EASA Seconded National Experts Call 2025

Job Overview

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is launching a call for qualified candidates, who are interested in a fixed-term agreement on secondment as Seconded National Experts (SNEs). SNEs enable the Agency to benefit from their high level of professional knowledge and experience, in particular in areas where such expertise is not available and gives the opportunity to all parties to benefit from the exchange of expertise and to develop effective working relationships.

SNEs shall be seconded at the EASA Headquarters located in Cologne, Germany.

Agency Overview

EA - Executive Affairs 
The Executive Affairs (EA) function at EASA provides comprehensive direction and coordination across the Agency, ensuring effective strategy implementation, stakeholder engagement, and operational management. It also oversees the domains of:
•    Executive Governance and Policy, Institutional Relations, Military Strategy
•    Quality, Business Planning and Execution
•    Communications and Safety Promotion
•    Digital Transformation and Technologies

CT - Certification Directorate

The Certification Directorate is responsible for type certification, approval of design organisations, initial airworthiness (rulemaking) and continuing airworthiness (design). It issues approvals for organisations and certificates for aircraft & equipment. The Directorate oversees the following organisational domains:
•    Large Aeroplanes Department
•    General Aviation and Rotorcraft Department
•    Design Organisation and ETSO Department
•    Environment and Propulsion Systems Department
•    Policy, Innovation and Knowledge Department
•    Innovative Air Mobility Department

FS - Flight Standards Directorate

The Flight Standards Directorate is responsible for ensuring the safety of civil aviation by developing regulatory material and overseeing the implementation of safety regulations and standards for Air Operations, Aircrew, and Air Traffic Management (ATM). The Directorate oversees the following organisational domains:
•    Cybersecurity in Aviation and Conflict Zones Section
•    Maintenance and Production Department
•    Air Operations and Aerodromes Department
•    Aircrew and Medical Department
•    Air Traffic and Airspace Management Department

RS - Resource and Support Directorate

The Resource and Support Directorate (RS) provides essential support to the Agency’s operational functions. It manages Human Resources (HR), legal & procurement, business services, and financial operations. Additionally, it oversees infrastructure, logistics, stakeholder and partner relations, contributing to the Agency's overall operational effectiveness comprising of the following organisational domains: 
•    Human Resources Department
•    Legal and Procurement Department
•    Business Services Department
•    Finance Department

SM - Safety Management, Sustainability and Global Outreach Directorate
The Safety Management, Sustainability and Global Outreach Directorate is responsible for shaping and implementing strategic safety initiatives across European and global aviation. It coordinates major activities like sustainable aviation, artificial intelligence, and safety data management, while ensuring continuous safety risk management through data-driven analysis and performance monitoring. The Directorate oversees the following organisational domains:
•    Safety Intelligence and Performance 
•    Strategy and Better Regulation Department
•    International Cooperation Department
•    Sustainability, Research and Innovation Department

Behavioural Competences

Eligibility

For the secondment, in accordance with ED Decision 2009/169/E, you must meet the following criteria:

1. Except where the Executive Director of EASA grants derogation, be a national of an EU or EFTA Member State (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland) or a country the Council has decided to open accession negotiations with.
2. Provide evidence of a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the European Union and a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the European Union to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties. [1] 
3. Have at least three years of experience in administrative, legal, scientific, technical, advisory or supervisory functions which can be regarded as equivalent to those of function groups Administrator (AD) or Assistant (AST) – this latter function group being taken into consideration only for highly specialised job profiles – as defined in the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union.
4. Must have worked for their employer on a permanent or contract basis for at least 12 months before the secondment and shall remain in the service of that employer throughout the period of secondment. 
5. Be employed by a national, regional or local public administration or a public intergovernmental organisation IGO. [2] 

Notwithstanding paragraph 5, the Executive Director of EASA may, on a case-by-case basis, authorise the secondment of an SNE from an employer other than a State public administration or an IGO, if the interest of EASA warrant bringing in specific expertise as a temporary measure, according to the conditions laid down in Article 1.2 of the ED Decision 2009/169/E. 

The SNE's employer will undertake to continue to pay their salary, to maintain their administrative status throughout the period of secondment and to inform the Agency of any change in the SNE's situation in this regard. The SNE's employer will also continue to be responsible for all their social rights, particularly social security and pension.

Before the period of secondment begins, the national public administration or IGO from which the SNE is to be seconded will certify that they will remain, throughout the period of secondment, subject to the social security legislation applicable to the public administration that employs them and is responsible for expenses incurred abroad.

[1] An SNE from a non-member country must produce evidence of a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the European Union necessary for the performance of the duties.

[2] Public administration means all State administrative services at central, federal and regional level, comprising ministries, government and parliament services, the courts, central banks, and the administrative services of local authorities, as well as the decentralised administrative services of the State and of such authorities.

Secondment Conditions

The duties and rights of an SNE are governed by the ED Decision 2009/169/E laying down rules on the secondment to the Agency of national experts.

Unless otherwise provided in the exchange of letters between the Agency and the competent authorities, the SNE will be entitled, throughout the period of secondment, to a daily subsistence allowance of EUR 173.30.

Where the distance between the place of origin and the place of secondment is more than 150 km, the SNE may receive an additional monthly subsistence allowance to be determined. SNEs may be entitled to reimbursement of the cost of their travel between their place of origin and the place of secondment at the beginning and end of their secondment.

These allowances are intended to cover SNEs' living expenses in the place of secondment on a flat-rate basis and shall in no circumstances be construed as remuneration paid by the Agency. SNEs may work in any field where their services are deemed necessary provided there is no conflict with the Agency’s interests. SNEs will carry out their duties and act in compliance with the Authority’s interest.