Post: EMSA/AD/2013/05 - Project Officer for CleanSeaNet Operations
Directorate/Unit: Unit C.3 – Satellite-Based Monitoring Services
Type of post: Temporary agent post
Grade: AD5
Location: Lisbon
Closing date for applications: 6 May 2013

The selection of candidates will follow the EMSA Staff Recruitment Procedure. Candidates must apply for this post via the EMSA website http://www.emsa.europa.eu - vacancies. Please note that to make an EMSA on-line application you will need to create your EMSA profile using a valid e-mail address and a password.

1. Background

The European Maritime Safety Agency was established for the purpose of ensuring a high, uniform and effective level of maritime safety, maritime security as well as prevention of and response to pollution by ships within the EU.

The idea of a European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) originated in the late 1990s along with a number of other important European maritime safety initiatives. EMSA was set up as the regulatory agency that would provide a major source of support to the Commission and the Member States in the field of maritime safety and prevention of pollution from ships.

The European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 provides the legal basis for the establishment of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

2. Tasks of the agency

The Agency’s tasks are broadly divided into four key areas in line with its founding regulation and relevant EU legislation. Firstly, the Agency assists the Commission in monitoring the implementation of EU legislation relating, among others, to ship survey and certification, certification of marine equipment, ship security, the training of seafarers and Port State Control.

Secondly, the Agency develops and operates maritime information capabilities at EU level. Significant examples are the SafeSeaNet vessel tracking system, to enable the EU-wide tracking of vessels and their cargoes, and incidents on board; and the EU LRIT Data Centre, to ensure the identification and tracking of EU flagged ships worldwide.

In parallel, a marine pollution preparedness, detection and response capability, which includes a European Network of Stand-by Oil Spill Response Vessels as well as a European satellite oil spill monitoring and vessel detection service (CleanSeaNet), contributes to an effective system for protecting EU coasts and waters from pollution by ships.

Finally, the Agency provides technical and scientific advice to the Commission in the field of maritime safety and prevention of pollution by ships in the continuous process of evaluating the effectiveness of the measures in place, and in the updating and development of new legislation. It also provides support to, and facilitates co-operation between, the Member States and disseminates best practices.

As a body of the European Union, the Agency sits at the heart of the EU maritime safety network and collaborates with many industry stakeholders and public bodies, in close cooperation with the Commission and the Member States.

3. Unit C.3 – Satellite-Based Monitoring Services

This unit has two main activities, namely:

  • Managing the current requirements and potential developments of the maritime information services provided through the Agency to a range of (institutional) users;
  • Managing the sourcing and day-to-day operations of the Earth Observation data contribution from satellites and remotely piloted aircraft systems to the Agency's maritime information outlook.

C.3.1 INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES 

C.3.1 is responsible for the business management of the current range of maritime information services provided to different user communities. The ongoing development of the services is triggered through liaising with stakeholders, collecting and translating their business/data requirements into functional specifications. Users include EFCA, EUNAVFOR-Atalanta, EUNAVFOR-Sophia, Frontex, MAOC-N and the SafeMed and Tracea Cooperation Programmes.

C.3.2 EARTH OBSERVATION SERVICES

C.3.2 is responsible for the general sourcing and day-to-day provision of the extensive portfolio of satellite based earth observation data, as derived from Synthetic Aperture Radar and optical satellites, to support the operational requirements of multiple maritime user communities. This section manages CleanSeaNet, the European oil spill detection and monitoring service, as well as the implementation of Copernicus Maritime Surveillance Services as delegated by the Commission to the Agency.

C.3.3 RPAS SERVICES

C.3.3 is responsible for the general sourcing and day-to-day provision of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System based data, as derived from imagery and streamed video, to support the operational requirements of multiple maritime user communities. This is a new technical domain and will start with support for oil spill detection and monitoring (CleanSeaNet), ship source emission surveillance (SOx detection) as well as vessel detection. RPAS operational support to other services is under development and will be delivered as of 2017.

