Trainee (Change management linked to streamlining clinical trials under the EU Biotech Act)

Type of position:  Trainee
Job Type:  06 May 2026 23:59 CET

Selection procedure reference: EMA/TR/11376 

Deadline for applications: 06 May 2026 23:59 CET 

 

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is a decentralised agency of the European Union (EU), located in Amsterdam. It began operating in 1995. It is responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines in the EU.

 

This traineeship opportunity is now open for applications until 06 May 2026 23:59 CET, with an intake on 1 October 2026.

About the traineeship programme

The Agency is looking for motivated, qualified recent graduates or students on an Erasmus+ or other programme or PhD students or Master's students (who posses a previous degree), who are interested in gaining experience and contribute to the Agency’s work for every patient in Europe. The purpose of a traineeship at the Agency is to perform tasks that are predominantly in the interest of the trainee’s training and principally serve to increase the trainee’s knowledge and to gain relevant experience.

Placement description

We are looking for a trainee in the Clinical Trial Transformation Office.

Specific objectives and projects

During the traineeship, the trainee will work on projects to support the transformation of Europe into a global biotech powerhouse. These changes will require structured change management efforts to ensure organisational readiness, clarity of workflows, and smooth transition for internal and external stakeholders. This traineeship project is designed as a learning‑oriented support initiative, allowing the trainee to gain practical exposure to regulatory change management within a complex public organisation, while contributing in a limited and supervised manner to ongoing preparatory activities.
 
Within a structured learning framework, the trainee will:
 
•Learn about upcoming regulatory and organisational changes by supporting background research and reviewing high‑level documentation related to the EU Biotech Act, CTIS, and ACT EU, in order to understand how legislative initiatives translate into organisational change.
•Develop change‑management skills by assisting with the collection, organisation, and summarisation of information for readiness or impact assessments, as a learning exercise in identifying operational implications and stakeholder needs.
•Gain exposure to change management tools and approaches by contributing, under guidance, to the preparation of draft or illustrative materials (e.g. engagement outlines, training concepts, or transition overviews), without responsibility for final content or decisions.
•Build familiarity with regulatory guidance and internal requirements by supporting reviews of selected guidance, training materials, or procedural documents to identify areas that may require clarification or adaptation, as part of a supervised analytical exercise.
•Develop collaborative working skills by supporting interactions with colleagues and subject‑matter experts, including preparing materials for discussion, consolidating feedback, and observing how technical and policy input is integrated.
•Strengthen drafting and analytical skills by documenting observations, summarising findings, and capturing lessons learned related to organisational change processes, for internal reflection and learning purposes.
 

Learning outcomes

1. Understanding the European Medicines Regulatory Network’s efforts and legislative framework around innovation and streamlining of clinical trials
2. Development and application of effective change management strategies in a complex regulatory environment
3. Understanding the operations of the European Medicines Regulatory Network and its stakeholders
4. Working in an interdisciplinary project team, contributing to its objectives through individual tasks and collaboration
5. Working in a stimulating and international environment

 

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for consideration for this placement, you are required to:

  1. enjoy full rights as a citizen of a European Union Member State or Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway;
  2. possess a university degree in business, change management, communication or policy linked to innovations (minimum of three years or more) that must have been obtained between 6 May 2025 and 6 May 2026 or be a university student on an Erasmus + or a similar programme or a PhD student or a Master's student with a previous fully finished degree in the areas mentioned before (A university degree in clinical trials, medicine/pharmacy could also match if the candidate has also good communication skills).
  3. a thorough knowledge of English (at least level C1) and good knowledge of other official EU language (at least B2) of the Common European Framework for Languages

 

For criteria 1 and 2, you will be required to provide proof in the application form and at the interview stage. Failing to present these documents may result in the disqualification from the procedure.

Additional skills

In addition to the eligibility criteria, you will have:
  • Experience in international environments and networks;
  • Communication skills;
  • Knowledge of Agile methodology.

Behavioural Competencies

You will demonstrate the following behavioural competencies:

  • Communication skills
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Working with others
  • Adaptability
  • Research and analytical skills
  • Learning and development

Conditions of traineeship

The traineeship is offered for 10 months (1 October 2026 – 31 July 2027) and takes place at the Agency’s premises in Amsterdam with possibility for teleworking up to 40% of working time from The Netherlands and occasional teleworking from outside The Netherlands. Traineeships are offered for either full-time or part-time (80% or 50%) if combined with university studies.

The Agency pays a monthly stipend of €2,049.77 for a full-time traineeship (reduced accordingly for 80% or 50%) and a travel contribution upon joining the Agency.

Each trainee will have a mentor at the Agency who will guide the trainee through the programme.

The conditions of employment are stated in the Executive Decision on rules governing the traineeship programme at the EMA available here.

Expected selection timelines

Deadline for applications  06 May 2026 23:59 CET 
Assessments (remote) From mid-June 2026 to mid-July 2026
Decision and offers  By end of July 2026
Placement start  1 October 2026

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Domenico Scarlattilaan 6 - 1083 HS Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Telephone +31 (0)88 781 6000 - Email recruitment@ema.europa.eu

 

© European Medicines Agency, 2024. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

Join us to work for every patient in Europe!

Who we are?

Serving a population of 500 million citizens, we promote and protect public animal health in EU Member States, as well as the countries of the European Economic Area, by ensuring that all medicines available on the EU market are safe, effective and of high quality. 

What do we offer?

  • Meaningful work contributing to protecting the health of every individual and animal in Europe within multinational, multidisciplinary team
  • Development opportunities (e.g. internal mobility, mentoring, peer coaching, career reflection programme, etc.)
  • Work-life balance (flexible working arrangements, teleworking, generous annual leave plus official holidays)

Benefits

(applicable only to Temporary and Contract vacancies) 

  • Initial 5 year contract with competitive monthly tax-free salary and household & children’s allowances (where applicable)
  • Privileges for expatriate staff including expatriation and education allowances (where appropriate) and additional home leave
  • Relocation assistance
  • Excellent  health insurance scheme and social benefits
  • Retirement Pension Plan 

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