Senior Scientist

NATO offers you more than a job. It gives you a mission: building peace and security for one billion people in Europe and North America. The NATO Communications & Information Agency is leading NATO’s Digital Endeavour. We are NATO’s technology and cyber leaders, helping NATO Nations to communicate and work together in smarter ways. Our work is challenging and meaningful, and you will develop and apply your expertise as part of a dynamic international team of civilian and military professionals. Come and be part of the most successful alliance in history.

This is a position within the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA), an organization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The NCIA has been established with a view to meeting to the best advantage the collective requirements of some or all NATO nations in the fields of capability delivery and service provision related to Consultation, Command & Control as well as Communications, Information, and Cyber Defense functions, thereby also facilitating the integration of Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, Target Acquisition functions, and their associated information exchange.

We are looking for a talented Senior Scientist with experience in systems analysis, design, and development, including enterprise and system-level architecture definition, requirements management, interoperability profiling, and prototyping in support of acquisition of software-intensive C2 systems or other complex distributed systems. If you have the relevant experience in the areas below and you enjoy working in a multicultural environment, this post is ideal for you!
 
The Command and Control (C2) Service Line is accountable for planning and executing all lifecycle management activities (design, transition, and operations) for C2 services (including subject matter expertise, research and development, software engineering, acquisition, operations and maintenance) in the assigned C3 community of interest (COI) technical service areas.

Role Responsibilities

Under the direction of the C2 Service Line Chief, you will perform duties such as the following:

• Contribute to the design effort of the C2 Service Line, including requirements management, development, acquisition, Operations, and Maintenance of products and services;
• Integrate concepts, architectures, and specifications that span multiple technical and military domains in terms of business processes, concept alignment, design, and implementation;
• Serve as recognized expert and advisor to co-workers, project teams, Nations, industry, and academia, on technical project matters;
• Provide professional and technical systems engineering contributions, and leadership, in the conception, development, and coordination, related to C2 solution development within assigned responsibilities;
• Lead, or participate in, C2 system analysis, design, prototyping and/or evaluation;
• Contribute to the preparation of statements of work and price proposals for new projects;
  Represent the Agency in assigned NATO committees, steering groups or boards, as required;
• Deputize for higher grade staff (if applicable, Services Group Managers or the SL Chief);
• Perform other duties as may be required.

Person Specification

Qualifications Required
A Master of Science  (MSc) degree at a nationally recognized/certified University in a related subject (such as Computer Sciences), and 5 years post-related experience or Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree at a nationally recognized/certified University in a related subject and 7 years post-related experience. Exceptionally, the lack of university/college degree may be compensated by the demonstration of a candidate's particular abilities or experience that is/are of interest to NCI Agency; that is, at least 12 years of extensive and progressive expertise in the duties related to the function of the post.

Experience Required
At least 5 years’ experience in systems analysis, design, and development, including enterprise and system-level architecture definition, requirements management, interoperability profiling, and prototyping in support of acquisition of software-intensive C2 systems or other complex distributed systems.

You should also have practical experience in 3 or more of the following areas:

• Experience (at least three years) as a team leader in complex system analysis, design, prototyping, and evaluation environment, preferably in an area of military or civilian C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, and Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance);
• Experience in the use of architecture frameworks (such as TOGAF, NAF, D/MODAF or other) and supporting modeling languages (such as ArchiMate, UML, UAF);
• Experience in data modeling and interoperability concepts and approaches, and use of data modeling tools and techniques to address interoperability challenges;
• Understanding of the Software Development Lifecycle and use of automation tools for implementing continuous integration/deployment pipelines, including experience with application software interoperability implementation, validation, verification, and accreditation;
• Knowledge and experience of state-of-the-art technologies, relevant to the work, including distributed information interoperability, transformations, exchange patterns and application of related open commercial/industrial standards, such as XML, JSON, and semantic technologies;
• Proven ability to communicate effectively orally, using tact and diplomacy, and in writing with good briefing skills

The following will be considered as an advantage:

