Researcher EU Foreign Policy

About us

Founded in Brussels in 1983, CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) is a leading think tank and forum for debate on EU affairs, which has been consistently ranked among the top 10 world’s best think tanks. CEPS’ distinguishing features include its strong in-house research capacity and an extensive international network of partner institutes. CEPS’ funding comes from a variety of sources, mainly research grants, public procurement, but also from membership and conference fees.

The ‘Foreign Policy’ unit of CEPS consists of a small but dedicated research team that specialises in the relations between the EU and its geographical neighbours. The unit has recently been awarded with a handful of research contracts, which it carries out in cooperation with universities and other think tanks. In each of these projects, the CEPS team is responsible for EU-centred research on the integrated approach to external action. It is this substantive focus which is central to the profile of:

“Researcher – EU Foreign Policy”

Main tasks

• You will become a member of CEPS’ staff and work in the Foreign Policy unit
• You will conduct research activities in the field of EU external action, with a specific focus on relations with neighbouring countries, strategic partners and systemic rivals
• You will participate in international research teams that carry out projects for the European Commission and other funding organisations
• You will give presentations on the above-mentioned issues at project meetings and external events
• You will write editorials and commentaries
• You will assist in the writing of interim and final project reports for donor organisations
• You will assist in the acquisition of new research projects

Your profile

• You are a researcher who is about to defend or has recently obtained a PhD in international relations or law with a focus on global governance and EU foreign policy
• You have a good knowledge of the European integration process, the EU’s institutional architecture, European neighbourhood relations, international law and multilateralism
• You are able to critically read and comment on research reports and academic publications
• You have a proven record of writing and presentation skills
• You are eager to invest in building and maintaining a growing research network
• You are willing and able to organise, moderate and contribute to events at CEPS and its partners
• You are willing to assist in writing funding proposals and in carrying out externally funded projects
• You are familiar with the rules and procedures for research projects financed by the European Commission under its Horizon 2020 programme
• You have an excellent command of English, both orally and in writing. You have an excellent knowledge of at least 2 other EU official languages
• You are able to work in a research team involving junior and senior colleagues and can organise your own activities
• You have a good understanding of the need to be outgoing and to use all possibilities of knowledge dissemination as a means of profiling your own work and that of the organisation
• You are able to handle stress, respect deadlines and are able to juggle multiple tasks and changing priorities
• You enjoy teamwork and are open to giving and receiving feedback
• You have, or are willing to develop insights into ongoing policy and legislative debates

What CEPS can offer

We offer full-time employment for 1 year. The contract is renewable. The salary will be in accordance with your previous experience as well as the CEPS salary scale. We also offer a benefits package (group & hospitalisation insurance, meal tickets, public transport reimbursement, 20 days legal holiday entitlement per year plus additional days when CEPS is closed during the Christmas-New Year period). We would like the preferred candidate to start her/his activities in Brussels in January 2021 at the very latest.

Career development prospects

This position will give you the opportunity to progress on your career path and gain the valuable skills, training and experience that would allow you to take on the role of Research Fellow or beyond. CEPS offers a Learning and Development Programme for all staff to develop the necessary skills for their position.

More information

Further information about the position can be obtained from Els Van den Broeck, HR Coordinator, at els.vandenbroeck@ceps.eu.

Application and deadline

Applications should include a one-page letter of motivation, indicating your salary expectations, and a curriculum vitae which lists your publications and specifies your role in previous research projects, both in English. For the CV, please use the Europass template (https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/. They should be emailed to applications@ceps.eu by 30 October 2020 with the job title and unit name in the subject line ("Researcher - EU Foreign Policy").