Research Assistant – Green transition and sustainable societies (ERCC Unit)

Research Assistant – Green transition and sustainable societies

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. CEPS’ distinguishing features include 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 public procurement, but also from membership and conference fees.

The Energy, Resources and Climate Change (ERCC) unit is one of CEPS’ largest teams. Its main expertise includes inter alia EU and international climate policy, energy transition, resources and circular economy policy (including global value chains), raw materials policies, carbon markets, including the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), energy-intensive industries and industrial transformation, and energy security of supply and EU electricity and gas markets. The work of the ERCC unit encompasses policy and project work, as well as the organisation of multi-stakeholder events.

About the position

We are looking for a motivated early-career researcher to work on the MultiFutures project and contribute to our research on the green transition and sustainable societies.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The selected candidate will:

• Contribute to the research work of the CEPS ERCC Unit in the areas of green transition and sustainable societies as part of the MultiFutures project;

• Write studies, project reports and policy papers;

• Assist in the preparation of research proposals;

• Give presentations and represent CEPS at partner or consortium project meetings.

Your background and qualifications

Our ideal candidate:

• You have a Master’s degree in economics, ecological/environmental economics, sustainability, international relations, political science etc. and have developed interest and expertise in the areas of the green transition, sustainable societies and climate justice.

• You have advanced knowledge of at least one of the following areas: eco-social policies, raw materials, industrial decarbonisation, circular economy and climate justice.

• You have an excellent command of English, both oral and written.

• You have proved quantitative and data analysis skills.

• You have the ability to work independently but you also enjoy teamwork and are open to giving and receiving feedback.

• You have strong work ethics and a commitment to respecting colleagues and deadlines.

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

• You are enthusiastic to contribute not only towards the success of the ERCC unit but also the whole of CEPS as an organisation.

What CEPS offers

We initially offer full-time employment for 12 months, which is renewable subject to performance and available resources. The salary will be in accordance with 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 start no later than early January 2027. The job will be based in Brussels.

Career development prospects

The appointment will be at the Research Assistant level. This position will give the successful candidate the opportunity to progress along their career path and gain valuable skills, training and experience, with the potential to advance to the Researcher level, based on performance. CEPS offers a Learning and Development Programme for all staff to help them develop the necessary skills for their position.

More information

Further questions/enquiries regarding the position can be e-mailed to [email protected].

Application and deadline

Applications are requested to:

i) Complete and submit this recruitment form by 8 November, 23:59 CET;

ii) Send their CV in PDF format (see below) to [email protected] by 8 November 2026, 23:59 CET. Please include the names and contact details of at least two referees (including your current or last employer);

iii) Send two written examples of work in the fields relevant to this post. Examples include: i) a policy or project report, ii) a research study, iii) a position or policy analysis paper (if you previously worked in an NGO, consultancy or industry environment), iv) an academic article, v) a selected chapter (no more than 7 pages) of your thesis. In all cases if the paper has more than one author, please specify in the letter of motivation your contribution to the paper.

The CV and the two written examples of work should be in English and integrated into one pdf document. For the CV, preferably use the Europass template (https://europa.eu/europass/en). The pdf document should be e-mailed to [email protected] by 8 November 2026, 23:59 CET.

Please specify “Research Assistant – Green transition and sustainable societies” in the subject line of your email. 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 will be invited to an interview in late November/early December.

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 would allow you to fulfil the tasks required, we would highly recommend that you still 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.