The European Science Foundation (ESF) provides a platform for its Member Organisations to advance European research and explore new directions for research at the European level.
Established in 1974 as an independent non-governmental organisation, ESF currently serves 77 Member Organisations (Research Funding Agencies, Research Performing Organisations and Academies) across 30 countries.

The mission of the Chief Executive’s Unit is to support the Chief Executive and the President of the ESF in respect of ESF’s Governance, the development of ESF strategy and the delivery of policy objectives. In respect of delivery of ESF’s mission and policies, the Unit provides development and coordination of activities which span the various scientific domains of ESF, for example in central calls for proposals, quality assurance and standards in peer review, coordination of the Forward Look and EUROCORES instruments and in Research Infrastructures and Member Organisations Fora. In addition to work with ESF’s Member Organisations, the Unit also provides the corporate interface with major external stakeholders such at the EuroHORCs grouping and the European Commission.

Mission of the Position

The mission of the position is developing, promoting and delivering, within the strategy set by ESF’s Governance,  ESF’s expanding role as a European-level provider of high quality peer review for its member organisations and more widely. The Science Officer will report to the Head of the Chief Executive’s Unit, and will work in close collaboration with the  Senior Science Officer responsible for Peer Review and Quality Assurance.

Position Responsibilities
This position will involve:

• Acting as “development manager” for the expansion and professionalisation of ESF’s external peer review activities;
• Advising the management on the priorities/planning of peer review requests from MO’s or others;
• Supporting high quality implementation of ongoing peer review activities in ESF scientific instruments, and other approved ESF activities;
• Implementing scientific quality control, harmonization and standards, and thereby guaranteeing sound, efficient, and robust  peer review processes and evaluation of ongoing and completed activities;
• Liaising with ESF Member Organisations, COST and external research supporting bodies;
• Involving and integrating the ESF scientific Units, their committees, and where appropriate their research communities, in the development and delivery of ESF’s Peer Review Strategy;
• Publicising and informing ESF’s community (presentations, writing material for publications and the web) and liaising with the ESF Communications Unit;
• Management of specific activities and their budgets Supporting the Head of Unit and the Senior Science Officer responsible for Peer Review in the delivery of the Units mission.

Profile and Competences required
The successful applicant must demonstrate the following competences:

Specific competences

• Ph.D, or equivalent research experience, with a further minimum of 5 years work experience  in research funding or research management;
• Demonstrable hands on experience with peer review in project assessment and evaluation processes, preferably gained in a research funding organisation;
• Good working knowledge of European and national research structures (especially ESF Member Organisations) and institutions, and of European and international science policy;
• Entrepreneurial attitude and excellent networking abilities;
• Ability to manage a range of simultaneous tasks;
• Ability to work across a range of scientific disciplines;
• Ability to work independently but in close collaborations with others within the context of objectives set by the Head of Unit and Senior Management;
• High standard of spoken and written English, with a working knowledge of another European language being an advantage;
• Good working knowledge of MS Office systems and of electronic databases and Web sites.

Inter-personal competences

• Action-orientated, responsible and self-managed, creative and willing to take initiatives, and continuously improvement-minded;
• Strong inter-personal and excellent communication skills within a multi-national context, including discretion, diplomacy and tolerance;
• Assertive with capability of guiding decision-making procedures and to represent ESF in the scientific community;
• Excellent presentational skills;
• Proven organisational skills;
• Basic experience/training in people management;
• Transparency in working and a team-orientated work ethic;
• Commitment to deliver on allocated tasks and respond  Positive and constructive attitude;
• Capable of demonstrating the ESF’s values: Excellence, Openness, Responsiveness, Pan-European approach, Ethical Awareness and Human Values.

Employment conditions

• This full-time position is offered for a three year period, starting 1 January 2009.
• The place of work is Strasbourg, France and the job will involve a significant amount of travel.
• The salary level will be based on experience and qualifications of the successful candidate and will follow ESF terms and conditions.

Please send your application by 24 November 2008 to jobs[at]esf.org quoting the following reference identifier CEPR-SO  or to ESF, Human Resources Unit - 1 quai Lezay-Marnésia, BP 90015, F-67080 Strasbourg France.
Interviews will be held in Strasbourg 17 December 2008.

ESF welcomes applications from disabled candidates. ESF premises are fully equiped for disabled access.

Further details at www.esf.org