Grants Team Leader

The European Spallation Source (ESS) is hiring motivated and inspiring people from across the globe to design, construct and operate the world’s most powerful scientific neutron source. We seek ambitious, talented people in a range of fields who are excited about playing a part in the future of science in Europe. ESS is a partnership of 13 European countries and occupies a truly impressive campus based in the beautiful, cosmopolitan university city of Lund, Sweden – just 10 minutes from Malmö and 30 minutes from Copenhagen.

We are seeking a Grants Team Leader with relevant professional experience within grants and project management. The role will coordinate and lead the work of the team. It involves interactions and networking, as well as hands-on management and implementation of grants projects.

Description of the role

As the successful candidate and our future Grants Team Lead you will:


• Represent the team in grant-related topics
• Develop and maintain the Group’s work-flows and project management routines
• Perform project management and implementation of grants, ensuring the timely and complete delivery of the financial and technical reporting of selected grants
• Engage and maintain networks and relationships to the European Commission
• Support the Science Directorate in initiating and coordinating scientific activities in current and new partner countries
• Manage the identification of open calls and funding opportunities at the EU and European national level and raising awareness on external grant funding opportunities within ESS
• Manage the provision of all support services from proposal set-up via grant project execution to termination.
• Ensure regular cost control for all grants and provision of information to the science director, finance and respective project and work package leaders

About you


• Academic degree in subject relevant to the portfolio of the tasks
• Background and qualifications in project management
• Proven knowledge of EU framework programmes, in particular Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe
• Experience in the management of EU framework programme projects
• Relevant robust experience from a similar role in an international environment
• Track record of delivering research and innovation proposals
• An established relevant network within research infrastructures and activities of the European Commission
• Experience from working within an ERIC (European Infrastructure Consortium) is an advantage
• Excellent writing and communication skills in English (native speaker level), knowledge also in other languages would be an advantage

As a person you are self-driven and used to work on multiple projects at the same time. You have the ability to prioritise and focus where needed. You are structured in your work and can deliver according to deadlines. Following rules and processes are important to you and you have the ability to coach other team members. The ability to confidently interact and network both internally and externally is key for this role. 

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 and exciting work environment.
• Market competitive compensation that is individual and differentiated according to role, responsibilities, individual skills, abilities, and achievements.
• Benefits including 30 days of annual leave 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
• Relocation support and allowances
• An excellent quality of life in the popular, family-friendly, beautiful and well-connected Southern Sweden/Greater Copenhagen region.

Duration & Location
The position is a permanent position.

Your work place will be situated in Lund, Sweden. 

Start date
The position is to be filled as soon as possible, preferably in August/September 2022.

Application & Contact

Please provide your curriculum vitae in English by clicking on “apply” and follow the instructions. Please note that we only accept applications via the ESS website.



Deadline for the application is 21st June, 2022. 

For some roles at ESS health check-ups and security clearance are required, and thus this might be applicable in the final parts of the recruitment process. The applicant is expected to be fit to perform the applicable tasks of this recruitment. 

For more information regarding the ESS recruitment process, please follow this link https://europeanspallationsource.se/ess-recruitment-process

For further information regarding the position, please contact the Interim Group Leader for the External Relations Group; Jimmy Andersen, jimmy.andersen[at]ess.eu.

For further information regarding the recruitment process, please contact HR Officer, Tina Nilsson, tina.nilsson[at]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!