Call for experts
The European Research Executive Agency (REA) invites experts from a wide range of fields to register in the European Commission’s experts database.
From this database, we select candidates with the most suitable profile to evaluate proposals for funding and monitor the implementation of ongoing funded projects under the following programmes:
- Horizon Europe
- Promotion of Agricultural Products
Research Fund for Coal and Steel
For more information, watch our presentation on "How to become an expert for Horizon Europe".
Expert profiles
The evaluation panels include experts from diverse backgrounds and sectors. We are looking for professionals working in:
- Industry, business associations and innovation agencies
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other civil society organisations
- Local, regional and national administration
- International organisations
- Universities and research organisations
We strive for gender equality and strongly encourage female experts to register.
Thematic expertise
The European Commission is looking for experts with extensive experience in at least one of the following areas.
Social Sciences and Humanities
- Cultural heritage (e.g. curation, restoration, conservation, 3D reconstruction, digital humanities)
- Creative industries, collective memory, cultural tourism
- Archaeology, artefacts, museology
- Citizen science, citizen participation, youth participation
- Social innovation (e.g. educational strategies, open innovation, knowledge transfer, commercial take-up)
- Communication and marketing (general)
- Communication and marketing of agricultural products (e.g. promotional strategies, market research, public relations, advertising)
- International cooperation (e.g. globalisation, diplomacy, global governance, international relations)
- Fight against disinformation/misinformation, press freedom, media studies
- Radicalisation (e.g. terrorism, extremism, hate crimes, homophobia)
- Migration and integration (e.g. human rights, conflict resolution/management, peacebuilding)
- European identity, European studies, political science, political philosophy
- Democratisation, solidarity, polarisation, elections, populism, corruption
- Social inclusion, labour market, robotisation, ageing, lifelong learning, econometrics
- Sociological dimensions of technological and policy developments, including ethical, gender, cultural, governance aspects
- Open science (e.g. open data, open source, interdisciplinary research)
- Digital literacy (e.g. digital services, digital transformation, digital governance, digital democracy, user-centric services)
Environmental Science and Natural Resources
- Forestry, wildfire prevention, forest management and ecosystems
- Drivers and indicators of soil health and land degradation
- Co-creation of public and private solutions for soil health protection and restoration
- Relationship between safe food systems and soil health
- Remote sensing, spatial planning, ocean observation/monitoring/modelling, maritime spatial planning
- Biodiversity, ecosystems
- Nature-based solutions
- Pollution (e.g. zero pollution, pollution removal, carbon cycle, water security)
- Seismology
Circular Economy and Sustainability
- Sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, and food systems
- Climate-smart farms and forests, climate resilience
- Digitalisation in farming (e.g. precision agriculture, remote sensing/GIS for sustainable farms, fisheries, food supply chains)
- Innovative finance options for soil health, sustainable land use, and new value chains/products
- Lifecycle assessment and analysis
- Circular economy, food waste, sustainable packaging, value chains
Health and Life Sciences
- Veterinary medicine
- Nutrition (e.g. health-focused aspects)
- Synthetic biology, chemical biology, bio-engineering, biohybrid interfaces/technologies, bioinformatics
- Medicine
Policy, Governance and Ethics
- Law enforcement (e.g. border security, crime)
- Civil protection
- e-Government, open government
- Ethical dimension of scientific research
Technology and Engineering
- Earth observation and digital technologies (AI, IoT)
- Cybersecurity, sensors, UAVs/drones
- Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials
- Blockchain, cloud computing, big data, data interoperability, data mining, data visualisation, digital twins, 3D printing, 3D modelling
- Robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, deep learning, augmented reality, virtual reality
- Nanotechnologies
- Electric propulsion and electric vehicle batteries
- Physics
For further details on specific calls, check the work programmes for Horizon Europe, the Promotion of Agricultural Products and the Research Fund for Coal and Steel.
Cross-cutting expertise
In addition to your thematic expertise, the following would be an additional asset:
- Experience with the financial management of R&I projects
- Expertise with integrating gender aspects into R&I
- Intellectual property rights (IPR)
Please indicate your experience in any of the above when you register in the database.
Your role as an expert evaluator
The European Commission selects the most suitable candidates for each evaluation. If selected, you will be contracted for short-term assignments lasting from two days up to two weeks (in some cases, up to 30 days). The working days are not always consecutive and can be spread out over several months.
You will evaluate project proposals applying for EU funding by scoring proposals and exchanging views with fellow evaluators. For more details, read the briefing on Horizon Europe proposal evaluations.
You might also be asked to monitor the implementation of a funded project and provide an independent assessment on its progression compared to what was stipulated in the grant agreement.
Most work will be conducted remotely, but you may be invited to the European Commission's headquarters in Brussels in some cases. If so, you may be eligible for accommodation and subsistence allowances, as well as travel cost reimbursement as per REA guidelines on travel and accommodation.
For more information, please see the model contract for experts. We have compiled information on how to access the evaluation centre, a list of hotels at negotiated rates and further practical information on the Commission’s experts’ page under “Logistics for Brussels”.
How to register
Ready to contribute? Register your profile today in the European Commission’s experts’ database!
Already registered? Great! But here’s a pro tip: boost your visibility by regularly updating your CV, and by using specific keywords. The more precise your profile, the higher your chances of being selected for your next assignment!
For further advice on registering your profile, please read the FAQs and consult the IT manual.
For general questions on working as an expert, please contact the Europe Direct service.