Company Description
Complear builds AI-native compliance infrastructure for regulated industries. We are building the regulatory infrastructure that powers the next era of the physical economy — the verification layer that turns innovation into market access.
Our platform, Complear OS, replaces document silos and manual audits with real-time verification embedded directly into the development lifecycle. Certification becomes a build step rather than a year-long project. We work only with industries where failure is not an option: medical devices, aircraft and space systems, autonomous vehicles, and defence platforms — domains governed by the EU AI Act, NIS2, the Cyber Resilience Act, ISO/IEC 27001, ECSS standards and defence quality assurance frameworks.
Our architecture is built by contributors to the EU AI Act, ISO/IEC committees and CENELEC working groups. We do not just guess the future of regulation — we help define it. With offices across Europe, Asia and North America, we combine deep domain expertise with AI engineering.
As we scale our aerospace, defence and cyber verticals, we are seeking an experienced Grant Writer and Project Manager to lead our efforts in securing and delivering funded projects — for Complear and for our clients.
Role Description
This is a full-time remote role as a Grant Writer and Project Manager in the Space, Defence and Cybersecurity sectors. The role is deliberately two-sided: roughly half of it is winning funding, and half is running the projects once they are won.
On the funding side, you will identify opportunities, shape project concepts, build consortia and write proposals across international instruments — Horizon Europe, the European Defence Fund, the Digital Europe Programme, EIC, ESA, EUSPA, EDA, NATO innovation channels, Eureka/Eurostars — as well as national frameworks such as Compete 2030 and Portugal 2030 (Norte 2030, Centro 2030, Lisboa 2030).
On the delivery side, you will own funded projects end to end: work plan and budget management, coordination of consortium partners, technical and financial reporting, deliverable tracking, amendments, and audit readiness. We are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys this second half — not someone who treats project management as the paperwork that follows the interesting part.
You will continuously learn by doing, working hands-on on projects, with access to the best expertise in the field and with the support of our team of experts you will be exploring novel approaches and become yourself an expert in the field. At the same time, you will have a unique opportunity to contribute to the launch of a new Digital Product that will change how organisations navigate the regulatory and security requirements of critical technologies.
Complear is based in Portugal, but we work fully remote.
Expectations
Funding and proposals
- Conduct comprehensive research to identify funding opportunities across European and international programmes — Horizon Europe (notably Cluster 3, Civil Security for Society, and Cluster 4), the European Defence Fund and EDIRPA, the Digital Europe Programme, EIC Accelerator and Pathfinder, ESA and national space agency calls, EUSPA, EDA, NATO innovation channels, Eureka/Eurostars — as well as national frameworks including Compete 2030, Portugal 2030 and the PRR.
- Take full ownership of the grant writing process, including drafting compelling and high-quality proposals that meet the funding bodies' criteria for the company and our clients.
- Build and coordinate consortia: identify and approach partners, negotiate roles and budget shares, and assemble the partner contributions into a coherent proposal.
- Collaborate closely with research and development teams from the company and our clients to gather necessary information, data, and project details to accurately represent our initiatives in proposals.
Project management and delivery
- Manage the entire lifecycle of funded projects, from initiation and planning through execution, monitoring, and closure, ensuring timely completion and compliance with grant conditions.
- Act as project or work package lead: run the schedule and budget, chair partner meetings, track deliverables and milestones, and keep the consortium moving against the Grant Agreement.
- Own reporting obligations — periodic technical and financial reports, timesheets, cost claims, amendments — and prepare projects for audits and reviews.
- Anticipate and manage risk: slipping deliverables, underspending partners, scope drift, and the escalation paths for each.
Sector and relationships
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the space, defence and cybersecurity sectors' trends, challenges, and opportunities — including dual-use technology policy, export control considerations and the evolving EU security and cyber regulatory landscape — to inform strategic grant-seeking and project management activities.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with funding bodies, programme officers, partners, and stakeholders to support future funding opportunities and collaborative projects.
The Absolute Unicorn Candidate
- Fluent in English (written and spoken). Portuguese is highly valued; additional European languages are a plus.
- Proven experience (3+ years) in grant writing for international programmes — Horizon Europe, EDF, Digital Europe, ESA, EIC or similar — and/or national frameworks such as Portugal 2030 and Compete 2030. Understanding the basic rules, and evaluation expectations.
- Demonstrated project management experience on funded projects — as coordinator, work package lead, or project manager on the partner side — including budget management, consortium coordination and reporting to a funding body. Formal certification (PMP, PRINCE2, Agile) is welcome but experience matters more.
- A genuine interest in project delivery, not just proposal writing. You should want to see projects through to their final review.
- Master's in a relevant field (Aerospace Engineering, Electrical or Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, Physics, Security or International Studies, Business Administration, or related areas).
- Strong understanding of the space, defence and/or cybersecurity sectors, including current trends and the regulatory and standards landscape.
- Exceptional writing, editing, and research skills. The ability to create compelling proposals from a few project ideas is a must, as you will be tasked to propose the project details that fit the call.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, with keen attention to detail and deadlines.
- Self-starter with excellent organisational and communication skills, capable of working independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, across time zones and cultures.
- Nice to have: familiarity with dual-use or export-controlled projects, or eligibility for national security clearance.
How to Apply
Please submit your CV and a cover letter highlighting your experience with grant writing and project management in the space, defence or cybersecurity sectors. Include examples of successful grant applications and — importantly — projects you have managed through to completion, with your role, the programme, and the consortium size.
Industry: Defence and Space Manufacturing / Computer and Network Security
Employment Type: Full-time