Senior Security Officer

• Reference: SatCen/2026/004
• Unit: Directorate
• Contract: Permanent

The SatCen is seeking suitable candidates to establish a reserve list for the position of Senior Security Officer. The Senior Security Officer will be responsible, amongst others, for the following duties:

[job description]:

• Assist and advise the Head of Security (Deputy Director) and his Deputy Head of Security, the Head of IT Division, in the continuous review, update and implementation of SatCen’s Minimum Security Requirements (MSR) and other security-related policies, rules and practices, and monitor their strict application
• Establish, implement and ensure compliance with Security Risk Management (SRM) measures and procedures
• Act as SatCen’s Point of Contact for National Security Authorities/Offices of the EU-27 Member States and partner countries, as well as for the Security Offices of EU and international institutions and organisations
• Manage and maintain vetting and accreditation databases, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality and compliance with applicable security requirements
• Represent SatCen vis-à-vis security-related authorities, including Security Accreditation Boards (SABs), National Security Authorities (NSAs) and the Council Security Committee (CSC).
• Define, implement and oversee the methods, administrative procedures, accreditation and approval processes required for the exchange of EU Classified Information (EUCI) with EU institutions, Member States, partner countries and international organisations, in particular in the context of EU programmes.
• Interface with and coordinate all aspects of the work with internal stakeholders across SatCen, in particular the Directorate, IT, Human Resources and General Services.
• Develop and deliver a security briefing and training framework for new staff and provide regular security awareness and training activities for all SatCen personnel.

Qualifications

Applications will be assessed based on the information provided by the candidates in the Application Form, and their performance against the following criteria:

Only applications meeting all essential selection criteria will be assessed.

• Essential:

• Have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years (EQF 6) attested by a diploma, preferably in the field of Network Security
• Have at least 10 years of relevant professional experience
• Demonstrated awareness of procedures applicable in a classified working environment, including handling and protection of sensitive or classified information
• Proven knowledge of EU and international security standards, in particular those relating to EU Classified Information (EUCI).

• Desirable:

• Recent certification in formal Risk Management frameworks or methodologies.

Skills and Competences

• Essential:

• Proven experience leading Risk Management projects using a recognised formal methodologies (Magerit, Ebios)
• Proven experience in the design of security architectures for systems operating applied to classified environments
• Proven experience in interacting with Security accreditation authorities including Security Accreditation Boards (SABs), National Security Authorities (NSAs) and Cybersecurity Competent Security Committees (CSCs), for accreditation and approval purposes
• Knowledge of specific challenges related to the Earth Observation domain in a classified EU context
• High sense of discretion and confidentiality, with the ability to handle sensitive and classified information appropriately
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.

• Desirable:

• Experience in delivering training and courses related to Cybersecurity and/or Risk Management
• Experience in drafting Cybersecurity technical documentation, including guidelines and technical guides
• Experience in conducting penetration testing activities.

All essential and desirable criteria are evaluated so as to identify the most suitable candidates.

Eligibility

To be considered eligible, candidates must satisfy all of the following eligibility criteria by the closing date for submitting applications:

• Have a level of education which correspond to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma (EQF 6)
• Be a national of one of the Member States of the Union and enjoy their full rights as citizen
• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the laws concerning military service
• Produce evidence of a thorough knowledge of English (at least level B2 ), the working language of SatCen, and of a satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the EU to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties

In addition, candidates must:

• Hold a security clearance at least at the level of EU SECRET, or equivalent. In case the successful candidate is not in possession of such a clearance at the time of submitting an application, the SatCen will request it, and no appointment will be fully confirmed until the security clearance has been received by the competent national authority. In addition, and during the selection procedure, candidates will need to declare any particular circumstances which could be in conflict with the performance of their duties at SatCen.
• Be physically fit to perform their duties. Prior to the appointment the successful candidate will be medically examined to fulfil the requirement of Article 6 of the SatCen Staff Regulations

As the SatCen is situated in an air force base outside of Madrid, with limited access by public transport to the entrance of the base and no public transport on the base itself, a driving licence is highly desirable. It is the duty of any staff member to get to the office by their own means.

Conditions

Successful candidate(s) may be offered a contract as a permanent staff member in accordance with the SatCen Staff Regulations, for an initial period of 4 (four) years, renewable.

In addition to the basic monthly salary, the following benefits might apply

• Additional specific allowances (e.g. expatriation (up to 18% of the salary), household, dependent child, education, installation), depending on the individual’s family situation and the place of origin
• Flexible work arrangements (such as part-time work, flexible working hours, teleworking, home leave) under certain conditions
• Training and development opportunities
• Annual leave entitlement of 30 days
• Maternity/paternity leave and parental leave under certain conditions
• Private Medical Insurance Scheme enabling access to worldwide medical care
• Defined-benefit pension scheme, with right to a retirement pension accrued after 10 years of service.