BACKGROUND The European Defence Agency 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); R
BACKGROUND
The European Defence Agency 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 WORKINGThe 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. PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE TRAINEESHIPEDA’s traineeship programme is addressed to university graduates, including those who, in the framework of lifelong learning, have recently obtained a university diploma and are at the beginning of a new professional career.
The aim of EDA’s traineeship programme is:
While at EDA, trainees will be working side by side with motivated and highly qualified experts coming from the participating Member States and they will have the opportunity to contribute to specific projects within the Agency.
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.
The RTI Directorate comprises two Units and an RTI Coordination Team, with the following key tasks:
The Trainee will work with the members of the Technology and Innovation Unit, closely linked to transversal and cross-CapTechs* topics, specifically:
For both activities, the trainee will dig deeper in the processes for organising the activities but also in the technologies addressed (defence and dual use oriented).
* Capability and Technology Groups: One of the principle roles of the CapTech is the identification of technology gaps and common areas of interest for cooperation in the defence domain.
6. TASKS AND DUTIESUnder the supervision of his/her advisor, the Trainee Innovation Management and Technology Foresight will contribute to/be responsible for the following activities:
General
Technology Foresight
Defence Innovation Prize
Technology and Innovation is a collaborative environment where all members work together for a common objective, promoting and stimulating defence research in Europe. The activities developed in/by the Unit require the participation of several members and usually is cross-CapTech, meaning that dedicating sufficient time to understand, design and prepare the activities with several colleagues is necessary, if not mandatory.
For the Technology Foresight Workshops, the trainee will not only provide support on administrative tasks (such as preparing invitations, managing participants list, organising presentations and agenda) but also will dig deep in the technology addressed (innovative defence technologies). Some examples of previous workshops are in the domains of: Autonomous Systems, Energy for Platforms, Hyper velocity.
In the area of the Defence Innovation Prize there are several tasks linked to the contest itself (collecting topics from the CapTechs, collecting comments from the related unites & working groups) but there are also some other tasks related to managing the proposals received, analysing them, evaluating against the selection criteria, debating about the shortlist and finally the proposal for award. The trainee will not only provide support on administrative tasks, but will also participate in the technical activities related to the proposal received.
7. LEARNING OUTCOMESA. Project outputs & learning outcomes
The selected trainee will get familiar with and will acquire practical experience in:
The experience acquired at the end of the traineeship will provide the selected trainee with a very good understanding and experience of the defence research landscape, stakeholders and technologies. This experience could be an excellent basis for future work in the European institutions and bodies, in national administrations or in industry involved in defence research.
B. Technical / Soft skills to be acquired
From this experience, the trainee will gain:
Traineeships are open to applicants who have not previously undertaken a paid or unpaid traineeship or any kind of employment in another European institution or a body and which lasted for more than six weeks.
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:
Age limit : No age limit is imposed on the candidates for traineeships; however, traineeships are as a matter of priority offered to recent graduates.
Diploma : 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.
Personnel Security Clearance Certificate (PSCC) : It is 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 (CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL or above), 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 only be initiated by EDA on behalf of the selected candidate.
The traineeship is offered for a 1-year period.
Trainees are awarded an allowance of 1.229,32€ per month. Upon presentation of the proper justification, disabled trainees may receive a supplement to their allowance equal to a maximum of 50% of the amount of the allowance. The objective of this extra payment is to help disabled trainees to cover extra expenses (i.e. transport, cost of special accommodation etc.) which may be required due to their disability.
Health and accident insurance is mandatory. Trainees shall be responsible for organising their own insurance against accident along with health cover and any insurance required for family members for the duration of the traineeship. Trainees whose place of origin is more than 50km from the place of employment are entitled to a reimbursement of travel expenses incurred at the beginning and end of the traineeship. Travel allowances are paid at the end of the training period, provided the trainee has completed a minimum of 6 months of the traineeship.
In exceptional cases only, trainees may be sent on a mission provided that the mission is of a technical and not of a representative character. The authorisation shall be granted by the Director of the respective Directorate. For the reimbursement of these mission expenses, the general procedure of reimbursement provided in EDA’s Staff Regulations will apply.
For further information on financial matters, read the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on the EDA website: https://www.eda.europa.eu/jobs/faqs
Admission to a traineeship does not confer on trainees the status of temporary agents or other servants of the European Union nor does it entail any right or priority with regard to future engagement in the Agency. Trainees cannot benefit from any privileges and immunities granted by the host country to temporary agents or other servants of the European Defence Agency.
12. FUTURE EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONSAdmission to a traineeship does not confer on trainees the status of temporary agents or other servants of the European Union nor does it entail any right or priority with regard to future engagement in the Agency. Trainees cannot benefit from any privileges and immunities granted by the host country to temporary agents or other servants of the European Defence Agency.
A person can only benefit from one traineeship experience at EDA. Traineeships are not renewable and may not, in principle, be extended. However, the Chief Executive may grant an extension at the end of each training period, which may not exceed six months. Requests for extensions will only be accepted if the budgetary appropriations and the capacity of the Directorate/Unit to accommodate trainees allow and if objectively justified in the interest of the service.
Regardless of the traineeship, trainees are entitled to participate as candidates in any selection procedures organised by the Agency, provided that they meet the requirements for doing so. If successful, they shall be entitled to a post accordingly.
13. APPLICATION PROCEDURECandidates shall not apply for more than 2 trainee profiles and are requested to indicate an order of preference in their motivation letter.
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 on the date of the deadline. Candidates are reminded that the on-line application system will not accept applications after midnight (Brussels time, GMT+1).
The Agency defines its requirements for each call and successful candidates are selected on the basis of the educational background, qualifications, competences, and motivation.
EDA’s Human Resources Unit assesses compliance of applications with the eligibility criteria. The respective Directorates/Units assess applications against the selection criteria and shortlist a number of candidates that meet the requirements. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for a telephone interview.
Following the interviews, the Directorate/Unit will select the trainee who most closely meets the requirements of the specific profile.
If offered a traineeship, candidates will be requested to supply documentary evidence in support of the statements made in their application. Candidates are requested not to send any supporting or supplementary information until they have been asked to do so by the Agency.
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 inquiry, please refer to the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section, or send an e-mail to recruitment@eda.europa.eu.
14. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIESThe 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.
15. DATA PROTECTIONPlease note that EDA will not return applications to candidates. The personal information EDA requests from candidates will be processed in line with Regulation (EU) N° 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) 45/2001 and Decision No. 1247/2002/EC.
The purpose of processing personal data which candidates submit is to manage applications in view of possible pre-selection and recruitment at EDA. More information on personal data protection in relation to selection and recruitment can be found on the EDA website:
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