Trainee (Data Governance at the EMA)

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

Selection procedure reference: EMA/TR/11379 

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 Data Governance and Analytics Office.

Specific objectives and projects

This traineeship takes place within the Data Governance Core team at TDA- Data Governance and Analytics.
 
The Network Data Steering Group Data Strategy and EMA Data Strategy translate into various actions to drive Data Governance to a higher level of maturity at EMA. This results in making the data assets that EMA holds more findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable.
 
1. The EMA Data Catalogue contains all the Data Assets held by EMA. The trainee will support:
a. The transfer of metadata into the Data Governance Tool.
b. Data lineage mapping
c. The creation and enhancement of Data Products (e.g. dashboards for colleagues that help monitor activities such as data quality monitoring).
d. Data quality monitoring and improvement activities.
 
2. The maturation of key Data Governance strategy elements is essential for the Agency. The trainee will:
a. Contribute to the evaluation of the maturity assessment approach.
b. Collect input on requirements from Data Strategy Area leads
c. Support Data Owners and Data Stewards to perform and document maturity assessments for their data assets
 
3. An EMA data community was established in 2025, to allow Data Owners and Data Stewards to exchange views and experiences. The trainee will support activities related to the EMA data community.

Learning outcomes

• Understand data governance in EU administration and the role and remit of EMA in the network of EU medicines agencies
• Understand elements and methodology for establishing successful data governance in a multicultural organisation with many stakeholders
• Understand project management and the role of change management for the success of a business change
• Gain practical skills in effective planning and engagement in a multicultural environment
• Understand the relationship between data management organisational design, roles, delegation and responsibilities
• Gain practical skills in communication related to Data Governance
 

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 Life sciences, Data science and/or Public administration (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.
  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

• Experience in data governance or other parts of data management
• Understanding of organisation design
• Knowledge and/or experience in using digital tools to develop training and or communication plans or materials (change management)
• Organisation skills
• Creative, analytical and logical mindset

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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