Trainee (Optimising assessments in the context of referral procedures)

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 Referrals Office.

Specific objectives and projects

Referral procedures on human medicines can encompass both nationally authorised products and centrally authorised products, as well as marketing authorisation applications. These procedures require EMA to carry out a scientific assessment of the issue referred to it, in relation to a particular medicinal product or class of medicines, or a broader scientific matter, in order to make a recommendation for a harmonised position across the EU. These procedures are rare and complex by nature, and some of them may affect hundreds of medicinal products, with a large volume of data submissions.

To support assessors and committees in their assessment of these procedures, comprehensive guidance for assessors is needed. Building on existing training material, available guidance and templates as well as any new learnings acquired in the context of the assessment of recent procedures, the trainee will develop a dedicated workbook for assessors, clearly detailing the scientific/procedural/regulatory specificities of these procedures depending on their legal basis. To achieve this, the trainee will be expected to liaise with different assessment teams to identify the needs, consider possible ways to streamline workflows to reduce unnecessary complexity, and create further capacity for the Agency and the network.

This activity is part of a larger project that aims at optimising and facilitating the assessment of data gathered by committees and assessors, with a view to strengthening capacity and capability across the EU regulatory and scientific network. This work will contribute to supporting robust regulatory outcomes and the protection of public health.

Learning outcomes

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 pharmacy, medicine or other life science (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

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