JOB DESCRIPTION

External Auditor

DG RTD – European Commission

Job title: External Auditor
Domain: External Audit
Where: Unit RTD.H.2 -Common Audit Service, Brussels
Function Group: FG IV
Contract Type: 3b
Express your interest until: 18.09.2025 – 12.00 (noon, Brussels time)

WE ARE

Within the Common Implementation Centre (Directorate RTD.H) in DG Research & Innovation, the
Common Audit Service (unit RTD.H2 – CAS) is a large multidisciplinary team that contributes to the
legality and regularity of R&I expenditure by means of ex-post financial audits carried out either by
its own auditors or by External Audit Firms (EAF). It provides the relevant Authorising Officers by
Delegation of the R&I family with necessary elements of assurance on the R&I budget for which
they are responsible. The main tasks of the CAS include: the implementation of the Horizon 2020
and Horizon Europe Audit Strategies; the performance of the complete audit cycle from planning,
selection, execution to closure; the supervision of audits performed by the EAF; the coordination on
sensitive/contentious audit cases; the recommendation of financial adjustments and, in case of
systemic errors, the extension of the audit findings to non-audited transactions. The Unit also
contributes in an advisory capacity to the development of audit and anti-fraud policy, rules and
business processes. Last but not least, the Unit manages the relations with the European Anti-
Fraud Office (OLAF) for fraud prevention and detection, coordinates the implementation of the
Common Anti-Fraud Strategy in the R&I family and is the European Public Prosecutor Office (EPPO)
correspondent for the DG.

WE PROPOSE

Unit RTD.H.2 is seeking to hire an interesting position as External Auditor with the following main
tasks:

– Performance of on-the-spot controls of beneficiaries of R&I grants covering the entire audit
cycle from planning, preparation, execution, quality control and reporting, to audit closure
– Management, supervision and quality control of financial audits performed by external

audit firms

– Performance of specific audit assignments (e.g. risk-based audits, joint audits with the

European Court of Auditors, System & Process Audits)

– Contribution to the development and definition of new audit methodologies, approaches

Reference: Call for interest EC/2025/RTD/294514

and strategies, guidance documents, manuals and other audit-related matters

– Contribution to the development of Audit Strategies
– Evaluation of audit findings and proposal of changes as necessary in systems, procedures

and the financial aspects of the research grant agreement

– Participation in outreach activities on general auditing issues towards stakeholders and

beneficiaries.

WE LOOK FOR

We are looking for an experienced auditor with qualifications in auditing, accounting and/or
financial matters. The candidate should be used to work individually and in teams. Well-developed
analytical, problem-solving and drafting skills as well as motivation, initiative and flexibility are
necessary. Depending on their availability, auditors may be requested to perform up to ten audit
missions per year either as lead auditor or second auditor. A very good command of English (oral
and written) is required as well as preferably also a good knowledge of French. Additional
languages will be considered as a clear advantage, given the wide range of European countries to
be covered in the audit missions. Knowledge of Research & Innovation Framework Programmes
and/or experience with the financial, legal, audit and regulatory aspects of R&I project will be
considered as an asset.

HOW TO EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST?

With a view to guaranteeing equal access to all, the Commission recruits from an open database of
spontaneous applications. The present call for interests aims at helping the recruiters to identify
potentially interested candidates within this database.

In practice, to express your interest, please follow the subsequent two steps:

1.

If you are not registered yet in the open EPSO database, please do so at the following
address: CAST Permanent. Please select under selection procedures for contract agent the
CAST permanent profile that best suits your education and experience.
2. You should send your documents in a single pdf in the following order:

2. completed application form.

1. your CV
Please send these documents by the publication deadline to
[email protected] indicating the call for interest reference
EC/2025/RTD/294514 in the subject.

No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline.