Job Opportunities at IES
The Institute for Environment and Sustainability is constantly looking for excellent staff, to whom it offers a stimulating multicultural, multilingual work environment close to European policy-making. IES staff come from all EU Member States and Candidate Countries, bringing their skills and talents to help resolve multidisciplinary challenges in environmental research. Equal opportunities and in particular gender equality in its working environment are guiding principles.
Candidates who wish to pursue a research-oriented career are encouraged to consider the following options:
- Statutory Staff: Permanent Officials, Temporary Agents, Contract Agents;
- Non-statutory Staff: Seconded National Experts, Grantholders, Trainees.
Permanent Officials
The procedure for recruiting permanent officials of the European Commission is based on 'open competitions', which are organised by the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO).
Temporary Agents
In order to satisfy the IES' temporary needs (e.g. posts for which no internal candidates are available), the IES can hire Temporary Agents to perform various specialised and scientific tasks. They are recruited on short-term contracts of maximum 6 years.
If a Directorate-General wants to recruit a Temporary Agent for a highly-specialised job or temporary task, they will send the job notice and the profile of the person they are looking to recruit to the Permanent Representations of the Member States and also publish on the EPSO website. They may also publish the vacancy on their own DG website; so it is worth checking these sites regularly if there is a particular DG for which you would particularly like to work.
You can also apply to become a Temporary Agent by introducing your details into the EU CV online database.
Contract Agents
The IES may hire Contract Agents for Function Groups II, III and IV for a short-term duration of maximum 3 years. Candidates for this type of contract are sourced from lists, prepared by EPSO (European Personnel Selection Office), of those who have passed the EPSO Test for Contract Agents.
The Function Groups are defined as follows:
- Function Group II: Clerical and secretarial tasks, office management and other equivalent tasks.
- Function Group III: Executive tasks, drafting, accountancy and other equivalent technical tasks.
- Function Group IV: Scientific and Technical tasks.
Seconded National Experts
This scheme is applicable to national experts on secondment to the Commission from a national, regional or local public authority, an international civil service, the private sector or the non-profit/voluntary sector. The Seconded National Expert scheme is open to nationals of Member States of the EU and other states as specified in Commission Decision C(2008) 6866 (EN - FR - DE), which lays down rules on the secondment of national experts to the Commission (F).
The expert shall remain in the service of his/her employer throughout the period of secondment and shall continue to be paid by that employer. The Commission shall pay compensation for the extra costs of living and working abroad. The duration of secondment ranges from 6 to 48 months.
The Commission usually recruits Seconded National Experts (SNE) from EU countries via their Permanent Representations to the EU. Therefore, applications for an SNE position can only be made in response to a specific vacancy notice published by the national permanent representations.
Grantholders
In order to increase and reinforce its capacity, the Institute for Environment and Sustainability can launch calls for Grantholders for Doctoral, Post-Doctoral and Senior Research Positions.
The grants aim to develop training and mobility opportunities for researchers throughout their careers and to encourage them to enhance their experience in an international, multicultural and multidisciplinary environment. Applicants for a grantholder position at the IES can apply only in response to a specific call for interest.
Traineeships
In-service training is a period spent at the Joint Research Centre which enables trainees to put into practice the knowledge acquired during their studies and professional careers or to prepare a thesis for a university degree, a Masters or a PhD. This is a unique opportunity to experience the professional world, to gain a first hand experience of the workings of the JRC and the European Commission, and to acquire personal experience in an international, multicultural and multi-linguistic environment.
Applicants for a traineeship at the IES can apply only in response to a specific call for interest.
