Trainee (Information Centre - Increasing EMA's knowledge base to support its public health work)

Selection procedure reference: EMA/TR/11539 Deadline for applications: 30 September 2026 23:59 CEST

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is a decentralised agency of the European Union (EU), located in Amsterdam. It began operating in 1995. It is responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines in the EU.

This traineeship opportunity is now open for applications until 30 September 2026 23:59 CEST, with an intake on 1 March 2027.

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 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 Information Centre (library).

Specific objectives and projects The traineeship will focus on analysing how the landscape of scientific publishing is evolving and what this means for accessing and using medical and health‑related information. As publication formats and discovery tools change, the trainee will explore how information retrieval practices can be improved to strengthen digital scientific literacy across EMA. The trainee will further progress the ongoing investigation into emerging methods and technologies—particularly AI‑enabled tools—that support more efficient discovery, interpretation, and use of scientific literature. The goal is to identify opportunities to enhance how EMA staff navigate an increasingly complex information environment.

In addition, the trainee will contribute to enhancing the visibility and strategic positioning of the InfoCentre. This includes supporting the roll‑out of new elements of the InfoCentre strategy, helping to communicate its services more effectively, and identifying opportunities to strengthen engagement with staff across the Agency.

Overall, this traineeship offers the opportunity to help shape how the InfoCentre responds to a shifting scientific information environment, promotes digital scientific literacy, and continues to evolve its role as a key knowledge hub within EMA.

Learning outcomes Unique learning opportunity for an information science/librarian graduate:

• Gain knowledge of innovative literature resources, information services and tools including electronic databases, online subscriptions and related management software available in the field of medicine, life sciences and regulatory science

• Increase knowledge management skills in the field of library and information science

• Gain experience in a customer-oriented information service within an Agency of the European Union

• Improve soft and practical skills while gaining insights into collection management, cataloguing, conducting literature searches, performing document delivery and delivering live presentations

Eligibility criteria To be eligible for consideration for this placement, you are required to:

• enjoy full rights as a citizen of a European Union Member State or Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway;

• possess a relevant university degree (minimum of three years or more) in Library and Information Science or similar, that must have been obtained between 30 September 2025 and 30 September 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.

• 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.

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 March 2027 – 31 December 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

Expected selection timelines Deadline for applications 30 September 2026 23:59 CEST

Assessments (remote) From mid-October 2026 to mid-November 2026

Decision and offers By end of December 2026

Placement start 1 March 2027

______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Domenico Scarlattilaan 6 - 1083 HS Amsterdam - The Netherlands Telephone +31 (0)88 781 6000 - Email recruitment@ema.europa.eu

Join us to work for every patient in Europe!

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 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)

Benefits

(applicable only to Temporary Agent and Contract Agent vacancies)

• In principle, initial 5 year renewable contract with competitive monthly national tax-free salary and household & children’s allowances (where applicable).
• Privileges including expatriation (for expatriate staff) and education allowances (where appropriate) and additional home leave.
• Relocation assistance.
• Excellent health insurance scheme and social benefits.
• Retirement Pension Plan.