Research Officer at Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles | Brussels

Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles is recruiting a Case and Project Manager in Scientific Research for its Scientific Research Directorate in Brussels, Belgium. The post suits a Master-qualified professional able to work with European research matters, policy consultation and complex casework. It calls for high-level English, strong French communication and a disciplined approach to turning varied information into clear, usable advice and documented decisions.

Within the General Administration of Education, this role links research-project coordination with representation, consultation and administrative follow-through. The successful candidate will work on files connected with European programmes while supporting the Directorate’s policy and information activities. Applicants whose background includes scientific research, higher education or European case management may find the mix of analytical, collaborative and written work particularly relevant.

Opportunity Details

Overview of the Vacancy

Location, Sector, and Role Context

The Case and Project Manager in Scientific Research supports the Scientific Research Directorate’s work on the international dimensions of research. Day-to-day responsibilities range from coordinating European-programme files and scientific-research projects to preparing material for consultations and negotiations. The role brings together policy awareness, careful record management and constructive contact with colleagues and external actors. It also includes complex files concerning open science, knowledge security, research infrastructures and scientific-career development. Clear written work is central, because the post prepares official correspondence, decisions, opinions and reports while maintaining the related case information.

Brussels is the workplace for this position in the General Administration of Education. The Directorate follows European and federal research programmes, encourages participation by researchers from Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, develops positions for Belgian and European consultations, implements European directives and good practices, provides current data to international organisations, and manages research calls. A suitable background therefore combines knowledge of scientific-policy arrangements with the ability to analyse demanding files, coordinate contributors and explain conclusions precisely. Experience with European research or higher-education files is advantageous, as is practice in synthesis writing and reasoned position development.

About the Employer: Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (Scientific Research Directorate)

Organization and Relevant Services

Verified Employer Overview

Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles is a public institution serving French-speaking people in Brussels and Wallonia. Its areas of competence cover education, culture, sport, youth assistance, scientific research and justice houses. Scientific research is consequently part of the institution’s public-interest remit rather than a separate commercial activity. The present vacancy sits within that remit, in a Directorate concerned with research policy and its international dimensions. For a Case and Project Manager in Scientific Research, this setting connects administrative casework to work on research programmes, consultation processes and information exchanged across institutional and international contexts.

The employer uses Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles as the communication name for the French Community of Belgium. Its institutional structure includes a Parliament, a Government and public services responsible for carrying out its missions. This framework is relevant to a post that contributes to consultation, official documents and reasoned positions on scientific-research matters. The role is based in Brussels, identified by the institution as its capital, and forms part of a public-service environment where work may require sound handling of files, formal correspondence, opinions, attestations and decisions.

Professional Setting and Role Context

Work Environment, Operations, and Facilities

Funding for the institution principally comes from tax revenue collected and transferred by the federal authority; Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles does not directly levy tax. The institution also states that it has strengthened links and collaborations with Europe and the Francophonie and maintains representations around the world. Those connections provide the wider setting for a Directorate that works with European programmes and international research-policy groups. In this role, understanding consultation systems and European institutions supports representation of Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles and the preparation of material for European negotiations.

Official recruitment activity covers administrative, technical and expert opportunities through the employer’s employment portal. Its recruitment missions extend across public-interest services, while the portal describes work with numerous public administrative bodies and institutions in areas including childhood, audiovisual services, education, international affairs, technology, health and research. Within this wider landscape, the Scientific Research Directorate manages international research dimensions, follows programmes, supports researcher participation, supplies updated data to international organisations and manages research calls. The advertised role helps connect these activities through coordination, consultation, information channels and reliable case administration.

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Open Positions

1. Case and Project Manager in Scientific Research

Official title: Gestionnaire de dossiers et de projets dans le domaine de la recherche scientifique (F/H/X)

Location: Brussels, Belgium — up to 50% telework by agreement | Employment information: Full-time indefinite contract; partial telework

This post combines project coordination with detailed administrative and policy-facing work. The Case and Project Manager in Scientific Research will represent Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles in designated consultation settings, bring together actors involved in European projects, and contribute to positioning work for negotiations. Alongside that outward-facing activity, the role maintains the quality of internal files and responses. It requires confidence with research-policy subjects, thoughtful collaboration and the ability to draft documents that accurately reflect a case, its progress and the appropriate next action.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate research files connected to European programmes and oversee scientific-research projects.
• Represent Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles in Belgian scientific-policy committees and international working groups, including Horizon Europe, United Nations and OECD-related groups.
• Bring together actors supporting European projects, including National Contact Points and Europe cells.
• Help prepare framing notes that set out Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles positions for European negotiations.
• Create a consultation platform that supports information sharing and consultation on European programmes.
• Lead initiatives that improve the Scientific Research Directorate’s visibility through social networks and internet channels.
• Contribute to evaluations of research policies financed by Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.
• Manage complex research files involving open science, knowledge security, research infrastructures and scientific-career development.
• Advise colleagues, strengthen file-processing quality and service efficiency, and deal with complaints through advice, proposed responses or referral to the appropriate service or person.
• Raise service questions and difficulties with management, draft and transmit official documents and reports, and keep case records encoded, updated, classified and archived.

