CMRE is looking for applicants to establish a pool of candidates for temporary positions that may arise within the Engineering and Information Technology Division (EITD) at NATO STO-CMRE, La Spezia, Italy.
Are you a national of a NATO member state, at the beginning of your professional career, with practical technical skills in engineering, electronics, information technology, systems support, data acquisition, mechanical or marine engineering, oceanographic systems, unmanned systems, laboratory support or field/at-sea technical activities? Then this may be an opportunity for you!
These temporary positions are aimed primarily at technicians, junior engineers and early-career professionals who are interested in supporting maritime research and experimentation activities in a hands-on technical environment.
In view of the nature and of the urgency of the temporary positions we are looking to fill, it is important for candidates to be available for temporary employment on short notice. In practice, this implies either being in possession of valid NATO security clearance at the time of application, or having been in possession of such a clearance with the possibility to reactivate it swiftly. We therefore only encourage applications for temporary positions if you are already, or have previously been, in possession of a valid NATO security clearance.
1. POST CONTEXT
These positions are within the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), an Organisation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
CMRE is an established, world-class scientific research and experimentation facility that organizes and conducts scientific research and technology development, centred on the maritime domain, to deliver innovative, field-tested Science & Technology solutions addressing the defence and security needs of the Alliance.
The positions are within the Engineering and Information Technology Division (EITD).
EITD consists of the Engineering Branch and the Information Technology Branch.
The Engineering Branch supports the engineering and technological requirements of the Centre’s research activities by designing, developing, integrating, testing, maintaining, repairing and calibrating electronic, oceanographic, mechanical, acoustic, unmanned and related systems, including prototypes and limited-production systems.
The Information Technology Branch supports computing, networking, data infrastructure, software applications, IT services, interoperability, security and compliance with relevant NATO policies and regulations.
Temporary staff may be assigned to support one or more EITD activities depending on operational needs, qualifications and experience.
2. PRINCIPAL DUTIES
The selected candidates may be required to perform one or more of the following duties, under the supervision of experienced staff:
Engineering Systems Support
Support assembly, integration, testing and maintenance of engineering systems;
Assist laboratory, workshop, field and shipboard equipment operation;
Troubleshoot, repair, calibrate and check technical systems;
Prepare equipment for trials, exercises, experiments and demonstrations;
Integrate sensors, payloads, cables, interfaces and acquisition equipment;
Configure, test and validate embedded or automation systems;
Prepare, maintain and test unmanned maritime systems;
Support deployment, recovery and safe marine equipment handling;
Collect, log and quality-check basic technical data;
Maintain records on configuration, testing, maintenance and use.
Information Technology and Systems Support
System administration;
Asset management;
Security Compliance;
Quality Assurance.
General Administrative Technical Support
Prepare basic documentation, equipment records, checklists and test notes;
Assist with technical reports, trial records and configuration documents;
Support inventory, procurement follow-up and experiment logistics;
Provide accurate, timely information for team coordination.
3. ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
a) Education / Experience
Higher vocational training in a relevant discipline with 1 year post-related experience.
Or
Higher secondary educational qualification with 3 years post-related experience.
Relevant disciplines may include, but are not limited to:
Electronics;
Telecommunications;
Mechanical, marine, ocean or mechatronics engineering;
Automation and control;
Robotics or unmanned systems;
Technical laboratory, workshop or field support;
IT.
b) Professional Experience
You will have practical experience in one or more of the following areas:
Technical support in a laboratory, workshop, field or shipboard environment;
Electronics, cabling, sensors, data acquisition or embedded systems;
Mechanical, electro-mechanical, marine or oceanographic systems;
Unmanned systems, acoustic systems, sonar or marine sensors;
Equipment maintenance, testing, calibration, configuration or documentation;
Asset tracking, inventory or technical administrative support;
Administration and IT process support
c) Language Requirements
A thorough knowledge of one of the two NATO official languages (written and spoken) is essential and some knowledge of the other is desirable.
English SLP 3333 (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).
NOTE: Most of the work at CMRE is conducted in English.
4. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND ADDITIONAL DUTIES
a) Flexibility Clause
The incumbent may be required to perform other related duties as directed.
All other related duties should correspond with the required competencies for the job.
b) Deployment/Travel
The incumbent may be required to undertake TDY assignments within and outside NATO boundaries.
The incumbent may be required to perform their duties onboard Centre or chartered vessels.
Depending on the assignment, candidates may be required to obtain or hold a fit-for-sea certificate in line with applicable International Maritime Organisation and International Labour Organisation requirements.
5. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Depending on the assignment, the following would be considered an advantage:
Engineering Systems Support
Experience in research, maritime, defence or multinational technical environments.
Experience supporting sea trials, experiments, demonstrations or technical exercises.
Ability to read drawings, wiring diagrams, specifications and procedures.
Experience using test equipment, tools, workbenches or calibration equipment.
Experience supporting electronic, mechanical, marine or sensor systems.
Experience with sensors, payloads, cables, interfaces or acquisition equipment.
Experience supporting testing, calibration, maintenance, configuration or deployment.
Experience supporting unmanned maritime systems and payload integration.
Experience with CAD, prototyping, manufacturing, automation or control systems.
Experience supporting data collection, logging, quality checks or documentation.
IT and Systems Support
Experience in Administration and IT process support;
Asset management;
System administration;
Cloud computing.
Education
A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent technical qualification in a relevant discipline would be an advantage, but is not mandatory where the candidate has relevant practical experience.
Languages
Knowledge of French or Italian would be an advantage.
6. COMPETENCIES
The successful candidate should possess the following competencies and personal attributes:
Delivering Results & Meeting Customer Expectations: Completes assigned tasks accurately, efficiently and within agreed deadlines. Understands customer needs and provides practical, service-oriented support.
Following Instructions & Procedures: understands and follows established instructions, rules, and procedures accurately and consistently. Seeks clarification when needed and respects organisational processes;
Working with people: works constructively with colleagues and contributes positively to team objectives;
Learning & Developing: is willing to develop new technical skills and learn from experienced staff.
Relating & Networking: Establishes good relationships with customers and colleagues; relates well to people at all levels.
All CMRE personnel are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the current NATO Code of Conduct agreed by the North Atlantic Council (NAC), and thus display the core values of integrity, impartiality, loyalty, accountability, and professionalism.
7. REMARKS
The duties are performed in an office, laboratory, workshop, field environment or onboard Centre vessels.
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What we offer:
- 37.5 hours per week schedule.
- 2.5 paid days of leave per month.
A world class research facility located in the sea port of La Spezia, Italy supported by two specialised research vessels.
An exciting place in which to work situated at an ideal location, the port of La Spezia, Italy, enabling synergy with regional and global academic institutes and industry.
Contract: in accordance with NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations, temporary staff may not be employed more than 6 months for the same assignment. However, if later required, contracts may be extended for another period up to six months.
Salary: the remuneration of temporary personnel will be specified in their contracts. It is not exempt from taxation. Temporary personnel are responsible for acquitting themselves of their responsibilities for the payment of taxes.
Benefits package: temporary staff are covered by a benefit package which consists of pension contributions by the Organisation (12% of basic salary), medical and accident benefits (death and invalidity) provided under the NATO Group insurance contract, and paid leave of 2.5 days per month worked.
Our recruitment process:
Please note that we can only accept applications from nationals of NATO member countries.
Applications (including the most relevant publications, the diplomas - stating the highest level of education - and a CV) for this vacancy are to be submitted using the E-recruitment system (NATO Taleo).
You are responsible for keeping your information up-to-date by making the appropriate changes (e.g. availability, clearance, etc.) directly in your Taleo application. Please do not re-apply if changes occur, but edit your application at any time.
When submitting your application, please note that you are applying to a candidate pool, and not for a particular assignment. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt of your application from the system. The application does not constitute a guarantee of employment.
Appointment will be subject to receipt of a security clearance (provided by the national Authorities of the selected candidate) and approval of the candidate’s medical file by the CMRE Medical Adviser.
It is a condition of employment that before a temporary staff member can be appointed, the Organization must have received a security clearance certificate (minimum NATO Secret) from the government of the country or countries of which they are nationals.
Any questions on this subject should be sent to recruitment@cmre.nato.int.
Additional information:
CMRE values diverse backgrounds and perspectives and is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and talented workforce. We welcome applications of nationals from all Member States and strongly encourage women to apply.
Selected candidates are expected to be role models of integrity, and to promote good governance through ongoing efforts in their work.
For more information on how to apply:
How to apply for posts within NATO
6 tips to apply for posts within NATO
NOTE:
NATO will not accept any phase of the recruitment and selection prepared, in whole or in part, by means of generative artificial-intelligence (AI) tools, including and without limitation to chatbots, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (Chat GPT), or other language generating tools. NATO reserves the right to screen applications to identify the use of such tools. All applications prepared, in whole or in part, by means of such generative or creative AI applications may be rejected without further consideration at NATO’s sole discretion, and NATO reserves the right to take further steps in such cases as appropriate.