About this job

ESA is looking for a Legal Officer.

Description
Legal Officer in the Institutional Law Division, Legal Services Department, Directorate of Industry, Procurement and Legal Services. As Legal Officer, you will report to the Head of the Institutional Law Division.

The European Space Agency is an international organisation and the European gateway to space. Together with its Member States, the Agency pushes the boundaries of discovery and exploration and provides space applications for the benefit of citizens on Earth.

ESA’s Legal Services Department provides a broad range of legal services and advice to support the implementation of ESA’s activities and programmes. Our expertise spans across variety of legal disciplines including, but not limited to, public international law, European law, national law of ESA’s Member States, law of international civil servants, litigation and arbitration, intellectual property law and export control regulations.

You will be part of a team of highly motivated and skilled lawyers in an inspirational, interdisciplinary and multi-cultural environment.

Responsibilities

You will have the following responsibilities:

• Drafting and preparation of legal instruments and working documents necessary for the conduct of the Agency’s activities and programmes;
• Provide legal advice on the formulation and application of the Agency’s regulations and rules, as well as implementation of such rules, regulations and policies in the Agency’s day-to-day actions;
• Prepare international agreements and participate in their negotiation;
• Participate in the representation of the Agency’s position in legal disputes, whether before the Agency’s Appeals Board or in the arbitration proceedings;
• Conduct legal analysis and prepare memoranda and briefings regarding developments in public international law and national laws of the jurisdictions in which the Agency operates;
• Analysis of legal documentation and carrying out actions on the relevant legal and regulatory environment in which the Agency conducts its activities;
• Provide legal assistance and advice by closely interacting with the Agency’s decision makers ;
• Attend and provide legal support to internal committees and boards of the Agency, as relevant to the above functions.

Profile

Technical competencies
Knowledge of the procurement environment in which an international organisation operates
Knowledge of the ESA institutional framework, policies and programmes
Knowledge of the ESA institutional framework, and of the European and international space sector (institutional, commercial and/or industrial)
Expertise in analysis, drafting and presentation of complex contracts and/or of international public law instruments
Negotiation skills

Additional requirements
You should demonstrate the ability to:

• Engage with senior stakeholders
  Recognise the needs of clients based on the context of cooperation and address them accordingly;
• Work collaboratively as part of an international team of lawyers in a professional, open-minded and team-spirited manner;
• Identify priorities and critical activities and manage work flow appropriately;
• Understand different legal systems and provide relevant legal advice;
• Master English at a professional level and work effectively in different languages (beyond your mother language);
• You should have several years of professional experience within public administration, at an international organisation, specialised law firm or in private industry.

Publications on international law or on the law of one or more of ESA’s Member States are an asset.

Education
A Master’s degree in law is required.

Advanced studies in public international law and/or national law.

Qualification for admission to the bar is an asset.

For a complete job description and to apply, click on “apply”.

The closing date for applications is 1 January 2021.

If you require support with your application due to a disability, please email contact.human.resources@esa.int.

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Please note that applications are only considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Canada, Latvia and Slovenia.

We offer

The European Space Agency (ESA) is an equal opportunities employer that offers competitive salaries exempt from national income tax and excellent employment conditions, such as allowances for expatriates and relocation support.
For more information: http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA

About us

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. ESA is an international organisation with 22 Member States. By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, it can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country.
Learn more: http://www.esa.int/