Trainee (Supply chain vulnerability assessment)

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

Traineeship: Supply chain vulnerability assessment

We are looking for a trainee in the Supply and Availability of Medicines and Devices Office.

Specific objectives and projects

During your traineeship in the Supply and Availability of Medicines and Devices team, you will:

1. Coordinate supply chain vulnerability assessments for critical medicines under the Executive Steering Group on Shortages and Safety of Medicinal Products, in preparation for implementation of the proposed pharmaceutical legislation and the Critical Medicines Act.

2. Conduct a comparative analysis of how supply chain vulnerabilities are identified in other jurisdictions, including the responsible entities (e.g., indicators, data sources, frequency and granularity of analysis), and how this could be used to optimise the methodology and complement information gathered under MSSG.

3. Gather policy insights on international approaches, including legislative measures, to reshore medicines manufacturing to inform MSSG recommendations.

Learning outcomes

The trainee will acquire knowledge of the activities of the European Medicines Agency and the European Medicines Regulatory Network, focusing on:

• Availability and security of supply of medicines

• Implementation of EU legislation

• Understanding EU actions in the broader global context

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 or health data (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

Additional skills

In addition to the eligibility criteria, you will have:

• Training in or knowledge of the EU regulatory framework for pharmaceuticals

• Data analysis

• Pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply chains

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.

What 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)