Science Officer - Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health (ISCH) COST-ESF

European Co-operation in the Field of Scientific & Technical Research

Brussels, Belgium

COST is an inter-governmental system supporting European research networking. In order to accomplish its mission, the European Science Foundation (ESF) provides administrative and scientific management to COST (European Co-operation in Science and Technology), 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.

ESF seeks a Science Officer (SO) in the Domain of Individuals, Societies, Culture and Health (ISCH) for its COST Office in Brussels for an 8-month maternity leave replacement.

The Science Officer position will imply the management of the ISCH 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:

• Developing, implementing and supporting the COST scientific networking funding scheme, and managing approved Actions for the ISCH Domain;
• Liaising with all COST Domains Committee Chairs and other external scientific bodies/networks while providing them administrative and scientific support;
• Gathering relevant information to promote scientific impact and results of COST Actions in the ISCH Domain, in collaboration with the COST Communication and Public Relation team;
• Taking responsibility for the management of the relevant budgets;
• Organising and ensuring scientific quality control and responding to the COST Open Call, related to ISCH;
• Delivering and advancing specific and quality papers and reports, related to the ISCH Actions;
• Contributing to the Science in Society Cluster activities (e.g. managing trans-disciplinary Actions, taking part in the development of exploratory workshops or strategic activities, etc.);
• Representing the COST Office in external meetings in Brussels and abroad;
• Maintaining an up-to-date awareness of relevant scientific and research policy developments.

Profile and competencies:

Specific competencies

• Ph.D. or equivalent research experience, with a minimum of 3 to 5 years research experience in one or more of the following areas: Political Sciences, Economics, Sociology, Humanities, Law…;
• Proven experience with grant assessment, review processes and general science management;
• Sound knowledge of European and national research structures and institutions as well as European and international science policy understanding;
• Excellent networking skills on international level;
• Experience in people management
• 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, databases and Web sites.

Inter-personal competencies

• Action-oriented, responsible and self-managed,
• Creative and willing to take initiatives with a continuous improvement minded;
• Strong inter-personal and communication skills within a multi-national context, including discretion, diplomacy and tolerance;
• Assertiveness and capability to guide decision-making procedures and to represent COST in the scientific community;
• Excellent organisational skills;
• Transparency in working combined with a team-orientated work ethic;
• Commitment and accountability to deliver on allocated administrative and scientific tasks and respond in a timely manner to deadlines.

ESF offers:

• Full-time contract of duration linked to the COST grant agreement II, with an initial probation period of 6 months;
• An international working environment located in Brussels (Avenue Louise 149, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium);
• 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 with possible start date mentioned + CV) should be addressed to the HR Unit and sent to job@cost.eu. Reference code: SO-ISCH2011. Deadline for application: 29 January 2012.

For general details see http://www.cost.eu.

For more information concerning ISCH in COST: http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/isch/in_detail.