Innovation Consultant

Our client is a fast-growing, sustainability-focused deeptech incubator/accelerator and multidisciplinary R&I center. They partner with universities, RTOs, startups/SMEs and industrial players to turn breakthrough science into environmental impact.

You will be a core contributor to our client's EU funding pipeline: ~80% hands-on building and writing of competitive proposals (primarily Horizon Europe) and ~20% involvement in broader ecosystem activities (events, partner relations, juries, networking, internal projects). You combine scientific literacy with editorial excellence, operate autonomously yet thrive in a team, and act as a trusted, detail-oriented partner to clients.

• Co-write and grow to lead the narrative of winning proposals (Excellence / Impact / Implementation); turn scientific advances into credible innovation roadmaps, KPIs, and risk/mitigation.
• Build and steer consortia (academia, startups/SMEs, corporates, RTOs): develop the network, secure roles and letters of commitment, align work packages and budgets.
• Coordinate contributors (internal & external): run structured drafts/reviews, ensure coherence, and maintain strict compliance with call texts, templates, and Horizon Europe rules.
• Own submissions end-to-end: Part A & B, partner forms, budget consistency, ethics & data management, a rigorous Description of Action (DoA), and all portal formalities to deadline quality.
• Pipeline & intelligence: scan work programmes, map opportunities to partner ambitions, and propose go/no-go recommendations.
• Client relationship: serve as day-to-day counterpart, clarify scope, deliverables, timelines, and quality expectations.
• Contribute to the community: support talks, juries, workshops; co-develop internal playbooks, templates, and grant-writing processes with colleagues.

Education. PhD (preferred) or MSc in a relevant STEM field (engineering, physics, AI/data, biotech/synbio, climate/cleantech, advanced manufacturing, etc.).

Experience. Early-career to mid-level (0–6 years) in research or innovation environments, e.g. a post-doctoral experience or a few years in industry/innovation roles; exposure to funding dossiers such as CIR/CII (or similar); strong scientific writing in English and analytical rigor. Prior Horizon Europe/H2020 exposure is welcome but not required — an open mindset and willingness to learn our methods matter more.

Knowledge & scientific skills.

• Outstanding scientific writing in English.
• Motivated to learn Horizon Europe rules and processes (Part A/B, TRLs, KPIs, ethics/data, open science, submission portals, AMGA/HE templates). Prior familiarity is a plus, not a must. Structured onboarding and mentoring are provided.
• Proposal engineering (call analysis, fit & value proposition, WPs/Gantt/PERT, risk, KPIs, impact/exploitation/dissemination) and cross-domain scientific literacy across deeptech verticals.

Soft skills:

• Crisp structuring/storytelling;
• Client-oriented and trustworthy;
• Detail-obsessed without losing the big picture;
• Self-starter with strong ownership;
• Team player;
• Deadline-resilient;
• Clear communicator across diverse, international stakeholders.

• A mission-driven environment at the intersection of deeptech and sustainability.
• Autonomy & freedom of action (initiative on call selection; force of proposal welcomed).
• Structured onboarding & training, supportive team culture, and client-facing responsibility.

Apply on our website and send your CV and a motivation letter.

Tell us about your your Horizon Europe proposal track record (roles, call types, outcomes), a brief example of consortium building/coordination you led, your motivation to contribute to deeptech with environmental impact

Adoc Talent Management is the first European recruitment and HR consulting firm specialised in PhDs and scientific talent. We support organisations that solve complex problems with unique and high-impact people.