IMDEA Energy is currently looking for a highly motivated Pre-Award European R&D Project Manager to strengthen the International Projects Office. The selected candidate will support researchers and institute management in the identification, analysis and preparation of competitive proposals for European and international R&D funding. The role combines project proposal management, strategic funding intelligence and consortium building, with a strong focus on aligning calls and topics with IMDEA Energy's research lines, capabilities and institutional priorities. No scientific involvement in project technical tasks is expected, but close interaction with research groups is essential.

Principal Tasks Description:

• Continuous scouting and monitoring of European and international funding opportunities, with deep knowledge of the European funding map (Horizon Europe, partnerships, EIC, Innovation Fund, LIFE, Interreg, CBE JU, Clean Hydrogen, EITs and other relevant programs).
• Strategic analysis of calls, work programmes and topics, translating eligibility conditions, expected impacts and evaluation criteria into actionable opportunities for IMDEA Energy research groups and management.
• Matchmaking between funding opportunities and IMDEA Energy's research initiatives, infrastructure, technology portfolio and growth needs, proposing the most suitable participation strategy (coordinator, partner, demonstration role, etc.).
• Pre-award proposal planning and coordination, including timelines, responsibilities, partner inputs, document version control and submission readiness through the Funding & Tenders Portal and other platforms.
• Preparation of proposal management sections, implementation logic and contribution to impact and exploitation narratives, ensuring coherence between ambition, resources, consortium roles and execution capacity.
• Preparation and consolidation of proposal budgets and resource plans (person-months, subcontracting, equipment, travel, other direct costs and indirect costs), ensuring consistency with call rules and institutional procedures.
• Interpretation and application of funding rules, admissibility/eligibility criteria and call-specific requirements, reducing compliance risks before submission and supporting internal go/no-go decisions.
• Mapping and engagement of companies, industrial clusters, SMEs, corporates and public entities relevant to IMDEA Energy's lines, maintaining an updated view of the business ecosystem to identify strategic consortium partners.
• Active consortium building and alliance generation between companies, universities, research centres and public bodies, with the ability to facilitate partner roles and create competitive value propositions for proposals.
• Support to partner negotiations during proposal phase, including roles, commitments, preliminary budget allocations and contribution to concept notes, in coordination with researchers and institute management.

Compulsory Requirements

• Official Bachelor or Master Degree.
• Proven experience in the preparation and coordination of European R&D proposals and/or in international project management offices. Proven experience in more than 10 years in pre-award functions: call analysis, proposal planning, consortium coordination, budget preparation and submission support under European or international R&D programmes.

Others to value:

• Degree in Business Administration, Economics, Engineering, Project Management, Innovation Management or related fields. A profile combining project management capability with strategic funding analysis and business ecosystem understanding is especially valued.
• Extensive knowledge of the industrial and business ecosystem (companies, sector associations, clusters, technology providers, utilities, EPCs, startups and scaleups) relevant to IMDEA Energy's domains.
• Experience in consortium building and alliance generation across industry and research entities, with evidence of facilitating high quality partnerships and successful proposal submissions.
• Experience in proposal impact sections, exploitation pathways, business models or market-oriented narratives, in collaboration with researchers and technology transfer teams.
• Experience with European Commission platforms and proposal tools (Funding & Tenders Portal) and strong command of MS Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint, for budgeting and proposal planning.
• Ability to interpret complex call texts and synthesize requirements into clear internal guidance, decision notes and proposal roadmaps for researchers and management.
• Excellent networking, negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills. Proactive attitude, autonomy and ability to manage multiple parallel proposal processes under tight deadlines.
• Analytical and organizational skills, with strong attention to detail and service orientation to support researchers while maintaining compliance and strategic focus.
• Strong knowledge of the European funding landscape: programmes, work programmes, calls, topics, eligibility rules, evaluation criteria and proposal requirements, especially in areas relevant to energy and sustainability.
• Demonstrated strategic vision to adapt funding opportunities to the reality of a research institute, connecting calls and topics with ongoing research lines, institutional priorities, capabilities and market opportunities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English (B2 or equivalent minimum).

• Adequacy of the candidate's training to the requested profile.
• Work experience related to the profile of the job position.
• Knowledge of English.
• Motivation.

We offer:

• Join a recognized R&D excellent center with increased international visibility.
• Om-site work
• Remuneration: Depending on qualification and expertise.
• Contract: Indefinite for scientific-technical activities.

IMDEA Energía: Móstoles, Madrid.