BraveTech EU | Project Officer Electronic Warfare

Contract type: Temporary agent

Directorate: Research, Technology and Innovation Directorate (RTI)

Group: N.A.

Grade: AD7

Level of Security Clearance: SECRET UE/EU SECRET

Management of staff: N.A.

Location: Brussels

Indicative starting date: 16/01/2027

Closing date for applications: 13/10/2026

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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. 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

BraveTech EU is a European Defence Fund (EDF) Coordination & Support Action (CSA) designed to accelerate the uptake of battlefield-relevant innovation for defence. The initiative is planned to be launched in early 2026 after the Contribution Agreement with the European Commission will be signed. The initiative, is structured in two phases:

  • Phase I - managed by the European Commission/DG DEFIS with support from EDA, to identify the initial teams providing promising solutions to battlefield challenges;

  • Phase II –managed by EDA with support from the European Commission, for participation in Testing–Evaluation–Experimentation Campaigns (TE²C).

The implementation of Phase II by EDA will be supported by a contractor taking, at high level, the following tasks: planning, site booking, logistics, on-range operations, outcomes of the tests and experiments, and draft rankings to award prizes to the most promising solutions.

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Under the supervision of the line-manager responsible for Defence Innovation, the jobholder will contribute to the Agency’s innovation and experimentation activities under the Hub for EU Defence Innovation. The job holder will lead the technical content and evaluation logic for Command & Control (C2) and Electronic Warfare (EW) related innovation challenges and campaigns, ensuring that experimentation outputs are in support of Member States decision making.

In particular, the jobholder will:

  • Challenge definition & technical steering
    • co-validate challenge statements with Member States and relevant stakeholders; ensure alignment with operational demand, constraints (e.g., safety, security, export controls) and realistic test environments;
    • develop and maintain evaluation criteria (and where applicable weightings) to ensure comparability and methodological consistency across tracks.
  • Evaluation design and methodological integrity
    • translate C2/EW operational needs into test plans, relevant criteria, and instrumentation/data needs;
    • ensure traceability from challenge to experimentation to evidence to readiness recommendation.
  • Quality assurance of testing and acceptance
    • review and pre-approve contractor test plans (test design, metrics, data collection, safety/cyber measures) and verify coherence with the challenge and decision gates;
    • lead technical debriefs with test sites, ranges and end-users; review evidence packs; formulate recommendations for pass/fail/hold decisions and readiness pathways;
  • End-user engagement & adoption pull
    • engage military end-users, ranges and test centres to ensure operational realism, credible vignettes, and adoption-oriented outputs;
    • identify integration pathways early (interfaces, CONOPS fit, training/sustainment implications, cyber/safety constraints) and flag blockers to uptake.
  • Knowledge capture
    • Contribute to lessons learned, standardised evaluation templates, and continuous improvement of the experimentation methodology relevant to C2/EW.
  • 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

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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.