Trainee (Institutional and Policy department)

This traineeship opportunity is for a Trainee (Institutional and Policy department) at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in Amsterdam, a decentralised agency of the European Union (EU) responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines in the EU.

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.

About the traineeship programme

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is looking for motivated, qualified recent graduates or students on an Erasmus+ or other programme, or PhD students or Master’s students (who possess a previous degree), who are interested in gaining experience and contributing to the Agency’s work for every patient in Europe.

Placement description

We are looking for a trainee in the Institutional and Policy Department.

Specific objectives and projects

The selected trainee will contribute to activities related to EMA’s institutional relations and policy work, including:

• Collecting information and contributing to the preparation of background briefings for EMA’s interactions with EU institutions
• Contributing to the preparation of visits of senior-level representatives of EU institutions and EU agencies to EMA
• Monitoring and summarising initiatives and discussions at EU institutions relevant to EMA’s work
• Contributing to the Department’s tracking and analysis of new EU legislation relevant to EMA
• Contributing to the preparation of Management Board meetings
• Supporting activities of the Management Board Secretariat
• Contributing to the preparation of EMA’s participation in Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA) meetings
• Contributing to the preparation of visits of heads of national medicines agencies and Member State ambassadors to EMA
• Contributing to the preparation or revision of EMA policies and related guidance documents

Learning outcomes

The trainee is expected to:

• Develop knowledge of the EU regulatory framework applicable to EMA
• Learn more about the Agency’s cooperation with EU institutions and EU agencies
• Increase knowledge of new EU legal proposals relevant to EMA that are going through the legislative process
• Gain knowledge of EMA’s cooperation with national medicines agencies
• Gain experience in organising senior-level meetings (e.g. Management Board meetings, institutional visits)
• Gain experience working in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment

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 public administration, political or social sciences (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. Have 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

• Good understanding and knowledge of one or more of the key EMA institutional stakeholders, e.g. EU Institutions and EU Agencies, National Competent Authorities
• Knowledge of the EU regulatory framework for pharmaceuticals, EU health policies and administrative procedures relevant to the activities described
• Good understanding of the EU and national political environment
• Experience in working in or with EU institutions, EU Agencies or national medicines agencies
• Excellent command of English
• Excellent analytical and communication 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.

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 a 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)

recruitment@ema.europa.eu