ELIXIR is currently looking for an enthusiastic and flexible International Relations Officer to join the External Relations team at the ELIXIR Hub. This role involves supporting ELIXIR’s external and international outreach efforts to key stakeholders, such as funders, policy-makers, and international collaborators. You will also be involved in EU-funded projects, including the new ELIXIR-STEERS project, and other external grants awarded to ELIXIR. Your responsibilities will include implementing ELIXIR’s International Strategy and Long-term Sustainability Plan, assessing and documenting outcomes, and ensuring ELIXIR’s visibility and sustainability as a global infrastructure. You will also support ELIXIR’s positioning with national, European, and international funders and policy-makers through consultation responses and position papers. This role offers exciting opportunities for leading new projects and requires collaboration with stakeholders of different seniority levels, ELIXIR Nodes, funding agencies, and external consultants.
Key responsibilities of the role include:
– Building relations with scientific and political stakeholders in current and future ELIXIR Member States and assessing their interests and expertise.
– Developing collaboration strategies with other research infrastructures on the ESFRI roadmap.
– Creating and implementing collaboration strategies with international research infrastructures and collaborators, such as the Australian BioCommons and the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
– Supporting the ELIXIR Director and management team in the Life Science Research Infrastructure (LS RI) Strategy Board and implementing advocacy campaigns with public affairs experts from other life science research infrastructures.
– Providing briefings and updates to the ELIXIR Director and management team on EU-level developments relevant to ELIXIR.
– Developing and implementing advocacy and public affairs campaigns for ELIXIR at the international level, considering the needs of different stakeholders, including industry.
– Leading the development of consultation responses and position papers.
– Managing ELIXIR’s Long-term Sustainability Plan, responding to requests from national funders, and initiating ideas for projects that support ELIXIR Node sustainability.
– Supporting ELIXIR’s engagement with important international organizations and bodies, such as the European Commission, ESFRI, UN agencies, the G20, and the OECD.
– Contributing regularly to the development of new funding proposals, particularly within the EU’s Horizon Europe program.
– Providing support for ELIXIR’s industry and innovation activities and impact portfolios, including facilitating collaborations between industry and ELIXIR members and collaborating with colleagues to showcase ELIXIR’s impact.
– Assisting with other activities in the External Relations team, including new and emerging areas, as needed.
Qualifications and skills required for the role:
– A university degree, preferably in international relations, life sciences, or administration.
– Experience in external relations and science policy within an international research environment and/or international organizations, or significant experience working in a cross-cultural international environment.
– Familiarity with general office IT systems such as Google Suite and Microsoft Office.
– Excellent written and spoken English with strong presentation skills.
– A motivated self-starter who can handle multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment, both independently and as part of a team.
– Strong interpersonal and communication skills, capable of working effectively with individuals from various backgrounds.
– Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
– Proficient in networking, sharing information, and building relationships.
– Willingness to work outside regular office hours for conference attendance and stakeholder meetings.
Additional qualifications and skills that would be advantageous:
– Experience supporting collaborative science projects, particularly those funded through the EU’s Horizon Europe program.
– Understanding of national or EU science policy.
– Experience or knowledge of research infrastructure environments and research funding bodies.
– Experience working in an international environment or on projects involving multiple sites.
– Knowledge of other European languages.
Why join ELIXIR:
– Contribute to meaningful work in managing and safeguarding research data in the life sciences field.
– Benefit from a range of financial incentives, including allowances for family, children, and non-residents, annual salary review, pension scheme, insurance coverage, and more.
– Enjoy flexible working arrangements.
– Access private medical insurance for yourself and your family, including prescriptions, dental, and optical coverage.
– Generous time off with 30 days of annual leave and eight bank holidays.
– Relocation package and support, including installation grant, if required.
– Campus life perks like free shuttle bus, on-site library, subsidized gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, and sports and social club activities.
– Family benefits, such as on-site nursery, child sick leave, parental leave, holiday clubs, and family and child allowances.
– Benefits for non-UK residents, including visa exemptions, education grants, financial support for traveling back to your home country, and a non-resident allowance.
Additional information:
– Contract duration: This is a 3-year contract, renewable for up to 9 years.
– International applicants: ELIXIR recruits internationally and offers visa exemptions to successful candidates.
– Diversity and inclusion: ELIXIR values inclusive and diverse teams that foster innovation and creativity, and encourages applications from women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and individuals from all nationalities.
– Job location: The role is based in Hinxton, near Cambridge, UK, and requires relocation for overseas candidates, with a generous relocation package provided.
– How to apply: Submit a cover letter and CV through the online system. Applications will be reviewed within two weeks after the closing date (December 6, 2023), and interviews will be conducted starting from the week of December 18, 2023
