Seconded National Expert – OSINT Specialist in Cyber ​​Intelligence Team, Digital Support Unit, Europol Cyber ​​Crime Center (EC3)

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

This selection procedure is intended to establish a reserve list of successful candidates. It is envisaged to start using the reserve list in Q1/Q2 of 2025.

Europol retains the right to make use of the reserve list to select candidates for similar secondments within the organisation, should business needs require so.

Organisational setting:

The SNE – OSINT Specialist will be assigned to the Cyber Intelligence Team in the Digital Support Unit (DSU), European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), Operations Directorate.

The Operations Directorate deals with the core business of Europol, improving the effectiveness and cooperation of the competent authorities in the Member States (MS) in preventing and combating serious and organised crime, as well as terrorism affecting the MS. This requires close cooperation with the Liaison Bureaux at Europol and via them with the Operational Teams in the MS.

Europol delivers a number of products and services to national law enforcement agencies to support them in their fight against international serious and organised crime, as well as terrorism.

The Operations Directorate hosts five distinct Departments: Operational and Analysis Centre, European Serious Organised Crime Centre, EC3, European Counter Terrorism Centre and the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre.

EC3 serves as the centre for the MS fight against cybercrime in the European Union, delivering operational and investigative support on complex cybercrime investigations.

EC3 also provides support to the EU institutions and MS in building operational and analytical capacity for investigations and cooperation with external partners. EC3 is the collective voice of European cybercrime investigators across law enforcement and the knowledge hub of law enforcement on how to tackle cybercrime.

The Centre comprises of three Units, each with their own area of responsibility.

The Digital Support Unit is assisting EC3 Operations and other Operations Centres of Europol horizontally with intelligence products, information and forensic examination through two teams: Cyber Intelligence Team (CIT) and Forensic Support Team (FST).

CIT provides support in the pre-processing, enrichment and analysis of large amounts of operational data as well as specialised support in the fields of cyber threat Intelligence and cryptocurrency analysis. CIT liaises with the cybersecurity community and coordinates EU LE Emergency Response Protocol against major cross-border cyber-attacks.

FST provides decryption and digital forensic services, takes part in research and development activities supporting investigations and operations and also provides document forensic services.

Purpose of the secondment:

The SNE – OSINT Specialist (SNE) supporting cybercrime investigations will be responsible for Providing specialist guidance and support to law enforcement agencies and other Europol departments during joint investigations and operations requiring OSINT advanced knowledge and expertise, by collecting and analysing information and developing intelligence reports.

Reporting lines:

The SNE – OSINT Specialist will report to and work under the supervision of the Head of the Cyber Intelligence Team.

FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES

The SNE will carry out the following main functions and duties:

• Supporting the identification of relevant open sources in the field of cybercrime and assisting the update of cyber threat landscape;
• Facilitate the exchange of information, provide advice and operational support in the field of cybercrime namely within cyber threat intelligence scope;
• Develop OSINT specialist knowledge to further improve Europol’s approach to handling threat intelligence, complementing the intelligence picture at strategic, tactical and operational levels;
• Support online investigations including the development of OSINT methods, sources and tools;
• Prepare intelligence reports and early notifications on possible opportunities for Europol and the MS to work together on specific intelligence and information;
• Participate in meetings, working groups and conferences and present intelligence/analytical results as and when required;
• Provide on-the-spot operational support to specific operational enquiries and events if and when required;
• Perform any other duties in the area of competence as required by line management.

REQUIREMENTS - ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Eligibility criteria

Candidates must:

• Be a member of a competent authority in the meaning of the Article 2a) of the Europol Regulation and enjoy full rights as a citizen of a Member State;
• Produce evidence of a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the European Union and of a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the European Union in accordance with the decision of the Management Board on the internal language arrangements of Europol as referred to in Article 64(2) of the Europol Regulation, with the understanding that the SNE will have to carry out his / her duties in a mainly English-speaking environment;
• Have at least three years of professional experience in the field of law enforcement which is relevant to the duties to be carried out during the secondment.

Selection criteria

a. Professional experience:

Essential:

• Experience in OSINT gathering with a focus on cybercrime investigations, preferably of at least 3 years;
• Experience in supporting investigations at international level;
• Experience in producing OSINT reports and developing other intelligence products at strategic, tactical and operational levels;
• Training certifications on OSINT.

Desirable:

• Training certifications on Cyber Threat Intelligence;
• Hands-on experience in programming and/scripting required to gather and process large volumes of operational data.

b. Professional knowledge:

Essential:

• Knowledge of the law enforcement environment and practices of investigative techniques in the field of cybercrime;
• Knowledge of OSINT frameworks and intelligence lifecycle;
• Knowledge of operational security procedures while conducting OSINT investigations;
• Knowledge of effective searching and gathering of information from dark web.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the cyber threat landscape including malware families, actors and TTPs.

c. General competencies:

Essential:

Communicating:

• Very good communication skills in English, both orally and in writing;
• Ability to draft clear and concise documents on complex matters for various audiences;

Analysing & problem solving:

• Keen eye for detail with the ability to maintain standards of accuracy under pressure of tight deadlines;
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills;
• Competent user of Microsoft Office applications (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) and the internet.

Delivering quality and results:

• High degree of commitment and flexibility;
• High level of customer and service-orientation.

Prioritising and organising:

• Good administrative and organisational skills.

Resilience:

• Ability to work well under pressure, both independently and in a team;
• Very good interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively liaise with other departments, groups and teams as well as with external partners.

