Mariia Bondarchuk is a defence policy and procurement expert with over 20 years of experience in armament development, defence governance, and public resource management within the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. She currently serves as a senior officer and leading research fellow at the Central Scientific Research Institute of Armament and Military Equipment of Armed Forces of Ukraine, providing analytical and methodological support to military-technical policy processes.

Her day-to-day work centers on defence planning, public procurement systems in the defence and security sector, armament life-cycle management, and international military-technical cooperation. In this capacity, she actively supports policy development and inter-agency coordination, preparing materials for national-level decision-making on intellectual property protection, military technical policy, and regulatory frameworks.

Mariia also contributed to research initiatives linked to defence governance reform, including participation in projects that examine international defence management practices, facilitating expert-level engagements, and supporting institutional dialogue with foreign partners. Alongside her primary research and policy duties, she holds key administrative and advisory roles within her institute: she serves as the Head of the Internal Audit Commission on Financial and Economic Activities, and acts as the extra-duty Gender Adviser to the Chief of the Institute.

A multidisciplinary approach to defence and public administration grounds her work. Mariia holds Master’s degrees in Finance, Intellectual Property, and Military Acquisition and Procurement, alongside a Candidate of Engineering Sciences (PhD equivalent) in Military Security. Her academic foundation is further strengthened by international professional education, including defence and resource management programs delivered with international partners, as well as specialized training in institutional integrity and intellectual property.

Ultimately, her professional focus is directed toward developing transparent public procurement systems, strengthening governance across the defence sector, and ensuring national practices align with international standards.