Product Specialist

Who we are

By joining our project, you will be working on an initiative of the European Commission focused on creating a more efficient, modern and secure customs environment within the European Union. Being part of this initiative set on a 5 years' timeline, you will have the opportunity to work on topics such as digitalization of customs processes, streamlining customs procedures to facilitate trade and reduce costs, harmonization of customs rules across all EU member states and combating fraud.

This purposeful project will not only give you the opportunity to have an impact on one of the key topics within the European Union, it will also offer you various professional opportunities, let you experience a collaborative environment, using cutting-edge technologies and experiencing diversity in your everyday professional life.

What you'll be doing

• Assess and evaluate COTS software and IT products, particularly those related to virtualization, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and container technologies, ensuring alignment with EC's operational and strategic goals.
• Liaise with vendors to understand product capabilities, licensing models, support structures, and roadmap alignment with EC's infrastructure strategy.
• Integrate selected COTS solutions into EC's existing IT landscape, ensuring compatibility with virtualization platforms, container orchestration systems, and cloud-native services.
• Guide the customization of COTS products to meet EC's business processes while maintaining system integrity and minimizing technical debt.
• Manage the full lifecycle of infrastructure-related IT products, from selection and deployment to upgrades, patching, and decommissioning.
• Create and maintain user guides, technical documentation, and training materials to support EC staff and end-users in adopting and using infrastructure-related COTS solutions effectively.
• Analyze the total cost of ownership (TCO) for infrastructure products, including implementation, maintenance, and support. Licensing cost analysis is handled by EC staff.
• Work closely with EC stakeholders, including IT architects, infrastructure teams, and business units, to ensure product choices support long-term strategic objectives.

What you'll bring along

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field
• Minimum 5-10 years of experience in a similar role
• Strong knowledge of virtualization technologies (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V), container platforms (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes), and cloud infrastructure services (IaaS/PaaS).
• Familiarity with a wide range of COTS solutions used in enterprise infrastructure environments, especially those relevant to EC.
• Proven experience integrating infrastructure-related COTS products into complex IT ecosystems.
• Ability to balance customization needs with maintainability and upgrade paths.
• Experience leading infrastructure-related product implementation projects, including planning, execution, and stakeholder communication.
• Ability to translate technical concepts into business language and collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Analytical mindset to troubleshoot integration issues, performance bottlenecks, and configuration challenges.
• Comfort with evolving technologies and agile environments, with a proactive approach to learning and innovation.
• Experience in developing clear, concise documentation and training materials for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Relevant certifications in virtualization, containerization, cloud platforms, and IT product management (e.g., VMware Certified Professional, Kubernetes Administrator, ITIL, PMP).
• Excellent command of both spoken and written English (any other European language would be a plus).