Joint Research Centre is looking for a Policy Officer - Technology Transfer and Innovation

Type of contract: Member of the European Commission's contract staff, Function Group IV (article 3b of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants)

Duration of contract: 36 months (renewable up to maximum 6 years)

Area: Innovation, technology transfer and commercialisation

Place of employment: Brussels (BE)

Indicative basic salary: 4.449,31 - 6.444,59 € (applicable as of 1st of July 2025) For more detailed information please consult: Working Conditions

WE ARE

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) provides independent, evidence-based knowledge and science, supporting EU policies to positively impact society.

The current vacancy is in the Industrial Strategy, Skills and Technology Transfer Unit of the Directorate for Fair & Sustainable Economy.

The Unit supports policy making for a globally competitive and world-leading EU industry, cleaner, more digital and more resilient, capable of ensuring Europe's strategic autonomy in critical technologies and strategic value chains, in a context of profound global geopolitical shifts.

The Unit monitors and analyses industrial trends, opportunities and competitiveness in a context of transformation, with a focus on R&D investments, technological development and innovation, productivity growth, technology transfer and skills requirements. The unit also analyses the implications of these trends for European labour markets and human capital, and how employment, education and training policies can support a fair digital and green transition.

The position is focused on technology transfer within the Startups, Scaleups and Technology Transfer team. The team's technology-transfer activities combine policy work with hands-on technology commercialisation and exploitation, including technology scouting, invention identification, IP protection, proof-of-concept support, licensing and other routes to market, as well as work on technology-transfer ecosystems and international technology deployment.

The successful candidate will work across the interface between science, technology, business, finance and public policy, engaging with researchers, companies, investors, technology-transfer organisations, public authorities, international organisations and other actors involved in bringing technologies from research into practical use.

The post is based in Brussels, in close proximity to the European Commission's policy services and other institutional and international partners.

We offer:

• work in a close-knit, intellectually stimulating and highly collaborative team, where initiative, curiosity and individual responsibility are valued;
• contribute directly to the identification, maturation and exploitation of technologies, including scouting, proof of concept, IP exploitation and licensing;
• combine hands-on technology-transfer work with analytical and project activities on international technology deployment and innovation partnerships;
• engage with a wide range of actors across research, industry, finance, public policy and international cooperation;
• contribute to work linked to innovation, competitiveness, industrial transformation and international partnerships;
• operate with a high degree of autonomy and scope for initiative, with a strong emphasis on intellectual curiosity, practical problem-solving and ownership;
• undertake occasional travel for project work, workshops and meetings in Europe and third countries.

Please see also Working at the Commission – conditions and environment (europa.eu)

WE PROPOSE

The new colleague will join the Startups, Scaleups and Technology Transfer team in JRC. and contribute to activities related to technology transfer, innovation and technology deployment. The work combines hands-on technology transfer and commercialisation activities with analytical and project work on technology deployment, innovation and international technology partnerships.

S/He will contribute to the identification, maturation and exploitation of JRC technologies, including technology scouting, proof-of-concept, IP protection, licensing and other exploitation pathways. At the same time, the new colleague will support projects with Commission services and external partners concerning the deployment of technologies in international markets and investment contexts.

The work may involve:

• scouting and assessing technologies and contributing to the identification of appropriate exploitation and commercialisation pathways;
• supporting invention identification, IP protection, technology maturation, proof-of-concept and licensing activities;
• analysing technology-transfer and deployment opportunities, including relevant actors and intermediaries, partnership models, barriers to implementation and enabling conditions;
• contributing to the assessment of commercial, financial and institutional aspects relevant to technology deployment, including business models, project structures and investment considerations;
• contributing to the design, coordination and delivery of projects in the areas of technology transfer, innovation and international cooperation;
• undertaking comparative analysis of technology-transfer and deployment models, instruments and institutional approaches in the EU and third countries;
• preparing Terms of Reference, analytical reports, briefings and other project and policy-support documents;
• Help in coordinating or supporting external experts and contractors;
• engaging with Commission services, EU Delegations, international organisations, development-finance institutions, research and technology organisations, companies, investors and other external stakeholders;
• contributing to workshops, expert meetings and international technology-transfer and innovation networks.

The position offers the opportunity to work across the interface between science, technology, business, finance and public policy, combining work on individual technologies with broader questions concerning how innovation is commercialised and deployed internationally.

WE LOOK FOR

We are looking for a creative, internationally minded self-starter with a strong interest in technology and in how technologies move from research into markets and practical deployment.

The new colleague will combine technological curiosity, commercial judgement and strong analytical skills, and will be comfortable working across science, business, finance and public policy. We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in technology transfer, innovation, technology commercialisation, international business or international cooperation, and who can move between the level of an individual technology and the wider institutional and investment environment needed for its deployment.

Candidates must have (essential):

• A PhD (doctoral diploma) in fields relevant to the position or 3 years of equivalent professional experience after university studies of at least 4 years;
• Professional experience in technology transfer, technology commercialisation, innovation, technology-based business development or closely related activities;
• An ability to understand technologies and their potential applications and to interact effectively with researchers, entrepreneurs, companies and other stakeholders;
• Experience working in an international environment, involving organisations, projects or partners from more than one country;
• Strong analytical and drafting skills;
• Thorough knowledge of spoken and written English (C1), including the ability to prepare technical, analytical and policy-oriented documents;
• A high degree of autonomy, initiative and organisational ability, including the capacity to manage several files in parallel.

Candidates should have (desirable):

• Hands-on experience in one or more areas of technology scouting, proof of concept, IP exploitation, licensing, startup creation or other forms of technology commercialisation;
• Experience in international technology transfer, international innovation cooperation or technology deployment in third-country markets;
• Experience in, or exposure to, international financial institutions, development banks, development agencies, international organisations or internationally oriented advisory or consulting organisations;
• Experience in project structuring, investment analysis, corporate finance, business modelling or commercial due diligence, particularly in relation to technology-based projects;
• Familiarity with different technology-deployment models, including licensing, co-development, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, contract manufacturing, pilot deployment or other forms of industrial collaboration;
• Experience in working with technology-based startups, scale-ups, investors or industrial companies;
• Experience in managing complex projects, external experts or multidisciplinary stakeholder groups;
• Familiarity with EU innovation, industrial, international partnership or related policies.

The candidate should also demonstrate:

• Intellectual curiosity and an ability to approach technology exploitation and deployment from a systems and multidisciplinary perspective;
• Commitment, motivation and proactivity in pursuing projects;
• Ability to identify and focus on the essential elements of complex issues;
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a small team;
• Flexibility in adapting to changing priorities and new policy questions;
• Confidence in engaging with a wide range of scientific, commercial, institutional and international stakeholders.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are already on a valid CAST FG IV reserve list, or you have already applied to one of the calls below, you can directly submit your application at JRC Recruitment Portal.

If not, before applying to this position, you must register for one of the two following databases:

• the Call for Expressions of Interest | EU Careers (europa.eu) (CAST Permanent FG IV), which is used by a wide range of organisations (institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the European Union), or
• the call for researchers (JRC Call COM/1/2015/GFIV – Research), which is mainly used by the JRC.

Note that each of the calls above has different minimum eligibility requirements and different selection tests.

The JRC cultivates a workplace based on respect for other people and the environment, and embraces non-discriminatory practices and equality of opportunity. In case of equal merit, preference will be given to the gender in minority.

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