Legal Officer (Commercialisation)
JOB DETAIL
Vacancy in the Directorate of European, Legal and International Matters.
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. Applications from women are encouraged.
This is a non-renewable post for a limited duration of 4 years and is classified A2-A4 on the Coordinated Organisations’ salary scale.
Location
ESA Headquarters, Paris, France
Description
Legal Officer in the Public International Law Division, Legal Services Department, Directorate of European, Legal and International Matters. As a Legal Officer you will report to the Head of the Public International Law Division and provide your legal services with, inter alia, a focus on commercialisation, public private sector interaction, and industrial policy in a changing space sector.
The European Space Agency is an international organisation and the European gateway to space. Together with its Member States, the Agency pushes the boundaries of discovery and exploration and provides space applications for the benefit of citizens on Earth. ESA’s Legal Services Department provides a broad range of legal services and advice to support the implementation of ESA’s activities and programmes. Our expertise spans a variety of legal disciplines including, but not limited to, public international law, European law, the national law of ESA’s Member States, the law of international civil servants, litigation and arbitration, intellectual property law and export control regulations. You will be part of a team of highly motivated and skilled lawyers in an inspirational, interdisciplinary and multicultural environment.
Duties
As a Legal Officer, you will have inter alia the following responsibilities:
- Conducting legal analysis and preparing notes and briefs regarding developments in international law; commercial, business and trade law; public private sector interaction (including adjacent fields, e.g., competition law and state aid; NewSpace regulation, commercialisation and entrepreneurship); and space sector regulation of the jurisdictions in which the Agency operates;
- Providing legal services in relation to the Agency’s innovation efforts to develop ESA’s role in the global space economy, strengthen industrial competitiveness of the European space sector and foster commercialisation for a Green and Digital Europe;
- In relation to the above, drafting and preparing legal instruments and working documents necessary for the conduct of the Agency’s activities and programmes, closely interacting with the Agency’s decision-makers and supporting Agency committees, boards and working groups;
- Providing legal advice on the formulation, interpretation, application and development of the Agency’s regulations, rules and policies, considering the relevant legal and regulatory environment in which the Agency conducts its activities;
- Attending, and providing legal support to, internal committees, boards and working groups of the Agency, as relevant to the above functions.
Technical competencies
Behavioural competencies
Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking
Education
A master’s degree in law is required. Advanced studies in commercial law, competition law, business law and/or public international law are an asset.
Additional requirements
You should demonstrate the ability to:
- engage with senior stakeholders;
- recognise the needs of clients based on the context of cooperation and address them accordingly;
- work collaboratively as part of an international team of lawyers in a professional, open-minded and team-spirited manner;
- identify priorities and critical activities and manage workflow appropriately;
- understand different legal systems and provide relevant legal advice;
- master English at a professional level and work in different languages (beyond your mother tongue).
You should have at least five years of professional experience within either a public administration, an international organisation, a specialised law firm or in industry. Relevant research and publications are an asset.
Other information
For behavioural competencies expected from ESA staff in general, please refer to the ESA Competency Framework.
For further information please visit: Professionals, What we offer and FAQ
The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.
The Agency may require applicants to undergo selection tests.
At the Agency we value diversity and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further please contact us at [email protected].
Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will first be given to internal candidates and secondly to external candidates from under-represented Member States*.
In accordance with the European Space Agency’s security procedures and as part of the selection process, successful candidates will be required to undergo basic screening before appointment conducted by an external background screening service.
Recruitment will normally be at the first grade in the band (A2); however, if the candidate selected has little or no experience, the position may be filled at A1 level.
*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.