4. Functions and duties

The Project Officer for CleanSeaNet will be attached to Section C.3.2 ' Earth Observation Services'. Reporting to the Head of Unit, the successful candidate is responsible for:

  • Supporting acquisition planning and ordering activities for the operational CleanSeaNet service: long term ordering plan and short term adjustments, in close co-operation with the satellite image provider(s) and EU Member States using the service;
  • Coordinating the H24/ICT Operational support for CleanSeaNet: incident review meetings; evaluation and improvement of the CleanSeaNet automatic monitoring tool;
  • Supporting Quality Assurance activities for the CleanSeaNet earth observation service;
  • Managing service operations with service providers and satellite owners: checking service delivery in terms of Near Real Time performance and content;
  • Project management and contact with contractors, ensuring the monitoring of the outsourced design, development, test and maintenance activities;
  • Managing incidents and problems linked with the CleanSeaNet data centre or products delivered by CleanSeaNet service providers;
    Assist on further development of the EMSA satellite service: functional testing of new releases; implementation of new EOP products.
  • On request, supporting the satellite service users with operational opinions concerning indicated CleanSeaNet detections;
  • Performing statistical analysis, contributing to the annual report and statistics regarding the EMSA services;
  • Preparing various reports, studies, presentations, and documents in support of above mentioned activities;
  • Maintaining relations with the users and Regional Agreements for the efficient use of the CleanSeaNet service;
  • Assist the Unit where required.

5. Eligibility and Selection Criteria

A. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Qualifications and experience required:

A.1 Education: 

  • A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more, or;
  • A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least one year when the normal period of university education is at least three years.

A.2 language skills:

The main working language in the field of maritime safety is English. Candidates must therefore have a very good command of oral English as well as in writing with a satisfactory knowledge of at least one other official language of the European Union to the extent necessary for the performance of the above mentioned duties.

B. SELECTION CRITERIA

B.1. Essential:

  • At least two years of relevant professional experience;
  • Experience in operational maritime surveillance systems;
  • Experience and knowledge on using radar and optical satellite imagery for monitoring and surveillance purposes, interpretation and analysis;
  • Knowledge of SAR-technology, earth observation satellites.
  • Good knowledge of GIS-software applications;
  • Experience in working in emergency situations;
  • Good knowledge of Microsoft software, internet, email, etc.;
  • Good sense of initiative and responsibility;
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds;
  • Experience with project management and the implementation of IT projects;
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to draft clear and concise reports.

B.2. Advantageous:

  • Knowledge of satellite planning mechanisms for surveillance purposes;
  • Knowledge of ship source pollution regulations and of operational chain for enforcement within European Member States;
  • Knowledge of remote sensing techniques for oil spill detection, of image processing and interpretation;
  • Knowledge of different international cooperation structures between Member States in EU (Regional Agreements for example) and some experience in their working practices;
  • Ability to work under pressure and to respond quickly to new demands.

The advantageous criteria will be considered by the Selection Board depending on the number of applicants meeting the essential criteria.

Applicants must meet the required eligibility criteria concerning the required educational qualifications and years of experience, as well as the essential criteria by the deadline for this call for applications. 

6. General conditions

In order to be eligible the candidate must:

  • Be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union or of Iceland or Norway;
  • Be entitled to your full rights as a citizen;
  • Have fulfilled the obligations imposed on you by the laws concerning military service;
  • Meet the character requirements for the duties involved and
  • Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post.

7. Conditions of employment

The Project Officer for CleanSeaNet Operations will be appointed by the Executive Director, upon recommendation of the Chairman of the Selection Board.

This vacancy notice concerns a Temporary Agent position, pursuant to Article 2 a) of the Conditions of Employment of other servants of the European Communities.

The initial duration of the contract is three years, with possibility of renewal. 

The successful candidate will be recruited in the grade AD 5. 

The basic monthly salary, before any deductions or allowances, weighted for Lisbon, at 1 July 2010 for grade AD 5 first step is 3697.15 EUR.  

