Job Ad: Energy Programme Director (part-time)

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Organisational lead of EASAC’s Energy Programme (with a focus on energy and climate policy) and managing the respective processes.
• Monitoring policy and scientific developments and keeping abreast of challenges, controversies, social consequences, and milestones related to (both demand-side and supply-side) use, production, transmission and storage of energy in Europe and beyond.
• Maintaining strategic and working relations with stakeholders in the science for policy advice ecosystem, in the EU (Commission, Parliament and respective agencies), as well as with key scientists in relevant fields, and – where relevant – the (science) media.
• Providing for the effective implementation and delivery of EASAC’s Council-approved energy initiatives, such as report launches.
• Ensuring that the Energy Programme output – whether written documents or launches, discussion fora or other outreach programmes – are of rigorous high quality, policy-relevant and impactful, and that lessons-learned and good-practice are shared with EASAC member academies to help build their capacity to engage in relevant national policy debates.
• Coordinating EASAC’s Energy Steering Panel by preparing supporting documents, co-organizing meetings and following up on action items of past Steering Panel meetings.
• Managing working groups within the Energy Programme by
  • preparing project outlines for scientific topics, including work and budget plans, and proposals for the final outputs and for outreach,
  • organizing meetings (virtual, hybrid or in-person) and consultation processes,
  • acting as a scientific writer when drafting scoping papers and briefs, reports, commentaries and the like, on the basis of contributions from members of the working groups,
  • contributing to organizing the peer review process of reports etc.
• Co-operating with the two other EASAC programme directors (currently Biosciences and Public Health, and Environment) to explore opportunities for cross-sectoral and synergistic activities.
• Undertaking communications activities coordinated by, and in co-operation with, EASAC’s communications staff.
• Working in alignment with the EASAC Secretariat, in particular in organisational matters with respect to the Energy Programme.
• Working closely with the EASAC Energy Policy Advisor.

Profile, skills, knowledge, experience, and qualifications:

• A minimum of a relevant Master’s Degree is required; with preferably a PhD in any field covered by EASAC’s Energy Programme.
• Demonstrable extensive scientific and policy understanding of both demand-side and supply-side technical, social, and market factors affecting the use, production, transmission, and storage of energy as well as relevant contemporary scientific challenges and innovations.
• Proven senior-level experience in developing evidence-based energy policy advice.
• Familiarity with science-policy interfaces at the EU level and the respective network of stakeholders.
• Excellent organisational and management skills, including for evidence gathering processes.
• Proven ability to deliver projects on time, to budget, and to the agreed scope.
• Excellent oral and written proficiency in English.
• Clear and confident communication skills, with the ability to interpret and convey scientific, technical, and policy-related ideas effectively to a range of audiences – from publishing in peer-reviewed journals to speaking at public policy events.
• High interpersonal skills, with a record of accomplishment in building and maintaining strong working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders across Europe.
• Residency and the right to work in the EU, Norway, Switzerland, or the UK.
• Willingness and ability to both travel and work extensively online

Our offer:

EASAC offers a unique and exciting opportunity to work with scientific and policy experts throughout Europe on wide-ranging policy issues underpinned by science in a highly dynamic environment, with a contract (part-time) under Austrian Law (if applicable).

• Remuneration: An internationally competitive income is to be negotiated.
• Place of Work: within one of the EASAC member states.
• Starting date: preferably in October 2025.
• Duration: until the end of 2026, with the option to be prolonged.

For enquiries, please contact the EASAC Executive Director, Georg Bërveniku-Brunner at georg.brunner@easac.eu.

Interested candidates are requested to send their CV and a motivation letter to the EASAC Secretariat by 10 August, 2025, at secretariat@easac.eu, with reference to “Application Energy PD”.
Interviews for shortlisted candidates will take place in Vienna or online.

The Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) and EASAC pursue a non-discriminatory employment policy and value equal opportunities and diversity. In particular, individuals from under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.