Research Assistant – Enlargement Programme (Foreign Policy Unit)

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.
CEPS Foreign Policy unit’s Enlargement Programme conducts research on EU enlargement and the Eastern Neighbourhood, organises high-level policy discussions, and contributes to shaping policy developments through evidence-based research, innovative ideas, and policy recommendations.

Main tasks

• You will become a member of CEPS’ staff and work in the Enlargement Programme.

• You will conduct research activities in the field of EU enlargement and Eastern neighbourhood policies.

• You will participate in international research teams that carry out projects for the European Commission and other funding organisations.

• You will assist in the background research and writing of interim and final project reports.

• You will assist in the acquisition of new research projects.

• You will assist in the organisation of the meetings and events.

Your background and qualifications

• You are an MA graduate in international relations/European studies/political sciences or a related field.

• You have a good knowledge of EU affairs and EU enlargement.

• You are able to critically read and comment on research reports and academic publications.

• You have a proven record of writing and presentation skills.

• You are willing and able to organise and contribute to events at CEPS and its partners.

• You are willing to assist in writing funding proposals and in carrying out externally funded projects.

• You are familiar with the rules and procedures for research projects financed by the European Commission under its Horizon.

• You have an excellent command of English, both orally and in writing. Knowledge of the languages of the EU candidate countries would be an advantage.

• Knowledge of statistics and experience working with Excel would be an advantage.

Profile of the ideal candidate

• You are passionate and enthusiastic about working on EU enlargement and Eastern neighbourhood.

• You can work in a research team involving junior and senior colleagues and can organise your own workload.

• You are willing to develop insights into ongoing legislative and policy debates.

• You are eager to invest in building and maintaining a growing research network.

• You can respect deadlines and juggle multiple tasks and changing priorities.

• You possess a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.

• You are proactive, self-motivated, result-oriented, creative and enthusiastic.

• You are kind with a deep respect for diversity, and a strong sense of empathy towards colleagues.

• You enjoy teamwork and are open to giving and receiving feedback.

• You are enthusiastic to contribute not only towards the success of the Enlargement Programme and the Foreign Policy Unit, but also the whole of CEPS as an organisation.

What CEPS can offer

We offer full-time employment, initially for one year. The contract is renewable. The salary will be 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 January 2027. The role will be based in Brussels.

Career development prospects

This position will give the successful candidate the opportunity to progress on their career path and gain the valuable skills, training and experience that would potentially allow you to take on the role of Researcher and beyond. CEPS offers a Learning and Development Programme for all staff to develop the necessary skills for their position.

More information

For further information about the position, please contact Dr. Tinatin Akhvlediani, Head of EU Enlargement Programme, [email protected].

Application and deadline

Applicants are requested to:

• Complete and submit this recruitment form by 8 November 2026, 23:59 CET;

• Send their CV (in English) to [email protected] by 8 November 2026, 23:59 CET, with ‘Research Assistant – Enlargement Programme’ in the subject line. Please include a list of your publications, specifying your role in previous research projects and the names and contact details of at least two referees (including your current or last employer). Shortlisted candidates may be asked to produce one or two letters of recommendation. 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 16 November 2026. Based on these first interviews, shortlisted candidates will be invited to an in-person/online interview in the week of 23 November 2026.
CV and personal data of non-selected candidates are not shared with anyone outside CEPS and will be deleted immediately after the recruitment process. For more information, read our privacy policy available on the CEPS website.

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.