In addition to the basic salary, staff members may be entitled to various allowances, such as an expatriation allowance (16% of basic salary), household allowance, dependent child allowance and education allowance. The salary is subject to a Community tax deducted at source and staff members are exempt of national taxation.

Please note that recruitment is done in the first or second step of the indicated grade, depending on the duration of the acquired professional experience. EMSA offers a comprehensive welfare package including pension scheme, medical, accident and occupational disease insurance coverage, unemployment and invalidity allowance. Further information regarding rights and conditions of employment can be found in the following document:

 http://ec.europa.eu/civil_service/docs/toc100_en.pdf;

Please note that EMSA is likely to have a provision in the near future that will mean that recruited candidates shall be required to demonstrate before their first promotion the ability to work in a third European Community language.

The place of employment is Lisbon, Portugal.

Candidates are advised that if they are offered a post, and accept, they must undergo a compulsory medical examination to establish that they meet the standard of physical fitness necessary to perform the duties involved.

8. Submission of applications

Candidates must submit their application electronically solely via the EMSA website within the deadline. Applications by any other means (hard copy or ordinary e-mail) or submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.

All candidates will receive an acknowledgement of receipt for their application.

EMSA is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all candidates who fulfil the eligibility and selection criteria without any distinction whatsoever on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age, marital status or other family situation or sexual orientation.

You may apply in any of the official languages of the European Community, but it would be helpful to apply in English in order to facilitate the selection process. However you are requested to state your educational qualifications and positions held in the language of origin.

9. The selection process

For each selection process a Selection Board is nominated. The selection is carried out in two phases:

1. In the first phase all eligible applications will be evaluated by the Selection Board and scored against the selection criteria. Please note that non-compliance with at least one of the essential selection criteria will result in the exclusion of the candidate from the selection process. Advantageous criteria constitute additional assets and will not result in exclusion, if not fulfilled. The advantageous criteria will be considered by the Selection Board depending on the number of applicants meeting the essential selection criteria.

On this basis, the Selection Board will invite to the interview and to the test phase the best qualified candidates (maximum of 15), on condition that they have achieved at least 60% of the highest possible score during the evaluation of applications. Should the case arise that there are various candidates scoring the same number of points in the 15th ranking, the number of candidates to be invited will be increased accordingly to accomodate this. 

2. In the second phase, the selected candidates will be invited to pass one or several written tests related to the job profile and to take part in a selection interview.

During this recruitment phase, the selected candidates will be evaluated by the Selection Board. After the interviews and tests, the Selection Board will draw up a list of the most suitable candidates to be proposed to the Appointing Authority. Only candidates receiving at least 70% of the maximum points at interview and at the test phase will be included in the list of the most suitable candidates. The Appointing Authority will select the successful candidate and decide whether to also adopt a reserve list. The successful candidates will be informed accordingly.

All candidates will receive an information letter of the outcome of their application.

Please note that a binding commitment can only be made after verification of all conditions and will take the form of a contract signed by the Executive Director.

The reserve list will remain valid for a period of 1 year following its establishment. Therefore candidates whose name will be put on a reserve list could be offered a contract during this period of time. Please note however that inclusion in the reserve list does not guarantee recruitment.

Please note that the selection process may take several months to be completed and that no information will be released during this period. Once a selection process has been completed, its status will be displayed in the e-recruitment.

Please note that once you have created your EMSA profile, any correspondence regarding your application must be sent or received via your EMSA profile.

For any prior enquiry, please refer to the FAQ (Frequently asked questions) section, or send an e-mail to mail_recruitment@emsa.europa.eu

Requests for information and appeal:

An applicant who would like further information, or considers that he/she has grounds for complaint concerning a particular decision may, at any point in the selection procedure, request further information from the Chairperson of the Selection Board.
For information on how to lodge a complaint and/or an appeal procedure, please consult the ‘General Information for Recruitment’ overview on our website for more information:
http://www.emsa.europa.eu/recruitment-info.html