Public Funding & Grants Manager

⭐Hey- Do you know Arkadia Space?🪐

Arkadia Space is an European company specializing in space propulsion, headquartered in Castellón, Spain. We develop innovative green propulsion systems for the in-space market. Our systems are already flying, and we are scaling rapidly.

We design, build and test real hardware contributing to some of Europe's most inspiring space programmes.

👨🚀About the Position🛰️

As a Public Funding & Grants Manager at Arkadia, you will lead the preparation of competitive public funding proposals and the technical and financial justification of awarded projects, supporting both the development of our space propulsion technologies and investments in property, plant and equipment.

You will oversee the full grant lifecycle for R&D, innovation and capital investment programmes, from analysing funding calls and preparing applications to monitoring approved commitments and coordinating project closure, ensuring compliance, consistency, traceability and high-quality documentation throughout the process.

The scope also includes R&D tax incentives, from identifying qualifying activities and expenditure to coordinating the technical and financial documentation required to support robust tax deduction claims.

This is a multidisciplinary role combining proposal development, project coordination, financial understanding and rigorous document management. You will work closely with our technical teams, Finance, Management and external partners to ensure that proposals and project reports meet the requirements of each funding programme.

You'll be doing:

• Analyse national and European public funding calls for R&D, innovation and capital investment, assessing eligibility, evaluation criteria, financial conditions, eligible property, plant and equipment expenditure, documentation requirements and deadlines.

• Lead the development of competitive funding proposals, coordinating technical contributions and defining project objectives, work packages, deliverables, expected results and impact.

• Draft, structure and review technical proposals and supporting documentation, ensuring alignment with funding requirements and evaluation criteria.

• Coordinate project budgets with Finance and technical teams, ensuring consistency between planned activities, resources, operating costs, property, plant and equipment investments, funding eligibility rules and the company's capital expenditure plans.

• Manage proposal submission processes, including compliance matrices, internal reviews, supporting documentation and final quality checks.

• Monitor awarded projects against approved commitments, tracking milestones, deliverables, budgets, reporting deadlines and deviations.

• Coordinate R&D tax deduction processes, identifying qualifying activities and expenditure, preparing technical and financial supporting documentation, and working with Finance and external advisers to ensure consistency, traceability and compliance.

• Lead the technical and financial justification of awarded projects, coordinating supporting evidence, reporting, responses to funding bodies and project closure, ensuring compliance and traceability throughout the process.

What you'll need

• University degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Economics, Law or a related field.

• Previous experience in public funding for R&D, innovation and/or productive investment, including the preparation of grant applications and the management and justification of awarded projects involving property, plant and equipment.

• Ability to interpret funding guidelines, evaluation criteria, application requirements and eligibility rules accurately.

• Excellent professional skills in English and Spanish, with the ability to produce clear, structured and well-supported proposals and reports.

• Good understanding of project budgets, eligible costs, capital expenditure, asset acquisition and depreciation principles, and the documentation required for financial reporting and justification.

• Knowledge of R&D tax incentives, including the eligibility of activities and expenditure, technical substantiation, financial traceability and the documentation required to support tax deduction claims.

• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines, coordinate stakeholders and maintain accurate project documentation.

• Excellent attention to detail, analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with technical, financial and management teams.

Nice to have

• Experience with national and European R&D, innovation and industrial investment funding programmes, including schemes supporting productive investment, facilities, machinery and equipment.

• Experience managing the full grant lifecycle, from proposal preparation to technical and financial justification and project closure.

• Experience working in the space, aerospace, engineering or other technology-driven industries.

• Experience coordinating collaborative R&D projects involving external partners or international consortia.

• Familiarity with grant management platforms, reporting tools and advanced spreadsheet functions.

Why Arkadia?

Because here you will:

• Work alongside a passionate and highly skilled space team.

• Contribute directly to the development of innovative space propulsion technologies.

• Have real ownership of funding proposals, project reporting and grant management processes.

• Work closely with technical, financial and management teams.

• Enjoy flexibility and a collaborative atmosphere.

• Receive onboarding and accommodation support if relocating.

• Benefit from the facilities and ecosystem of the university campus where we are based.