External Auditor - European Commission (FGIV, Brussels)

About this position

The summary below is published by European Commission 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:

• Performance of on-the-spot controls of beneficiaries of R&I grants covering the entire audit cycle from planning, preparation, execution, quality control and reporting to audit closure
• Management, supervision and quality control of financial audits performed by external audit firms
• Performance of specific audit assignments (e.g. risk-based audits, joint audits with the European Court of Auditors, System & Process Audits)
• Contribution to the development and definition of new audit methodologies, approaches and strategies, guidance documents, manuals and other audit-related matters
• Contribution to the development of Audit Strategies
• Evaluation of audit findings and proposal of changes as necessary in systems, procedures and the financial aspects of the research grant agreement
• Participation in outreach activities on general auditing issues towards stakeholders and beneficiaries

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma
• Experience: Experienced auditor with qualifications in auditing, accounting and/or financial matters
• Languages: English (C1), French (B2)
• Key skills: Analytical skills, Problem-solving skills, Drafting skills, Ability to work individually and in teams, Motivation, Initiative, Flexibility
• Eligibility: Citizen of a Member State of the EU and enjoy full rights as a citizen; have fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service; physically fit to perform the duties linked to the position; produce appropriate character references as to suitability for the performance of the duties; have passed an EPSO CAST in Function Group IV or be registered in the EPSO CAST datab…

Selection process

The notice describes the following selection steps:

• Candidates selected from EPSO database with appropriate profile
• Interview with selection panel to assess best candidates
• Selection procedure carried out in English and possibly in a second official language

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: 1 year, renewable one or more times up to a maximum duration of 6 years.

Working arrangements: Brussels.

Hiring unit: Unit H.2 – Common Audit Service, Directorate RTD.H, DG Research & Innovation.

Position details

Reference

EC/2026/RTD/343508

Directorate-General

RTD - Research and Innovation

Vacancy Notice

Download PDF

Last Verified

18 September 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for External Auditor at European Commission based in Brussels at the FGIV grade level (Contract Agent). The vacancy reference is EC/2026/RTD/343508. It is hosted by RTD - Research and Innovation, the Directorate-General responsible for this policy area. The role falls under the Science And Research domain.

External Auditor

in DG RTD - European Commission

Job title: External Auditor

Domain: Science and Research

Where : Unit H.2 – Common Audit Service - Brussels

Function Group : FG IV

Contract Type : 3b

Express your interest until : 28.09.2026 - 12.00 (noon, Brussels time)

WE ARE

Within the Common Implementation Centre (Directorate RTD.H) in DG Research & Innovation, the

Common Audit Service (unit RTD.H2 - CAS) is a large multidisciplinary team that contributes to the

legality and regularity of R&I expenditure by means of ex-post financial audits carried out either by

its own auditors or by External Audit Firms (EAF). It provides the relevant Authorising Officers by

Delegation of the R&I family with necessary elements of assurance on the R&I budget for which

they are responsible. The main tasks of the CAS include: the implementation of the Horizon2020

and HorizonEurope Audit Strategies; the performance of the complete audit cycle from planning,

selection, execution to closure; the supervision of audits performed by the EAF; the coordination on

sensitive/contentious audit cases; the recommendation of financial adjustments and, in case of

systemic errors, the extension of the audit findings to non-audited transactions. The Unit also

contributes in an advisory capacity to the development of audit and anti-fraud policy, rules and

business processes. Last but not least, the Unit manages the relations with the European Anti-

Fraud Office (OLAF) for fraud prevention and detection, coordinates the implementation of the

Common Anti-Fraud Strategy in the R&I family and is the European Public Prosecutor Office (EPPO)

correspondent for the DG.

WE PROPOSE

Unit RTD.H.2 is seeking to hire an interesting position as External Auditor with the following main

tasks:

- Performance of on-the-spot controls of beneficiaries of R&I grants covering the entire audit

cycle from planning, preparation, execution, quality control and reporting to audit closure

- Management, supervision and quality control of financial audits performed by external audit

firms

- Performance of specific audit assignments (e.g. risk-based audits, joint audits with the European

Court of Auditors, System & Process Audits)

- Contribution to the development and definition of new audit methodologies, approaches and

strategies, guidance documents, manuals and other audit-related matters

- Contribution to the development of Audit Strategies

- Evaluation of audit findings and proposal of changes as necessary in systems, procedures and

the financial aspects of the research grant agreement Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/RTD/343508

- Participation in outreach activities on general auditing issues towards stakeholders and

beneficiaries.

WE LOOK FOR

We are looking for an experienced auditor with qualifications in auditing, accounting and/or

financial matters. The candidate should be used to work individually and in teams. Well-developed

analytical, problem-solving and drafting skills as well as motivation, initiative and flexibility are

necessary. Depending on their availability, auditors may be requested to perform up to ten audit

missions per year either as lead auditor or second auditor. A very good command of English (oral

and written) is required as well as preferably also a good knowledge of French. Additional

languages will be considered as a clear advantage, given the wide range of European countries to

be covered in the audit missions. Knowledge of Research & Innovation Framework Programmes

and/or experience with the financial, legal, audit and regulatory aspects of R&I project will be

considered as an asset.

