Science Officer Food and Agriculture

The European Science Foundation provides administrative and scientific management for COST, its Domain Committees and its Actions through the COST Office in Brussels and corporate support services in Strasbourg. This is achieved through a support grant provided to ESF by the European Commission. COST is an inter-governmental system supporting European research networking.

The ESF seeks a full-time Science Officer in the Domain of FA for its COST Office in Brussels. The position will imply the management of the FA Domain, by catalysing and supporting researchers, Domain Committees and COST Actions, promoting inter-disciplinary research collaboration in a multi-disciplinary environment across Europe and beyond.

Position Responsibilities:

• Implementing and supporting the scientific networking programme scheme, and approved programmes for the FA Domain, under the direction of the Senior Science Officer – Life Sciences;
• Delivering and advancing specific and quality papers and reports, related to the FA Domain;
• Organising scientific quality control and responding to the COST Open Call, related to the FA Domain;
• Taking responsibility for the management of the Domain budgets;
• Providing scientific secretariat for the FA Domain Committee and its Chair;
• Liaising with COST Domain Committee Chairs and other external scientific bodies and networks and providing support;
• Contributing to the Life Sciences Cluster activities;
• Promoting and centralizing publication needs according to the Domain requirements;
• Representing the COST Office in external meetings.

Profile and Competencies:

Specific Competencies
• Ph.D, or equivalent research experience, preferably with a further 5-10 years research experience in a relevant science area;
• Proven experience with grant assessment and review processes and experience of science management;
• Knowledge of European and national research structures and institutions and European and international science policy;
• Networking skills;
• High standard of spoken and written English, with a working knowledge of another European language being an advantage but not a requirement;
• Good working knowledge of MS Office systems and of electronic databases and Web sites.
  
  Inter-personal Competencies
• Action-orientated, responsible and self-managed, creative and willing to take initiatives, and continuous improvement minded;
• Strong inter-personal and excellent communication skills within a multi-national context, including discretion, diplomacy and tolerance;
• Assertive and capability to guide decision-making procedures and to represent COST in the scientific community;
• Proven organisational skills;
• Good presentational skills;
• Transparency in working and a team-orientated work ethic;
• Commitment to deliver on allocated tasks and respond in a timely manner to deadlines.

The ESF Offers:

• An international working environment located in Brussels at 1050, avenue Louise 149;
• Initial fixed duration of 4 years, with an initial probationary period of 6 months;
• Competitive salary;
• Candidates must be eligible to work in Belgium and must have a Work Permit unless a national of the ‘EU and EEE’.

Electronic applications (motivation letter + CV) should be addressed to the COST Office Director and sent to jobcost.esf.org.

Reference code: SOFA

Interviews will take place on 8 March 2010. The selected person should ideally be available by early May or earlier.

For general details see http://www.cost.esf.org.