• Domain knowledge in one or more of the communities of interest in C2 Service Line’s area of work;
• Understanding of military (functional) business processes and experience in working with military operational personnel;
• Analytical capability and knowledge of concepts and technologies in areas such as systems analysis, data fusion, C2 decision-making, data processing, data warehousing, data analytics, and machine-learning;
• Knowledge and experience in defining, managing and using Metadata concepts for and knowledge of the related standards, preferably from NATO;
• Knowledge of DevOps and associated technologies, processes, and tools, and experience of working in Agile development /Scrum environments;
• Familiarity and experience of Project Management and IT Service Management methodologies, such as Prince2 and ITIL, and experience providing Project Management support, such as a Work Package Leader, responsible for building and leading the team, planning activities to successfully deliver on time, in scope, and within budget; and actively managing and reporting on risks, issues, etc.;
• Prior experience of working in an international environment comprising both military and civilian elements;
• Knowledge of NATO responsibilities and organization, including ACO and ACT.

Competencies or Personal Attributes
Relating and Networking - Easily establishes good relationships with customers and staff; relates well to people at all levels; builds wide and effective networks of contacts; uses humor appropriately to bring warmth to relationships with others.
Applying Expertise and Technology - Applies specialist and detailed technical expertise; uses technology to achieve work objectives; develops job knowledge and expertise (theoretical and practical) through continual professional development; demonstrates an understanding of different organizational departments and functions.
Planning and Organising - Sets clearly defined objectives; plans activities and projects well in advance and takes account of possible changing circumstances; identifies and organizes resources needed to accomplish tasks; manages time effectively; monitors performance against deadlines and milestones.
Presenting and Communicating Information - Speaks fluently; expresses opinions, information and key points of an argument clearly; makes presentations and undertakes public speaking with skill and confidence; response quickly to the needs of an audience and their reactions and feedback; projects credibility.
Writing and Reporting - Writes convincingly; writes clearly, succinctly and correctly; avoids the unnecessary use of jargon or complicated language; writes in a well-structured and logical way; structures information to meet the needs and understanding of the intended audience.
Delivering Results and Meeting Customer Expectations - Focuses on customer needs and satisfaction; sets high standards for quality and quantity; monitors and maintains quality and productivity; works in a systematic, methodical and orderly way; consistently achieves project goals.

Travel
Business travel to NATO and national (NATO and non-NATO) facilities as well as frequent travel between the NCIA offices. You may be required to undertake duty travel to operational theatres inside and outside NATO boundaries.

Contract

NCI Agency normally offers contracts of employment of a definite duration, not exceeding three years. Contracts may be for less than three years as required to support short-term projects, meet uncertainty concerning the business outlook, staff performance, and other factors.

Definite duration contracts may be extended for further periods. When extending contracts, the following is taken into consideration:

• Renewal is in the interest of the Agency;
• Staff member's desire to remain with the Agency;
• The financial situation provides sufficient funding for the post held;
• The skills, competencies and behaviors, potential and work experience of the staff, versus the requirements of the Agency's work and/or availability of funding;
• Staff member has served the Agency with performance to the required standard as defined by the Agency;
• Staff member's deployability to operational theatre.

Serving civilian members of NATO will be offered a contract in accordance with the NATO Civilian Personnel Regulations.

The first six months of definite duration contracts are a probationary period. During this period the staff member's work is assessed to ensure that he/she can carry out the duties of the post. At or before the end of the probationary period, the staff member will be notified in writing that the appointment is confirmed or terminated or, in exceptional cases, that the probationary period is extended.

What do we offer?

• Excellent tax-free salary, including (where eligible) expatriation household and children's allowances and additional privileges for expatriate staff.
• Education allowance for children (where appropriate) and an excellent private health insurance scheme.
• Generous annual leave and home leave (if eligible).
• Retirement Pension Plan.

To learn more about NCI Agency and our work, please visit our website.

Please note that due to the Agency’s transition into a new structure soon, this post may be subject to transfer to one of our other locations, as well as to a change of reporting lines. The final decision will be made at the time of a firm offer.

 
The Agency’s recruitment team advises you that due to the large volume of applications it receives the screening process may take up to 2 months after closing date.

We appreciate your patience.