Living diversity:

• Ability to work effectively in an international and multi-cultural environment.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

How to apply

Member States are invited to nominate their Seconded National Experts according to the selection criteria and profile, as specified in this document.

Candidates endorsed by the national competent authorities are required to complete the SNE application form available on Europol’s website in English.

The application form must be accompanied by a letter from the sending authority to the Executive Director of Europol expressing willingness to second the candidate.

Applications must be filled in electronically, duly signed and submitted by means of email to Europol’s Human Resources Unit, HR Operational Support Team, to C2-12@europol.europa.eu via the Europol National Unit of the Member State concerned, and, if necessary, the respective Liaison Bureau. Candidates who do not provide all necessary information or do not comply with any of the above will not be considered.

Applications must be received by Europol at the latest on the day of the deadline specified in this notice of secondment. Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted. Receipt of all applications is confirmed by an email of acknowledgement. Candidates may check the progress of the relevant selection procedure on Europol’s website.

Selection procedure

The Deputy Executive Director of Europol’s Capabilities Directorate (DEDC) sets up a Selection Committee, chaired by the Head of the relevant Directorate or a senior representative, and composed of a representative of the respective Unit, as well as of the Human Resources Unit.

The Selection Committee establishes the pass-mark for interview and a written test or comparable practical exercise. The pass-mark for shortlisting is established as 60% of the total maximum score.

The Selection Committee assesses the applications received in order to make an initial selection of candidates meeting all eligibility criteria and examines their qualifications, experience and skills against the selection criteria set out in this notice of secondment. Candidates scoring above the pass-mark are invited to participate in a selection procedure.

The Selection Committee will invite the 8 highest scoring candidates (shortlisted). All candidates having a score equal to the 8th highest scoring candidate will be included to the list of invited candidates.  

The Selection Committee conducts an interview with the shortlisted candidates performed remotely in order to evaluate their language skills, to assess their experience and qualifications and determine whether they possess the key skills required. The shortlisted candidates will also be invited to participate in a written test or comparable practical exercise performed remotely.

COMPENSATION, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Secondment and Reserve list

After the selection procedure has taken place, the Selection Committee establishes a list of successful candidates.

Candidates are successful if they score above the pre-defined pass-mark for interview and a written test or comparable practical exercise.

The list shall be shared with the Deputy Executive Director Capabilities Directorate (DEDC), in order to establish a Reserve List.

Reserve Lists of successful candidates are valid for 3 years (36 months).

Candidates who attend the selection procedure will be informed of the outcome, i.e. whether they have been successful or not.

Europol retains the right to make use of the Reserve List to select candidates for similar secondments within the organisation, should business needs require so. Inclusion on the Reserve List does not guarantee secondment.

The secondment of a successful candidate is finally effected by an exchange of letters referred to in Article 4(4) of the MB Decision on SNEs, specifying the details of the secondment, including as regards its duration.

Terms and conditions

The SNE shall remain in the service of the sending authority throughout the period of secondment and shall continue to be paid by that employer. The sending authority shall also be responsible for all social rights, particularly social security and pension entitlements.

During the period of secondment the SNE is entitled to a daily subsistence allowance paid by Europol, and may also be eligible for a monthly allowance depending on the distance from the place of origin. If the SNE receives any allowance from other sources similar to the subsistence allowance paid by Europol, this amount shall be deducted.

Detailed rules regarding the secondment of national experts to Europol are described in the Management Board Decision laying down rules on the secondment of national experts to Europol of 21 March 2023.

Enquiries / measures of redress

The Selection Committee’s work and deliberations are confidential. It is forbidden for candidates to make direct or indirect contact with the members of the Selection Committee or for anyone to do so on their behalf. All enquiries related to a selection procedure should be addressed to the HR Operational Support Team at the following email address: C2-12@europol.europa.eu.

As regards requests for the reason(s) candidates were found to be ineligible, the scores obtained at specific stages of the selection procedure or available measures of redress, candidates are referred to the Europol Recruitment Guidelines for SNEs available on Europol’s website for further information.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Equal opportunity

Europol is an equal opportunity employer. We accept applications without distinction on grounds of gender, sexual orientation, national, ethnic or social origin, religion or beliefs, family situation, age, disability, or other non-merit factors. Our employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and qualifications, experience and skills.

We live diversity and provide an inclusive work environment to all. We strive to recruit, develop and retain a diverse and talented workforce through application of equal opportunity and impartiality.

Privacy statement

Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC, applies to the processing of personal data carried out in the process of selection and recruitment of Seconded National Experts at Europol following the application of this Regulation to all administrative personal data held by Europol in accordance with Article 46 of the Europol Regulation.

For additional information, candidates are referred to the applicable privacy notice available on our website.

Security screening

Selected candidates are required to furnish a valid security clearance certificate before the start of the secondment. Failure to obtain or provide the requisite security clearance certificate at the requested level before the start of the secondment may render the offer of secondment invalid.

In case the security clearance certificate expires within six months of the start of the secondment, the renewal procedure will be initiated expeditiously. Europol may at any time terminate the secondment if the result of the security screening is not positive or the necessary security clearance level is not granted /extended.

The security clearance level required for this secondment is: CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL.

Main dates

Publication date:             02 October 2024

Deadline for application:  30 October 2024 23:59 Amsterdam Time

Selection procedure:        December 2024 – January 2025

Contact details

In case of further questions please call +31 (0) 70 353 1387 or +31 (0) 70 302 5276.

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