Bio-economy Sector Specialist - Forest and Forest Industries - based in Luxembourg

This position is based at our Luxembourg headquarters and requires regular office presence. The EIB offers you the opportunity to live and work in a truly international and multi-cultural environment. We also offer relocation support. TEIB, the European Union's bank, is seeking to recruit for its Projects Directorate (PJ), Innovation & Competitiveness Department (INCO), Bioeconomy Division (BIOEC), at its headquarters in Luxembourg, a Bio-economy Sector Specialist - Forest and Forest Industries*. This is a full-time position at grade 5 for which the EIB offers a permanent contract.

• internal benchmark: Sector Economist

Panel interviews are anticipated for November 2026. Purpose Join the EIB’s Projects Directorate and help shape sustainable investments across the bioeconomy. You will assess and monitor the long-term technical, environmental, financial and economic viability of capital investment projects and programmes in the EU and across the EIB countries of operation. Specific Post Environment You will join the Bioeconomy Division (BIOEC) within the Innovation & Competitiveness Department (INCO) of the Projects Directorate, reporting to the Head of Division. Working in multidisciplinary teams with colleagues across the projects directorate, lending directorates and other EIB services, you will contribute to the overall appraisal and monitoring of financing proposals in line with EIB procedures while also contributing to project preparation, advice and the mobilisation of technical assistance where required. The Division’s activity covers the agriculture, aquaculture and forestry value chains, including natural-resource protection and management, primary production and processing, agro-forest and bio-based industries, research, development and innovation related to biomass production, harvesting and transformation, and innovative inputs such as renewable fertilisers. The role requires travel to project locations inside and outside the EU, normally through short missions of up to one week depending on the project. Operating Network Internally, you will work closely with colleagues in the Bioeconomy Division and Innovation & Competitiveness Department, other teams across the projects directorate, the EIB’s lending directorates and other Bank services, as well as the EIF. Externally, you will engage with project promoters and stakeholders, European Commission officials, government representatives, partner institutions and multilateral development banks, international organisations such as FAO and EFI, and external consultants. These contacts will support project appraisal and monitoring, technical assistance, sector analysis and knowledge exchange. Accountabilities Role Your work will focus particularly on natural capital, forestry and agroforestry, forest and bio-based industries, and rural and land development. In this role, you will:

• Assist in identifying and screening new projects and contribute to all relevant aspects of project preparation and assessment.
• Assess the techno-economic, environmental and operational viability of projects and programmes in the countries where the Bank operates.
• Draft clear reports summarising relevant aspects of investment proposals and supporting approval by the EIB’s governing bodies.
• Monitor approved operations during implementation, including through the deployment and management of external consultants.
• Maintain and develop expertise in innovative value-chain developments, bio-based industry processing technologies, biomass cascading, biomass loss and waste reduction, and other environmental sustainability aspects relevant to the bioeconomy.
• Follow regional and global technology, market and policy developments in natural-resource protection, Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), agro-forest resource use and management, forest industry process engineering, regional and rural development, and horizontal policies affecting bioeconomy value chains.
• Contribute to sector studies, lending policy papers and other analyses supporting the Bioeconomy Division and wider EIB activities.

Qualifications

• University degree, (minimum equivalent of a bachelor), preferably in a relevant engineering discipline, such as agriculture or forestry engineering, or in a closely related field.
• At least 5 years of relevant industry, research or consultancy experience, preferably in forest/agriculture and/or associated process industries, including the preparation and screening of feasibility and market studies, assessment of company strategies, profitability analysis and risk analysis in a relevant sector.
• Strong analytical and writing skills, with the ability to assess complex technical, financial, economic and operational information and present clear conclusions.
• Solid IT skills, particularly in standard Microsoft Office tools including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Excellent knowledge of English. A good command of French (***) would be preferred.

Preferred Qualifications We would be particularly interested in candidates who can bring one or more of the following:

• A postgraduate degree, such as an MBA, Ph.D., or a university degree in applied economics.
• Experience working outside the EU on the implementation of development projects and policies.
• Experience in bio-based process engineering and forestry value chains and in research and development in these areas.
• Experience with procurement for major capital-investment projects in the private or public sector.
• Experience mobilising or managing consultancy assignments.
• Knowledge of environmental and social impact assessment and rural infrastructure development.

Competencies Find Out More About EIB Core Behavioural Skills Here To find out more about our eligibility criteria click here (***) Unless stated explicitly as a required qualification, a good command of French is not a pre-requisite for hire. As both English and French are however official working languages of the EIB, proficiency in both languages is a pre-requisite for your future career development. Any language clause in your contract must be fulfilled in order for you to be eligible for a promotion (either via the annual appraisal cycle or via an internal selection process). Proficiency is understood to mean the attainment of level 5 of the Inter Institutional language courses, corresponding to B1.2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). The Bank offers appropriate training support. We hire and value talent with unique characteristics, creating a work environment where they can be themselves. We believe that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion makes us a performing and innovative organisation. We encourage all suitably qualified and eligible candidates to apply regardless of their gender identity/expression, age, racial, ethnic and cultural background, religion and beliefs, sexual orientation, disability or neurodiversity. If you require reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process due to a disability, neurodivergence, or a chronic health condition, please contact the EIB Recruitment team Jobs@eib.org who will manage your request appropriately. By applying for this position, you acknowledge the importance of maintaining the security and integrity of the Information of the EIB Group. In case of selection for the position you agree to comply with all measures (policies, controls, document classification and management) implemented by the EIB Group to prevent unauthorised disclosure of any information or any damage to the EIB Group reputation. This is an open campaign to consecutively fill open positions. The campaign will remain open until position is filled. Applications will be reviewed in order of receipt.