Project Officer Space Operations - European Defence Agency (AD8, Brussels)

About this position

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

Key responsibilities

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

• Prepare, review and implement EU Capability Development priorities by identifying shared needs, collecting, analysing and harmonizing capability requirements
• Aggregate demand towards joint procurement and promote collaborative projects within area of responsibility
• Update Priority Implementation Roadmaps upon recommendation of Capability Planners Group
• Coordinate relevant aspects of work related to the Agency's Three-Year Planning Framework
• Provide support to EDA management by contributing to strategies and policies
• Manage and chair the Capability Expert Group Access to Space and Capability Expert Group Protection of Space Systems
• Develop future orientation of Access to Space and Protection of Space Assets activities
• Liaise with stakeholders including European Commission and EU SATCEN

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Completed university studies attested by a diploma when normal period is four years or more, or completed university studies attested by a diploma with appropriate professional experience of at least one year when normal period is at least three years, or graduate of national or international Defence College, or professional training of equivalent level where justified
• Experience: At least one year of appropriate professional experience (when university studies period is at least three years)
• Languages: one of the languages of participating M… (C1), another of the languages of participati… (B2)
• Eligibility: National of a Member State participating in the Agency; entitled to full rights as citizen; fulfilled obligations imposed by laws concerning military service; suitable character references; physically fit; no personal interest in conflict with duties; hold or be in position to obtain valid Personnel Security Clearance Certificate at SECRET UE/EU SECRET level

Contract and working arrangements

Hiring unit: Capability, Armament & Planning Directorate (CAP), Information Superiority Unit.

Position details

Reference

EDA/2026/191a

Vacancy Notice

Download PDF

Last Verified

24 July 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Project Officer Space Operations at EDA based in Brussels at the AD8 grade level (Temporary Agent). The vacancy reference is EDA/2026/191a. The role falls under the Defence domain.

## 1. BACKGROUND

The European Defence Agency (EDA) was established on 12 July 2004, and is governed by Council Decision (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 and Defence 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 CAPABILITY, ARMAMENT AND PLANNING DIRECTORATE (CAP)

The Capability, Armament & Planning Directorate (CAP) supports EU Member States in identifying and preparing possible cooperation projects and programmes ranging from long term military capability development to short term armament procurement. This includes obtaining agreement on shared needs and related priorities, harmonising capability requirements and conducting capability development preparatory activities, and also aggregating demand towards joint procurement.

The Directorate is operating several EU tools related to capability development and planning, in cooperation with other competent EU institutions and bodies. The Capability Development Plan (CDP), managed together with the EU Military Staff (EUMS) leads to identification of Capability Development Priorities agreed at EU level as a reference for all EU initiatives on Defence. The Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), ran together with the EUMS, enables to characterise the “State of the Union on Defence” and to identify opportunities for cooperation. The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), conducted together with the European External Action Service (EEAS), including EUMS, coordinates the analysis of the annual PESCO National Implementation Plans to assess the participating Member States’ fulfilment of the PESCO commitments, assesses Member States’ PESCO project proposals and monitors their progress. These tools are operated with Member States throughout a structured EU Capability Development Planning System (EU-CDPS).

Within EU CDPS, the Directorate engages with Member States’ Capability planners and experts to implement the EU Capability Development Priorities based on agreed collaborative Roadmaps. When preparatory activities enable to identify a possible cooperation project, the Directorate support Member States interested in the project by elaborating with them a Business Case.

The CAP Directorate comprises six Units; four are addressing capability development and armament procurement activities of operational domains associated to EU agreed priorities and two are operating EU related processes and tools:

* Air Domain Unit: Air Combat, Airborne Command and Inform Capabilities, Integrated Air and Missile Defence, Air Transport * Land and Logistics Unit: Ground Combat Capabilities, Land-Based Precision Engagement, Future Soldier Systems, Logistics, Military Mobility, CBRN Defence, C-IED * Information Superiority Unit: Communication & Information Systems, Surveillance & Reconnaissance, Space, Cyber Defence * Maritime Unit: Naval Combat and Maritime Interdiction, Underwater and Seabed Warfare, Maritime Domain Awareness * Cooperation Planning Unit: Capability Development Priorities, CARD, Defence Data * PESCO Unit: PESCO secretariat, assessment of fulfilment of commitments as well as new PESCO project proposals, support to PESCO projects

## 4. DUTIES

Under the supervision of the Head of Unit Information Superiority, and in relation to the jobholder’s area of responsibility, the jobholder will be responsible for the following activities:

* prepare, review and implement the EU Capability Development priorities by identifying shared needs, collecting, analysing and harmonizing capability requirements, aggregating demand towards joint procurement, promoting and proposing collaborative projects within the jobholder’s area of responsibility, as well as interfacing with EU civilian and defence policies; * update when required the Priority Implementation Roadmaps upon recommendation of the Capability Planners Group, in conjunction with Member States’ representatives, and develop related activities and projects as outlined in these Roadmaps; * coordinate relevant aspects of work related to the Agency’s Three-Year Planning Framework; * provide support to EDA management by contributing to relevant strategies and policies developed within, or addressed to, the Agency, and by providing strategic-level analysis and advice on documents when requested; contribute to the preparation and conduct of meetings with Member States’ representatives and other institutions.

In the area of Space Operations:

* manage and chair the Capability Expert Group Access to Space, as well as the Capability Expert Group Protection of Space Systems and any associated working group collect requirements, analyse and develop project proposals; * develop the future orientation of Access to Space activities and Protection of Space Assets activities from a capability development prospect, operating with a cross-unit and cross-directorate approach and providing regular reports when required to inform the Agency’s management; * liaise, and contribute where relevant, with stakeholders regarding Access to Space activities and Protection of Space Assets activities including with the European Commission, the EU SATCEN, and where appropriate, other relevant institutions and bodies; * gain/maintain a technical, legal and operational knowledge of the military and civilian Access to Space activities and Protection of Space Assets matters; * initiate and manage contracting processes for outsourced activities; * develop, manage and animate collaboration opportunities on Access to Space activities and Protection of Space Assets and their implementation; * maintain a high-level of operational knowledge of the evolution of the EU activities related to Access to Space activities and Protection of Space Assets (Priority Capability Areas, EU Space Programme, European Defence Fund, PESCO projects, Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030, etc.); * participate in relevant conferences, seminars, and other similar activities within the jobholder’s subject matter area.

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 of education 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 conclud

Salary at this grade

Basic monthly salary at AD8 runs from €8,911 (step 1) to €10,083 (top step), giving an annual range of roughly €106,932 to €120,996 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 €1,426 per month at step 1 of AD8) 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 18 June 2026, 38 days ago.

The application deadline is 9 September 2026, 43 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 24 July 2026 (2 days ago).

Where to learn more

For full responsibilities, requirements, and career progression at AD8 see our AD8 grade page; for headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at EDA see the EDA institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Brussels see our Brussels location page; for related vacancies in the Defence field browse our Defence 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.