Qualifications

• Hold a long-cycle higher-education Master degree at the time of application; a diploma obtained outside Belgium requires an equivalence certificate, where applicable.
• Demonstrate English at CEFR C1 level, which is mandatory for the role.
• Show strong written French and good written English communication, together with advanced spoken French and English communication.
• Bring sound knowledge of Belgian and international scientific-policy consultation arrangements.
• Understand European institutions and comitology, as well as higher-education and scientific-research structures in Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.
• Be able to integrate information, meet objectives, work constructively in a team and advise stakeholders; motivation is assessed at interview.
• Preferred: Have at least three years of professional experience in scientific research.
• Preferred: Have at least two years managing European scientific-research or higher-education files and at least two years producing synthesis notes, reasoned positions and critical analysis of complex files.
• Preferred: Demonstrate Dutch at CEFR B2 level.

Skills and Competencies

• Apply knowledge of Belgian and international scientific-policy consultation systems when preparing or representing research matters.
• Use understanding of European institutions and comitology to support European-programme files and negotiation preparation.
• Navigate higher-education and scientific-research structures in Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles when assessing cases.
• Communicate research-file information clearly in written French and English.
• Use advanced spoken French and English when coordinating contributors and participating in consultation settings.
• Integrate information, draw appropriate conclusions and take responsibility for the quality of outputs.
• Work with colleagues to resolve difficulties and build stakeholder trust through informed advice.
• Manage European programmes and complex files while producing concise synthesis notes and critical analysis.

Benefits and Employment Information

• Telework of up to 50% may be agreed, with a telework allowance.
• The package includes meal vouchers.
• Holiday pay and an end-of-year allowance are listed.
• Commuting between home and the workplace is covered by free public transport.
• A bicycle allowance is available.
• Basic hospitalisation insurance is provided without charge.
• The role includes at least 27 days of leave each year.
• Support listed for employees’ children includes recreational days, a Saint Nicholas voucher, internship allowances and a school-start allowance.
• This Case and Project Manager in Scientific Research post is full-time at 38 hours on an indefinite contract, with up to 50% telework by agreement; published pay ranges from EUR 47110.51 to EUR 86444.11 gross YEAR on pay scale 100/1 at Master level, and relevant experience may be financially credited.

Application Guidance

Prepare a Focused Application

CV, Evidence, Documents, and Interview Preparation

As general preparation guidance, applicants may wish to map experience against the role’s European-programme, consultation and complex-file responsibilities before writing their materials. Examples can show how a research or higher-education file was coordinated, how several contributors were brought together, and how an analysis was converted into a concise note or reasoned position. Candidates can also prepare to discuss work involving open science, research infrastructures, knowledge security or scientific-career questions where such experience exists. This is general preparation advice, not an additional employer requirement.

For interview preparation, it may be useful to organise examples that demonstrate information integration, responsibility for quality, teamwork, conflict resolution and stakeholder advice. A candidate could be ready to explain an approach to formal correspondence, file classification, complaints or escalation, while keeping each example accurate and relevant to personal experience. Language preparation may include considering how written and spoken French and English have been used in professional settings. These suggestions are general guidance only; the selection process assesses motivation and the qualifications stated for the vacancy.

• Prepare a French CV that makes scientific-research, higher-education or European-file experience easy to identify.
• Draft a French motivation letter that addresses the role’s coordination, consultation and complex-file focus.
• Gather the required diploma and any applicable equivalence certificate before using the application portal.
• State English and Dutch levels accurately, with particular attention to the mandatory C1 English level.
• Select concise examples of synthesis notes, reasoned positions or critical analysis of complex research-related files.
• Prepare examples of working with National Contact Points, Europe cells, consultation groups or comparable project contributors where relevant.

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How to Apply

Submit Your Application Through the Verified Route

Apply Through the Official Employer Portal

Use the official employer application portal opened by the button below the instructions; its link is displayed after a ten-second timer. Prepare a French CV and motivation letter, together with the required diploma or applicable equivalence evidence, and state English and Dutch levels. Candidates whose diploma was obtained in a language other than French must provide evidence of French-language knowledge.