HOW TO EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST?

With a view to guaranteeing equal access to all, the Commission recruits from an open database of spontaneous applications. The present call for interests aims at helping the recruiters to identify potentially interested candidates within this database.

In practice, to express your interest, please follow the subsequent two steps:

1. If you are not registered yet in the open EPSO database, please do so at the following address: CAST Permanent . Please select under selection procedures for contract agent the

CAST permanent profile that best suits your education and experience.

2. You should send your documents in a single pdf in the following order: 1. your CV 2. completed application form. Please send these documents to [email protected] by the

publication deadline indicating the call for interest reference EC/2026/RTD/343508 in the subject.

No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline. Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/RTD/343508

ANNEX

1. Selection

 Am I eligible to apply?

You must meet the following eligibility criteria when you validate your application :

Our rules provide that you can only be recruited as a contract agent at the European Commission if you:

General criteria:

- Are a citizen of a Member State of the EU and enjoy full rights as a citizen;

- Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service;

- Are physically fit to perform the duties linked to the position;

- Produce the appropriate character references as to suitability for the performance of the duties.

- Have passed an EPSO CAST in the relevant Function Group for this position. At the stage of the application, it is sufficient to be registered in the EPSO CAST data base.

Qualifications:

(a) Have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma.

Only qualifications issued or recognised as equivalent by EU Member State authorities (e.g. by the Ministry of Education) will be accepted.

Languages:

- have a thorough knowledge (minimum level C1) of one of the 24 official languages of the EU 2

- AND have a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2) 3 of a second official language of the EU, to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties.

2 The official languages of the European Union are: BG (Bulgarian), CS (Czech), DA (Danish), DE (German), EL (Greek), EN (English), ES (Spanish), ET (Estonian), FI (Finnish), FR (French), GA (Irish), HR (Croatian), HU (Hungarian), IT (Italian), LT (Lithuanian), LV (Latvian), MT (Maltese), NL (Dutch), PL (Polish), PT (Portuguese), RO (Romanian), SK (Slovak), SL (Slovenian), SV (Swedish). 3For details on language levels, please see the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/resources/european-language-levels-cefr).

Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/RTD/343508

 What about the selection steps?

The selecting unit chooses from the EPSO database 4 candidates with the appropriate profile and

invites them to an interview. For the interview a selection panel is set-up to assess the best candidates. Due to the large volume of applications that we may receive only candidates selected for the interview will be notified.

For operational reasons and in order to complete the selection procedure as quickly as possible in the interest of the candidates and of the institution, the selection procedure will be carried out in English and possibly in a second official language.

2. Recruitment

The candidate selected for recruitment will be requested to provide documentary evidence in support of the statements made in the database and, where relevant, the call for interest.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo a mandatory pre-recruitment medical check-up carried out by the Commission.

 Type of contract and working conditions

The place of employment will be in Brussels.

The successful candidate will be engaged as a contract agent under Article 3(b) of the

Conditions of Employment of Other Servants , in function group FG IV. General information on

Contract Agents can be found at this link .

The grade or proposed grade range, as well as the step in that grade, will be defined on the basis of the candidates’ previous professional experience, in accordance with Commission Decision

C(2017)6760 laying down the criteria applicable to classification in step on engagement.

The duration of the first contract will be 1 year. Subject to the interest of the service, the contract may be renewed one or more times up to a maximum duration of 6 years.

The duration of the renewal(s) will be defined according to the General Implementing Rules in force at that moment (currently, Commission Decision C(2017)6760 on policies for the engagement and

use of contract agents).

4Therefore, candidates who did not pass already a CAST on the level Function Group IV, should register their profile at this address :https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/Cast-Permanent

Contract agents recruited in Function Group IV have to successfully complete a 9-month probationary period.

The pay of staff members consists of a basic salary supplemented with specific allowances,

including, where applicable, expatriation and family allowances. The provisions guiding the

calculation of these allowances can be consulted in the Conditions of Employment of Other

Servants. As a member of staff of the European institutions, your pay is subject to a tax raised by

those institutions.

The European Commission applies a policy of equal opportunities and non-discrimination in

accordance with Article 1d of the Staff Regulations.

Should you need further information on working conditions, please refer to Working conditions and

benefits of EU Careers .

For information related to Data Protection, please see the Specific Privacy Statement under “7.

Information to data subjects on their rights”, to find your rights and how to exercise them in addition to the privacy statement, which summarises the processing of your data.

Salary at this grade

Basic monthly salary at FGIV runs from €4,449 (step 1) to €5,034 (top step), giving an annual range of roughly €53,388 to €60,408 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 €712 per month at step 1 of FGIV) 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 14 September 2026, 6 days ago.

The application deadline is 28 September 2026, 7 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 18 September 2026 (2 days ago).

Where to learn more

For full responsibilities, requirements, and career progression at FGIV see our FGIV grade page; for headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at European Commission see the European Commission 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.