What term is the EASA equivalent of the DER in the FAA safety assurance process? When the FAA approves a hardware or software (or mixed) system for use in an aircraft requiring Type Certification, A Designated Engineering Representative (DER) is selected to work with the developers and apply the safety assurance guidelines (or other alternative means of compliance) needed for approval. Although the DER is not the final authority granting approval, de facto if you fail to satisfy the DER you won't get approval, and if the DER finds that all needed guidelines have been met and all evidence is in order, you probably will.

The EASA process in Europe is very similar, but many of the acronyms and terms they use are different, which brings me to the question:

What is the European (EASA) equivalent of what in America we call the Design Engineering Representative (DER)?
The closest EASA equivalent would be the Design Organisation Approval (DOA). According to EASA:

A Design Organisation Approval is the recognition that a Design Organisation complies with the requirements of Part 21 Subpart J.
Privileges: A DOA holder can

Perform design activities within the scope of approval

Have compliance documents accepted by the Agency without further verification

Perform activities independently from the Agency