Executive Assistant to the Technical Director

Imagine what we could learn if we could build a microscope so powerful that it could look deep inside the very materials that the universe is made from. A microscope that could actually let us see the atoms and molecules that substances are made from. Imagine the new discoveries we could make, the new materials we could develop and how much we could learn about ourselves and our universe.

The European Spallation Source is the mother of all microscopes! It is one of the most exciting, innovative and ground-breaking,” Big Science” projects under construction today. Research with neutrons lies behind some of the most important materials and innovations which improve our everyday lives, our health and our environment – and ESS will be the most powerful neutron microscope when fully operational in 2027.

Our eyes are our window to the universe. Our eyes enable us to make sense of the world around us. As our understanding grows, we discover even more questions about ourselves, our world and our universe. We have built telescopes that allow us to look into the deepest regions of space, and are now building a microscope so powerful it will allow us to the study the smallest objects – atoms – in the finest detail.

Come and build the future of Science with us!

About the role:

The ESS is at an exciting turning point. It is in transition from being a construction site, to being an operating facility. To help us realise our goal of being the most powerful neutron source in the world, we are now looking for an Executive Assistant for our Technical Director. This role involves supporting the Technical Director in their daily work, as well as the staff of the Technical Directorate Office. The successful candidate will be required to facilitate and optimize the organisational and communication aspects of the work of the Technical Director and the Technical Directorate Office. A specific interest in a "big Science" project such as ESS would be a real bonus.

This role provides a unique possibility to work in the heart of the largest Directorate at ESS. You will be an important player to ensure that the Technical Director and his management team can work efficiently. Your tasks will vary depending on the needs of the Director, but will be focused in the area of administration, coordination, service and communication. At ESS, no two work days are the same. One day you could be maintaining a complex calendar for appointments, meetings and workshops or planning and coordinating meetings and conferences/events; whilst the next day you could be writing articles and posting on ESS intranet or communicating on behalf of the Technical Director and the management team.

Ultimately, this is a mission critical role which involves providing proactive and confidential support to the Technical Director.

About you:

To thrive with us at ESS, you need to be driven, responsive and good at spotting both problems and opportunities. You need to be a highly motivated, collaborative and confident person.

First and foremost, we need someone who is suitably qualified and experienced. Ideally, you will have appropriate postsecondary qualifications in a relevant area of study, however relevant experience in a similar role is more critical than the type of qualification you hold. We really need someonw with excellent working knowledge of the Microsoft Office platform (especially Outlook, Excel, Powerpoint and Word) as well as Zoom.

We are building ESS from the ground up, so we need someone who is comfortable not only following procedures, but also creating them. We attach great importance to personality and attitude, so we're looking for a real team player: Someone who is sociable, has excellent communication skills, who likes to collaborate with different people and who is committed to helping this amazing project to realise its full potential. We need a hands-on self-starter who is able to work in a structured, orderly, responsible and – most importantly – safe way. As a diverse organization it is important to be flexible and the ability to handle quick changes.

The working language of ESS is English but it would be great if you could also work in Swedish as well. For this role, we need someone who can start as soon as possible!

What can we offer?

Aside from the opportunity to work at one of only 4 linear accelerator-based Spallation sources on the whole planet, you can also expect:


• An opportunity to contribute to the future discoveries within neutron science.
• A stunning, brand new workplace filled with innovative minds and brilliant people from across the globe.
• A challenging, exciting and fast-paced work environment.
• Market competitive compensation that is individual and differentiated according to role, responsibilities, individual skills, abilities and achievements.
• 25 or 30 days of annual leave (depending on contract type), as well as more than 10 days of public holiday and company days off or days with limited working hours.
• Monthly pension contributions on top of your salary.
• Flexible working arrangements and a real work-life balance.

The position is a permanent position with a 6 months probationary period. Your work place will be situated in Lund, Sweden.

Interested? We sure hope so.

If you see yourself in what we’re looking for, please provide your CV and motivation letter in English by clicking on “apply” and following the instructions. Please be aware that we can only accept direct applications made via the ESS website.

We review applications continuously, so don’t miss out! Submit your application as soon as soon as you can. 

For more information regarding the ESS recruitment process, please follow this link https://europeanspallationsource.se/ess-recruitment-process or contact Recruitment partners Kristina Bacos on kristina.bacos@ess.eu or Daniel Nordin Baker on daniel.nordin@ess.eu

For trade union information, please contact Unionen representative Conny Wendt at conny.wendt@ess.eu or SACO/Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers representative Yngve Levinsen at yngve.levinsen@ess.eu.

We look forward to receiving your application soon!