Trainee (International Collaboration in medicine shortages)

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 Regulatory Science and Innovation Task Force.

Specific objectives and projects

EMA is a member of the Drug Shortages Global Regulatory Working Group, an international forum of medicine regulators and the World Health Organization.

The group shares information about shortages of medicines with a global impact and the actions taken in each jurisdiction to prevent, monitor and mitigate the impacts of these shortages. In addition, relevant policy measures and best practices to address shortages are discussed.

The selected trainee will be involved in a project that will focus on the establishment of a best practice document on global drug shortage mitigation strategies. Therefore the trainee will engage with European Union/European Economic Area authorities and international regulatory authorities, and gather, analyse and compile relevant information. To inform the best practice document, the trainee will support a drug utilsation study. Relevant activities will include the analysis of study results and further integration of other relevant information, e.g. shortages data. The trainee will present results to the Global Regulatory Working Group and other relevant fora.

Learning outcomes

During this traineeship, you will acquire knowledge of:

• activities of the European Medicines Agency, the European Medicines Regulatory Network and on international cooperation in the context of shortages of medicinal products. 
• In addition, an understanding of activities related to the prevention and mitigation of shortages in the EU/EEA and internationally will be gained. Through the participation in meetings with international regulatory agencies and European regulatory agencies for medicinal products the trainee will acquire knowledge in international and European relations.

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 Health related Sciences (minimum of three years or more) that must have been obtained between 6 May 2024 and 6 May 2025 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

In addition to the eligibility criteria, it will be an advantage to have:

• Training in or knowledge of the EU or international regulatory framework for pharmaceuticals; Experience in scientific writing

Behavioural Competencies

You will demonstrate the following behavioural competencies:

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

Expected selection timelines

Conditions of traineeship

The traineeship is offered for 10 months (1 October 2025 – 31 July 2026) 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 €1,942.19 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.