Project Officer EU-funded Defence Research - European Defence Agency (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:

• manage projects entrusted to EDA for indirect management under the European Defence Fund (EDF)
• liaise with internal units (contracting, finance and security) for negotiations and signature of grant agreements
• liaise/cooperate with relevant EDA internal working groups, especially Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs) and Hub for European Defence Innovation (HEDI), to look for synergies and exploitation of projects results
• manage and monitor assigned projects once grant agreements are signed and review deliverables
• provide oversight and participate in review meetings of assigned projects
• implement risk management for assigned projects
• prepare inputs to obligatory reports towards the European Commission, especially annual progress report, interim progress report and final report
• prepare briefing notes and assist in updating information concerning activities of assigned projects

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: University degree (or equivalent academic qualification) in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), economics, finance, business management, political sciences or other domain relevant to this post; or completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more, or completed university studies attested by a diploma and a…
• Experience: minimum of six (6) years of relevant professional experience acquired after the award of the qualification required as a condition of eligibility; familiarity with the EU defence cooperation environment, especially research & technology and related policies; practical experience in cooperating with the European defence institutional stakeholders (European Commission/DG DEFIS, EDA, EUMS), ministri…
• Languages: one of the languages of the participati… (C1), another of the languages of the partici… (B2)
• Key skills: very good command of written and spoken English, ability to fit into the Agency's way of working (commitment, flexibility, innovation, team-working), ability to work effectively with shareholders and stakeholder groups, ability to operate without need for detailed direction
• Eligibility: be a national of a Member State participating in the Agency; be entitled to full rights as citizens; have fulfilled any obligations imposed by laws concerning military service; produce appropriate character references (extract from judicial record or certificate of good conduct will be requested prior to recruitment); be physically fit to perform duties; have no personal interest (financial, fami…

Selection process

The notice describes the following selection steps:

• assessment of applications meeting all essential selection criteria
• language testing for native English speakers to assess ability to communicate in another EU language

Contract and working arrangements

Hiring unit: Research, Technology and Innovation Directorate (RTI), EU-funded Defence Research Unit.

Position details

Reference

1118

Last Verified

15 September 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Project Officer EU-funded Defence Research at EDA based in Brussels (Temporary Agent). The vacancy reference is 1118.

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 RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION DIRECTORATE (RTI)

The Research, Technology & Innovation Directorate (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.

The RTI Directorate provides support to Member States and to the European Commission for the Preparatory Action for defence research, including its implementation, and the research dimension of the European Defence Fund. The RTI directorate also ensures the promotion of innovation in defence and the exploitation of synergies at EU level with civil research in dual-use technology fields.

At present, the RTI Directorate comprises two Units, the EU-funded Defence Research Unit and the Technology & Innovation Unit, as well as the Hub for European defence Innovation (HEDI) and the RTI Coordination Team, with the following key tasks:

- The EU-funded Defence Research Unit: upstream, implementation and downstream support linked to defence research activities funded by the EU budget under delegation by the European Commission.

- The Technology & Innovation Unit: facilitation of the work of the Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs) and the Energy & Environment Working Group as well as development and management of ad hoc research activities based on sectoral Strategic Research Agendas.

- HEDI: focal point for defence innovation, driving the development of military capabilities while strengthening cooperation between EU Member States and associated countries. HEDI’s mission is to turn promising ideas into usable defence capabilities faster, while supporting EU defence priorities and strengthening Europe’s technological edge.HEDI is expected to become a dedicated Defence Innovation Centre (designation subject to approval of forthcoming organisational structure).

- The RTI Coordination Team: coordination of the RTI Directorate’s contributions to EDA’s transversal activities (such as capability development priorities (CDP), Capability Annual Review on Defence (CARD), Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), and Key Strategic Activities (KSA); overview of the Agency’s research portfolio.

4. DUTIES

Under the supervision of the Head of Unit EU-funded Defence Research, the jobholder will be responsible for/contribute to the following activities:

- manage projects entrusted to EDA for indirect management under the European Defence Fund (EDF); - liaise with the internal units(contracting,finance and security)for the negotiations and signature of the assigned grant agreements; - liaise/cooperate with relevant EDA internal working groups,especially Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs) and Hub for European Defence Innovation (HEDI),to look for synergies and exploitation of projects results; - manage and monitor assigned projects once the grant agreements are signed and review the deliverables; - provide oversight and participate in the review meetings of the assigned projects; - implement risk management for assigned projects; - prepare inputs to obligatory reports towards the European Commission,especially the annual progress report,the interim progress report and the final report of assigned projects; - prepare briefing notes and assist in updating information concerning the activities of the assigned projects; - contribute to the assessment of assigned projects and draw lessons learnt and propose appropriate follow-on actions; - represent the Agency at public conferences and seminars; - take on additional tasks as required in the interest of the service.

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 conclude contracts of employment reserves the right to request proof of such equivalence.

For diplomas awarded in non-EU countries, a NARIC recognition is required:https://www.enic-naric.net/

Qualifications/diplomas awarded until 31/12/2020 in the United Kingdom are accepted without further recognition. For diplomas awarded after this date (from 01/01/2021), a NARIC recognition is required.

For native English speakers, your ability to communicate in another EU language will be tested during the selection process. To assess your foreign language levels, see: https://europa.eu/europass/en/common-european-framework-reference-language-skills

6. SELECTION CRITERIA

A. Essential

Only applications meeting all essential selection criteria will be assessed.

(1) Professional

Candidates will be required to demonstrate the following qualifications:

- a University degree (or equivalent academic qualification) in one of the following fields: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), economics, finance, business management, political sciences or other domain relevant to this post; - a minimum of six (6) years of relevant professional experience acquired after the award of the qualification required as a condition of eligibility (see eligibility criteria section above); - familiarity with the EU defence cooperation environment, especially research & technology and related policies; - practical experience in cooperating with the European defence institutional stakeholders (European Commission/DG DEFIS, EDA, EUMS), ministries of defence of the EU Member States, European research organisations, academia and defence industry incl. SMEs, and with internal stakeholders; - a track record of delivering successful project outcomes; - very good command of written and spoken English.

(2) Personal

All staff must be able to fit into the Agency's way of working (see para. 2).

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 9 September 2026, 6 days ago.

The application deadline is 13 October 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 15 September 2026.

Where to learn more

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.

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