The European Space Policy Institute, the leading European think tank devoted to space policy, is looking to employ a Lead of the Centre of Excellence for Space and Sustainability (CESS) at the premises of the Institute in Vienna (on-site), starting in February 2025 (please see all the details on the ESPI website). 

About the CESS

ESPI is creating a Centre of Excellence for Space and Sustainability (CESS) to drive community engagement, create partnerships and growth and to leverage the research at ESPI, with a dual focus:  

1. To support sustainable development on Earth;
2. To respond to sustainability challenges in space;

including increased resilience of related space solutions.

In line with the ambition set forth in Austrian Space Strategy 2030+ and leveraging the support of Austria’s Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK), the CESS is a community facing initiative,  leveraging the ESPI2040 and ESPI agenda in research, engagement and education to the benefit of a growing network of stakeholders in Europe and globally.

About the role

As the Lead of CESS, you will:

• manage the engagement with the growing stakeholder community in sustainability within and beyond the space sector and contribute to the policy debate in Europe;
• identify and further develop community leaders who can contribute to the objectives of the CESS and its growth, facilitate collaborative efforts and take a pro-active role in partnership and network creation;
• leverage ESPI’s research in Green & Sustainable Societies and Space as an Asset portfolios, including related security aspects;
• work in synergy with ESPI’s communications and engagement team and educational activities, including on events and capacity-building efforts;
• identify and help shape relevant future ESPI research topics in response to the community needs;
• ensure the quality of the work and manage projects within budget and schedule.

In this position at ESPI you will be joining a fast-paced growth environment, in a team with varied backgrounds and strong appreciation of impact-driven objectives, paired with a commitment to rigour and continuous learning.

Qualifications

• a Master’s degree that relates to the Institute’s work and mission (e.g. Political Science, Law, Engineering, Physics, Environmental Studies, Economics, Finance, Data Science, Technology & Innovation,);
• at least 5 years of relevant work experience (Consultancy, NGO, Think Tank, Industry, Public Sector); with experience in green and sustainability-related matters considered as an asset;
• leadership skills to guide a community, proficiency in relationship building and management of partnerships and collaborations with diverse stakeholders;
• excellent organisational and representation skills, with inter-cultural and multistakeholder competence and a self-starting mindset;
• sound analytical thinking, attention to detail and ability to work in teams;
• project management experience, flexibility, and impact-oriented thinking;
• excellent command of English, written and oral.

Application Process

We only accept applications by EU/EEA citizens or non-EU citizens holding residence and employment permits in Austria. To apply for this position, please send:

• a copy of your CV in .pdf format,
• a motivation letter in .pdf format,

to vacancies@espi.or.at with the subject: “ESPI CESS Lead” before 6 December 2024, 23:59 CET. Please do not submit educational records or certificates at this stage.

The position is full-time (40 hours/week) with flexible working conditions.

The advertised salary is €60.000-65,000 gross per year (paid 14 times a year). An additional bonus payment is subject to the Management’s decision and the Institute’s overall performance. Candidates with more demonstrated experience can qualify for higher salary bands subject to negotiation.

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