Director Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI)

Contract type: Temporary agent

Directorate: Research, Technology and Innovation Directorate (RTI)

Group: N.A.

Grade: AD14

Level of Security Clearance: SECRET UE/EU SECRET

Management of staff: Yes

Location: Brussels

Indicative starting date: 01/05/2027

Closing date for applications: 20/10/2026

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  • BACKGROUND THE AGENCY'S WAY OF WORKING THE RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION DIRECTORATE (RTI) DUTIES ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA SELECTION CRITERIA APPOINTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR TEMPORARY AGENTS AT EDA INDEPENDENCE AND DECLARATION OF INTEREST EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES APPLICATION PROCEDURE DATA PROTECTION

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.

  • 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

The Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Director is accountable to the Chief Executive as Head of the RTI Directorate.

Supported by the Heads of Units and Teams, the jobholder will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction to the Agency’s activities in defence research, technology and innovation, supporting Member States in identifying, developing and maturing technologies that respond to current and future defence capability needs.

The RTI Directorate promotes and supports collaborative defence research and innovation at EU level, including through the coordination and management of cooperative R&T activities, the Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs), EU-funded defence research activities and the Hub for EU Defence Innovation. It also ensures the Directorate’s contribution to EDA’s wider capability development and defence initiatives and promotes coherence and synergies with relevant EU and international activities

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the RTI Director will have overall managerial responsibility for the Directorate and provide strategic advice on defence research, technology and innovation. The jobholder will drive cooperation with Member States and engage with EU institutions, industry, research and technology organisations, academia and other relevant stakeholders, ensuring that research and innovation activities contribute effectively to European defence priorities and the development of future military capabilities.

More specifically, the jobholder will be responsible for the following activities:

  • translate the Agency’s mission, strategy, work programme and priorities into a coherent vision, objectives and deliverables for the Directorate;
  • provide strategic vision, direction and leadership for the Directorate, ensuring, with the support of the Heads of Unit and relevant team leads, coherence across its research, technology and innovation activities and programmes;
  • lead and oversee the Agency’s activities in defence research, technology and innovation, ensuring that they address Member States’ current and future defence capability needs and contribute to relevant EU defence priorities;
  • steer the development and implementation of collaborative R&T activities, including those deriving from the Overarching Strategic Research Agenda (OSRA) and the work of the Capability Technology Groups (CapTechs);
  • provide strategic direction for EDA’s role in EU-funded defence research, including support to Member States and the European Commission in relation to the research dimension of the European Defence Fund and other relevant EU initiatives;
  • provide strategic direction for defence innovation activities, including through HEDI, promoting the maturation of innovative solutions and their contribution to the development of military capabilities;
  • promote synergies between defence and civil research in relevant dual-use technology fields and facilitate the exploitation of technological and innovation opportunities for defence;
  • build and sustain strong cooperation with Member States, the European Commission, the Council, the EEAS and other relevant European and international stakeholders in the fields covered by the Directorate;
  • develop and maintain appropriate engagement with industry, research and technology organisations, academia and other relevant stakeholders across the defence research, technology and innovation ecosystem;
  • ensure the Directorate’s effective contribution to EDA’s transversal activities and close cooperation with the other Agency Directorates, promoting coherence between research, technology, innovation and capability development activities;
  • lead, motivate and develop the competences and skills of the Directorate’s staff and evaluate or contribute to the evaluation of their performance;
  • plan and organise the work and the financial and human resources of the Directorate, ensuring the effective and efficient use of allocated resources;
  • manage the Directorate’s budget through sound planning and monitoring of allocated resources;
  • 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

The candidate will be required to demonstrate that he/she has:

  • a minimum of fifteen (15) years of relevant professional experience, acquired after the award of the academic qualification required as a condition of eligibility;
  • professional experience in a managerial position, with a proven track record in leading multinational and multidisciplinary teams at senior and/or middle-management level;
  • knowledge and/or experience of the European institutional framework, EU programmes and policies;
  • knowledge and experience in defence and its international environment;
  • a strong understanding of collaborative research, technology development and innovation, and their contribution to defence capability development;
  • sound knowledge of the Defence technological and industrial environment, with experience engaging with relevant stakeholders, industry and research and technology organisations;
  • proven experience in providing strategic advice to senior management and representing RTI matters at a high level, both internally and externally;
  • a good understanding of the EDA’s main tasks and functions;
  • a track record of delivering successful business outcomes;
  • a 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). Other attributes important for this post include:

  • ability to inspire, motivate and develop multidisciplinary teams;
  • ability to develop strategic relations with internal and external stakeholders, using negotiation, influencing and diplomatic skills in a complex political and institutional environment;
  • result-orientation and strong intrinsic motivation, combined with proactivity and a “can-do” attitude;
  • integrity and a genuine commitment to ethical standards and principles in the public service;
  • flexibility and innovativeness, with the ability to adapt effectively to changing circumstances;
  • excellent analytical skills;
  • resilience and the ability to manage competing priorities effectively while maintaining calmness under pressure;
  • excellent communication skills, including strong public-speaking, presentation and chairing skills;
  • genuine commitment to the Agency’s mission and objectives.

7. APPOINTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR TEMPORARY AGENTS AT EDA

EDA, whose staff are governed by its own Staff Regulations, offers specific conditions of employment with regards to contract duration and pension arrangements.

CONTRACT DURATION

The Director Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) will be appointed by the Chief Executive. Recruitment will be as a member of the temporary staff of the Agency for a 3 -yearperiod. Renewal is possible only once for an additional period of 2 years, within the limits set out in the EDA Staff Regulations. The successful candidate will be recruited as Temporary Agent, grade AD14. In line with EDA's Staff Regulations, the Agency does not offer inter-Agency mobility.

FINANCIAL ENTITLEMENTS

The pay for this position consists of a basic salary of 18.695,13€supplemented with various allowances including, as applicable, expatriation or family allowances. Successful candidates are graded on entry into service according to the length of their professional experience. Salaries are exempted from national tax, instead an Agency tax is deducted at source.

PENSION ARRANGEMENTS SPECIFIC TO EDA

Prospective staff members considering a career at the European Defence Agency (EDA) should be aware that EDA has its own pension provisions and is not part of the EU institutions' pension scheme (PSEUI).

In addition, EDA staff have several flexible options regarding their pension contributions at the end of their contract, under certain conditions, such as:

  • transfer to a public pension scheme;
  • transfer to a private pension scheme;
  • direct payment as a severance grant.

For further information on working conditions please refer to: https://eda.europa.eu/jobs/what-we-offer

8. INDEPENDENCE AND DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The selected candidate will be required to make a declaration of commitment to act independently in the Agency’s interest and to make a declaration in relation to interests that might be considered prejudicial to their independence.

Please note that for this position restrictions (including prohibition) on post-employment activities may be applied.

For two (2) years after leaving the Agency, members of staff remain bound to seek clearance from EDA as soon as the post-employment activity is known and in due time to allow for authorisation before engaging in another activity. If that activity is related to the work carried out during the last three (3) years of service at EDA and it could lead to conflict with the legitimate interests of EDA, the Agency can give its approval subject to any conditions it deems fit, or forbid the activity.

In its assessment, EDA will in particular look at the nature of the future position, the quality of the future employer, the level of interaction with EDA staff on EDA activities, likelihood of involvement in decision taking of a financial/commercial nature and the level of conflict with the legitimate interests of the Agency.

For senior staff, an additional ban of 12 months will apply on lobbying or advocacy vis-à-vis Agency staff for their business, clients or employers on matters for which they were responsible during their last three (3) years of service.

Candidates are referred to the relevant section in EDA's Ethics Framework, available on EDA's website: https://eda.europa.eu/who-we-are/transparency/ethics-and-conduct

9. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

EDA is an equal opportunities employer and accepts applications without distinction on the grounds of age, race, political, philosophical or religious conviction, sex or sexual orientation and regardless of disabilities, marital status or family situation.

10. APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Applications are invited with a view to establish a reserve list for the post of Director Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) at EDA. This list will be valid until 31/12/2028, and may be extended by decision of the Chief Executive. During the validity of the reserve list, successful candidates may be offered a post in EDA according to their competences in relation to the specific requirements of the vacant post. Inclusion on the reserve list does not imply any entitlement of employment in the Agency.

Candidates must submit their application electronically solely via the EDA website. Applications by any other means (hard copy or ordinary e-mail) will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted no later than midnight. Candidates are reminded that the on-line application system will not accept applications after midnight (Brussels time, GMT+1) on the date of the deadline. Please note that once you have created your EDA profile, any correspondence regarding your application must be sent or received via your EDA profile. For any prior enquiry, please refer to the FAQ (Frequently asked questions) section, or send an e-mail to recruitment@eda.europa.eu.

When applying, candidates from Ministries of Defence or other governmental entities are encouraged to inform their national administration.

A selection panel will be appointed. Please note that the selection panel's internal proceedings are strictly confidential and that any contact with its members is forbidden. Each application will be screened based on the requirements of the job profile stated in the vacancy notice. The most suitable applicants will be called for an interview and a written test. Candidates may also be requested to take part in an assessment centre, participating in a number of individual and group activities related to the competences required for the post.

EDA will not accept any phase of the selection & recruitment process prepared or assisted, in whole or in part, by means of generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools, including and without limitation to chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT), or other language generating tools. EDA reserves the right to screen applications to identify the use of such tools. All applications prepared, in whole or in part, by means of such generative or creative AI tools may be rejected without further consideration at EDA’s sole discretion, and EDA reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.

If recruited, candidates will be requested to supply documentary evidence in support of the statements made in their application. They should not send any supporting or supplementary information until asked to do so by the Agency. Candidates are advised that part of the recruitment process includes medical analyses and physical check-up with the Agency’s Medical Adviser.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.