Missions

The StatBioPhys team at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Physics Laboratory of the École Normale Supérieure is seeking a full-time European Project Manager (EPM) to implement and manage a collaborative European Synergy research project entitled "Co-evolutionary dynamics of viral pathogens and human antibody response" (CoEvolve), coordinated by the CNRS. The CoEvolve project is an ERC Synergy project and a network of four teams across four institutions in France, Germany, and the United States, coordinated by Aleksandra Walczak, CNRS Research Director at the Physics Laboratory of the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. Working with the scientific coordinator, the project manager will assist in the project's coordination. They will be responsible for leading the consortium and facilitating its overall operation, in accordance with the terms of the grant agreement and the consortium agreement. These responsibilities will cover a range of tasks related to the organizational, administrative, financial, and legal management of the project, as well as communication. The project manager will work closely with the relevant CNRS departments and partners, as well as the research teams.

Activités

Project Coordination
• Participate in the implementation of the scientific coordination and leadership of the projects, in particular by organizing the regular meetings scheduled by the projects, from agenda preparation to the drafting of minutes;
• Assist the coordinator in the supervision and implementation of the project, as well as in monitoring the work plan;
• Develop and implement project management tools (procedures, guidelines, templates, collaborative platform);
• Organize consortium meetings;
• Coordinate exchanges within the network, facilitating communication between partners; •
Act, in collaboration with the relevant departments of the CNRS Paris Centre Regional Delegation, as an intermediary between the consortium and the European Commission's Research Executive Agency;
• Organize the recruitments planned by the project;
• Participate in the financial preparation of calls for proposals.

Administrative Management
• Support partners on the administrative aspects of the project, in particular in the application of the rules and procedures specific to Horizon Europe;
• Monitor the production of deliverables and contribute to the drafting of activity reports.
• Lead and coordinate administrative and financial aspects (preparation and monitoring of missions, use of CNRS and ENS management software);
• Liaise with the laboratory's finance and HR departments;
• Liaise with the various supervisory bodies and partners.

Financial Management
• Budget monitoring (allocation and transfer of funds, budget updates and monitoring, internal financial reports, etc.);
• Coordinate the preparation, consolidation, and submission of financial reports, in close collaboration with the CNRS Regional Delegation, within the deadlines set by the European Commission;
• Ensure that all documents necessary to justify expenses are correctly defined and archived by each partner, anticipating the possibility of future audits.

Legal Support
• Ensure that the consortium complies with its obligations under the grant agreement and the consortium agreement;
• Monitor and update (amend) contractual documents, in collaboration with the CNRS Regional Delegation. Communication
• Implement internal communication measures (dissemination of information, management of the collaborative platform, etc.);
• Participate in external communication measures (drafting press releases, content for the public section of the project website, etc.);
• Participate in the development of the project's data management plan and ensure its proper implementation.

Activities specific to ERC Synergy networks:
• Supervise the recruitment of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers (adherence to the schedule, dissemination of job offers, organization of the recruitment process, compliance of employment contracts, welcoming and supporting young researchers);
• Coordinate the organization of project events (training sessions, mobility programs, workshops, conferences, etc.);
• Raise awareness among partners about the importance of disseminating results, gender equality, and the science-society link;
• Coordinate the work and follow-up of partners.

Compétences

• Master's degree or equivalent;

• Knowledge of the European Commission's management rules associated with the Horizon Europe program;

• Knowledge of the organization and operation of French public research;

• Strong administrative and financial management skills;

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English (the consortium's working language) and good French skills (required for most project administrative tasks);

• Proficiency in communication tools (website, social media, briefing notes, press releases, etc.) and office software (MS Office, LibreOffice);

• Good knowledge and proficiency in project management tools (spreadsheets, planning tools);

• Experience in managing European or international projects is highly desirable;

• Communication and event organization skills are desirable.

Contexte de travail

• The position will begin on June 1, 2026;

• Contract duration: 1 year + 5 x 1-year renewable terms, 2 x 3-month probationary periods;

• Location: Physics Laboratory of the École Normale Supérieure Paris (24 rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris);

• Salary: gross monthly salary starting at €2,419.53 (depending on experience);

• Remote work possible after the probationary period (1 day/week);

• Partial reimbursement of travel expenses (75%) + sustainable mobility allowance up to €300/year;

• Financial contribution towards health insurance costs.

Contraintes et risques

• Risks limited to standard work environments (offices, meetings, travel)