Sign up as an expert

The European Commission is renewing its pool of independent experts for Horizon 2020, the new € 79 billion research and innovation programme.

A very broad range of fields is covered including science, technology, social sciences and humanities, business management, innovation, project management, and more.

As well as attracting the best academic researchers, the Commission wants to boost the numbers of specialists from the world of business.

If you fit the profile, sign up to the database of independent experts.

The opportunity will remain open until 2020 but you should apply as soon as possible, as the first evaluations under Horizon 2020 have already started.

If you previously registered as an expert for FP7 in the Commission’s database, and are interested in applying for Horizon 2020 assignments, you must signal your interest by ticking the Horizon 2020 box in the programme selection section of the online platform and update your fields of expertise.

Online support for both technical and general enquiries is accessible from the platform.

Why become an independent expert?Experts who are chosen for specific assignment will have the opportunity to:

• Help ensure that EU grants awarded to the best research and innovation proposals, based on a rigorous peer-review process.
• Help make sure that running R&I projects funded by the EU are delivering what they set out to do.
• Network with an international community of peers within their field and across fields, from within or outside the EU, paving the way to future breakthroughs.

What are the requirements to apply?You must have:

• A high level of professional experience in one or more of a broad variety of fields, which are specified in the full published call.
• The necessary language skills: a good knowledge of English is essential and other languages are an asset.

How does it work in practice?

Once registered as an expert in the database, you may be offered specific assignments. Some of the evaluation work is done remotely, but your tasks could entail travelling to Brussels, e.g. for consensus meetings or elsewhere e.g. mid-term project reviews.

Experts are entitled to competitive, fixed daily rates. Travel costs and subsistence expenses are covered in addition.

The evaluation facilities in Brussels as well as the support for experts (including IT tools, payments) are managed by the REA.

Hotels near the REA(3.39 Mb)