Cybersecurity Officer at EUAA (published 2026-07-31, closed 2026-09-08)
  • Fundamental Rights Officer at Anti Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) (published 2026-07-22, closed 2026-08-12)
  • Fundamental Rights Officer at AMLA (published 2026-07-22, closed 2026-08-12)
  • Senior Data Architect (AD7) at eu-LISA (published 2026-06-05, closed rolling)
Pattern recognition matters here: recruiters at the same Directorate-General often re-advertise nearly identical profiles every six to nine months, so candidates who miss one window can typically position for the next one. Browse the live catalog: all AD7 openings, other vacancies at Clean Aviation, more roles in Science And Research.

Career trajectory

Career progression for AD7 staff is governed by Articles 44 to 46 of the Staff Regulations (consolidated text on EUR-Lex) and Annex IB on the promotion procedure. Step increases are automatic every two years (Art. 44); grade promotion is competitive, based on the appraisal exercise (Art. 45) and the Career Development Review. For roles at Clean Aviation, AD9 within three to four years on merit is the most common next move; AD11 (head-of-unit territory) usually comes by year nine to ten. Article 46 governs the classification at recruitment, which sets the starting step within the grade (usually step 1 for external recruits without prior EU service, step 2 or 3 where relevant professional experience is recognised).
Mobility within the institutions is encouraged via the inter-institutional and intra-institutional vacancy publication system: temporary agents who pass the probation period and reservists from EPSO laureate lists can typically apply to internal vacancies after one year of service. Lateral moves between Directorates-General reset the seniority clock for promotion only if the new post carries a different grade.

Language profile

Beyond the formal language requirements stated in the vacancy notice, the day-to-day working languages at this employer are English and French in roughly equal measure, with German appearing in some technical files. Internal meetings and most policy drafting in Brussels run in English; French remains the preferred internal language in Luxembourg-based services and parts of DG TRADE.

Application cadence

Clean Aviation has not advertised another AD7 role with the same grade and Science And Research signature in the past twenty-four months. This opening has rarely been seen on the EU Careers feed and may be the first such posting in our two-year window. Applicants who pass the eligibility checks should not assume the same profile will reopen on a predictable cadence.

Source: This job listing was sourced from the officialEU Careers portal (EPSO). First published: .Salary estimate based on EU Staff Regulations.

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