About us

Founded in Brussels in 1983, CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) is a leading think tank and forum for debate on EU affairs, which has been consistently ranked among the world’s top 10 best think tanks. One of CEPS’ distinguishing features is its strong in-house research capacity and an extensive international network of partner institutes. CEPS’ funding comes from a variety of sources, mainly research grants and service contracts, but also from membership and conference fees.

Within CEPS, the HAGRID team (Health, Agriculture, Governance, Research, Innovation and Development) has grown by over 500% in the past three years in terms of staff and turnover and is looking to expand further by recruiting new professionals with complementary expertise in view of a new phase of growth.

Main tasks

You will become a member of CEPS’ staff and work in the HAGRID team (Health, Agriculture, Research, Innovation and Development) and in close cooperation with researchers working on science, technology, innovation and health policy.
The successful candidate will also work closely and coordinate with the central CEPS Publications, Communications and Outreach (PCO) unit.

Community building and stakeholder engagement

You will build, grow and maintain an active community of policymakers, researchers, healthcare practitioners, patient advocates, industry leaders and other stakeholders engaged in global health and health innovation policy.
You will contribute to positioning CEPS ’ HELIX initiative (helix.ceps.eu) as a leading platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and thought leadership.
You will foster interaction within the health policy and R&D community by developing innovative engagement initiatives, online discussions, HELIX-specific newsletters and events, while expanding CEPS’ network of contributors and followers.
You will contribute to the organisation and promotion of workshops, roundtables and events, supporting the HAGRID project management and research team, and in close coordination with the CEPS PCO unit.

Development of the HELIX platform and related HELIX channels

You will lead efforts to revamp and continuously improve the HELIX website, enhancing its content, visual appeal, user experience and overall impact.
You will identify new content formats, contributors and digital features that enhance HELIX’s user experience and strengthen community engagement.
You will translate complex research and policy analysis into engaging and accessible content for policymakers, researchers, industry stakeholders and the wider public on science, technology and health policy, in the HAGRID team.
You will work closely with researchers and external partners to ensure the platform remains dynamic, timely and relevant.
You will coordinate the publication and promotion of content on the HELIX platform, working closely with researchers and external contributors.

Digital outreach and strategic project communication

You will manage and expand the visibility of CEPS-HAGRID’s HELIX activities through the HELIX website and dedicated HELIX social media channels or newsletters that amplify HELIX content.
You will design and implement communication campaigns in close collaboration with the PCO unit to increase the visibility and impact of the CEPS R&D Perspectives series.
You will launch, develop and manage a dedicated HELIX Substack and LinkedIn channel on science, technology, innovation and health policy, building a community of subscribers and readers around CEPS-HAGRID expertise.
You will create digital content, including articles, social media posts, newsletters, and edit videos, podcasts and other multimedia formats on science, technology and health policy, in the HAGRID team.
You will monitor website and social media analytics of CEPS HELIX and related channels and recommend improvements based on audience engagement and performance metrics.

Your background and qualifications

You hold a master’s degree in communications, journalism, public policy, political science, European studies, science communication, or a related field.
You have ideally between one and two years of relevant professional experience in digital communications, media, public affairs, policy communications or a related area.
You have a strong interest or prior experience in the fields of science, technology, innovation and health policy.
You have excellent writing and editing skills and can communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively to different audiences.
You have experience building and engaging communities through events, roundtables, networking activities, and other stakeholder engagement initiatives, and a good understanding of relationshipbuilding and outreach strategies.
You have experience managing social media platforms and developing engaging digital content and infographics and are proficient with design and layout tools such as Canva.
You have experience with website content management systems and a good understanding of digital communication tools and analytics.
Experience with newsletter platforms, Substack, podcasting, video editing, graphic design or multimedia storytelling would be considered an asset.
You have a near-native command of English, both orally and in writing. Knowledge of other European languages would be an asset.
You have experience creating and editing multimedia content, including podcasts and videos, and a good understanding of content production and storytelling techniques.

Profile of the ideal candidate

You are passionate about communicating ideas and research to broad audiences.
You are creative, curious and eager to experiment with new communication formats and platforms.
You can combine strategic thinking with hands-on implementation.
You can work effectively with both junior and senior colleagues and organise your own workload.
You can manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
You possess a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
You are proactive, self-motivated, result-oriented and entrepreneurial.
You are comfortable interacting with researchers, policymakers, journalists and external stakeholders.
You enjoy teamwork and are open to giving and receiving feedback.
You are enthusiastic about contributing to the success of the CEPS HAGRID team and strengthening its visibility and impact in European policy debates.

What CEPS offers

We offer full-time employment, initially for one year. The contract is renewable. The salary is in accordance with your previous experience as well as the CEPS salary scale. We also offer a benefits package (group and hospitalisation insurance, meal tickets, public transport reimbursement, 20 days legal holiday entitlement per year plus an additional two weeks during the Christmas-New Year period when CEPS is closed, as well as the possibility to telework in Belgium and 20 days per calendar year of teleworking from abroad). We would like the preferred candidate to ideally start in November 2026 at the very latest. The role will be based in Brussels.

In addition, this position offers the opportunity to contribute to policy debates at the forefront of science, technology, innovation and health policy in Europe; a stimulating international environment in one of Europe ’ s leading think tanks; direct interaction with leading policymakers, researchers, industry representatives and stakeholders; and opportunities for professional growth and development.

Career development prospects

This position offers an excellent opportunity for an early-career professional to develop expertise at the intersection of digital communications, public engagement and European policy. The successful candidate will gain hands-on experience working with leading researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and other stakeholders across Europe, while helping shape the visibility and impact of CEPS’ work on science, technology, innovation and health policy.

CEPS offers a Learning and Development Programme (including training through our new CEPS Academy) for all staff and encourages professional growth in areas such as strategic communications, digital engagement, content creation, stakeholder outreach and project management. Over time, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to take on increasing responsibility for communication strategy, digital innovation and audience development across CEPS activities.

More information

For further information about the position, please contact Leonie Kunze, Research Manager, [email protected]

Application and deadline

Applicants are requested to:

Complete and submit this recruitment form by 4 October 2026, 23:59 CET;
Send their CV (in English) to [email protected] by 4 October 2026, 23:59 CET, with ’ Community & Digital Engagement Officer -HAGRID ’ in the subject line. Please include the names and contact details of at least two referees (including your current or last employer). For the CV, please use the Europass template (<https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/>).

Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as applications will be assessed on a rolling basis.

Applications received after the deadline, incomplete applications, or applications that do not follow the above instructions will not be taken into consideration.

Pre-selected candidates are invited to a short online interview in the week of 19 October 2026. Based on these first interviews, shortlisted candidates will be invited to a longer online interview in the week of 26 October 2026.

Even if you do not strictly have all the necessary competences for this role but you believe your experience and skills could be valuable and enable you to fulfil the tasks required, we would still highly recommend that you submit an application.

CEPS is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all staff. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds.