Traineeships 2026 - Legal team

Introduction

Global Health EDCTP3 is organising a call for expression of interest for trainees in the Legal team, for the Autumn session starting in October 2026.

About Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking

The Global Health European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership 3 Joint Undertaking (Global Health EDCTP3 JU) is a partnership between the European Union and the EDCTP Association, uniting over 40 African and European countries.

The JU tackles global health challenges in sub-Saharan Africa by supporting collaborative research and activities to develop new medicines, vaccines and diagnostics that can save lives across sub-Saharan Africa and around the world.

Traineeship programme

The programme gives trainees an understanding of the Joint Undertakings and their role within the activities of the European Union, as well as enables them to acquire practical knowledge and professional experience in the field of the JU.

The trainee will have an opportunity to:

• Acquire practical experience and knowledge of the day-to-day work of an EU organisation.
• Work in a diverse, multi-cultural, and multi-linguistic environment, contributing to the development of mutual understanding, trust and tolerance.
• Put into practice knowledge acquired during their studies, particularly in their specific areas of competence.

From this experience the trainee will gain ability to work effectively in a multinational/multicultural and complex environment; accuracy and attention to detail; very good organisational and communication skills; report preparation and writing skills; web-tool/database management skills; time management.

Job description

With the guidance of a supervisor, the trainees will work with colleagues in the following areas that support institutional objectives including:

• Support the Legal Officers in their daily activities, gaining practical insight into legal and administrative processes;
• Provide assistance in data protection activities, including supporting the drafting and updating of Data Protection Notices (DPNs), assisting with the maintenance of the Data Protection Register, and supporting the Data Protection Officer (DPO) in day-to-day tasks;
• Act as a contact point for communication with the data protection contractor under supervision;
• Conduct legal research and contribute to legal analysis, including preparing first drafts of internal guidance and background notes;
• Support Legal Officers in activities related to cooperation with contributing partners, including answering emails for legal matters and revising and commenting on the funding agreement;
• Support Legal Officers in activities related to grant management, including checking eligibility, contributions, and annexes;
• Perform administrative and organisational tasks, such as drafting emails and correspondence, preparing and organizing files and folders, ensuring timely follow-up, quality checking templates, and managing the Data Protection functional mailbox.

The successful candidates may be required to undertake other tasks and activities in the interest of the service.

Eligibility criteria

• Be a national of a member state of the European Union or of a country member of the EDCTP Association and participating in the Global Health EDCTP3 programme;
• Have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three (3) years attested by a diploma or on-going post-university studies;
• Have a thorough knowledge of one of the official EU languages and a satisfactory knowledge (at least B2 level) of another of these languages to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties;
• Have not previously undertaken for more than six (6) weeks a paid or unpaid traineeship or any kind of employment in another EU institution, Agency, or body.

Candidates should clearly specify each criterion (nationality, diploma, and languages) in their application.

Failure to mention any of the eligibility criteria in the applicant’s application will result in the disqualification of the applicant.

Selection criteria

Eligible candidates will be considered for the selection phase on the basis of the following criteria, to be fulfilled by the closing date of applications:

Essential qualifications

• A very good command of oral and written English (at least C1 level)
• University degree or master’s in Law, European Law, International Law, or another relevant legal discipline;
• Proficiency in MS Office in particular, Word processing, Excel spreadsheets, Outlook, PowerPoint.

Advantageous criteria

• Professional experience or project development related to the traineeship tasks;
• Knowledge of EU law, procurement or grant-related legal frameworks, data protection regulations.

Behavioural competences

• Growth mindset;
• Ability to manage priorities and multi-task;
• Attention to detail;
• Analytical capabilities;
• Customer service-oriented approach;
• Interpersonal and collaboration skills: ability to listen and create goodwill, work in a team.

Conditions of employment

Admission to a traineeship does not confer on trainees the status of temporary agents or other servants of the European Union nor does it entail any right or priority with regard to future engagement in the JU. Trainees cannot benefit from any privileges and immunities granted by the host country to temporary agents or other servants of the Global Health EDCTP3/CBE JU.

The traineeship is offered for a 6-month period with the option for extension for a period up to six (6) months, upon justification by the Head of Administration and Finance Unit and budget availability.

The grant shall amount to 25% of the monthly basic salary of an official in grade AD 5, step 1 (EUR 1.539,16 per month).

Grants paid to trainees are not subject to the special tax regulations applying to officials and other servants of the European Union. Trainees themselves are solely responsible for the payment of any taxes resulting of their traineeship contract by virtue of the laws in force in their respective countries.

Recruited trainees are entitled to receive a contribution to public transport in accordance with the rules as set out in the contribution scheme to public transportation for the JU.

Trainees are entitled to a reimbursement of travel expenses incurred:

• At the beginning of the traineeship: from the place of recruitment to the place of traineeship;
• At the end of the traineeship: from the place of the traineeship to the place of recruitment.

Health and accident insurance is mandatory. Trainees shall be responsible for organising their own insurance against accident along with health cover and any insurance required for family members for the duration of the traineeship. Trainees should submit to the JUs a copy of the insurance concluded within maximum two (2) weeks from the start of the traineeship.

Independence and declaration of interest

The successful candidate will be required to make a declaration of their commitment to act independently in the public interest and to make a declaration in relation to interests that might be considered prejudicial to his/her independence.

Protection of personal data

All personal data provided by applicants will be dealt with in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data.