Are you an experienced scientist with a background in the area food and feed innovations including emerging technologies, and are you interested in applying your skills to engage with internal projects, external EU research activities and science to policy developments?
A Senior Science Coordinator is needed to work in the fields of innovative food/feed products (e.g. cell-based foods) /emerging technologies, and to provide guidance in approaches that the Agency should follow in its future risk assessment work within these areas.
The Senior Science Coordinator will work in the Chief Scientist Office, which provides strategic leadership and expertise to achieve EFSA’s scientific strategic goals. This person will also work closely with some of EFSA scientific units in the different regulatory tasks these units perform.
If you are looking for an interesting and challenging opportunity in a European regulatory science driven organization, do not hesitate and send us your application today!
Your key responsibilities
The successful candidate will:
• Collect and analyze data, policies and strategies on food and feed innovations, novel food and feed products, new emerging processing food and feed technologies, and new packaging technologies to identify challenges/barriers/gaps that may impact both the data requirements and methodologies for risk assessment (e.g. newly identified hazards, unexpected exposure to vulnerable subgroups of the population etc.).
• Work with other scientists across EFSA to understand the risk assessment process and leverage their expertise, identifying gaps in current methodology and facilitating the development and integration of innovative tools and approaches in the light of evolving science.
• Scan the ecosystem, interpret trends and signals in this area to anticipate regulatory scientific challenges and needs, and prepare recommendations on which data, tools, methodologies or approaches need to be available at EFSA to receive and evaluate such applications, under a One Health approach.
• Contribute to connect EFSA activities to the research and innovation networks and activities across Europe and internationally together with EFSA´s Scientific Units. This work can include developing documents by framing issues and solutions holistically in regulatory science, in line with EU policies related to sustainable food systems, global health, etc.
• Strengthen EFSA’s capacity to influence, build and participate in the research agendas for the coming years both on Horizon Europe, the upcoming design of the 10th Framework Programme, and other relevant national and international activities. This will include also a strong engagement in activities linked to science to policy translation.
• Foster collaborations with EU Agencies and Commission Services, as well as Member States institutions, to identify areas of common interest, and help ensure that research project outcomes e.g. the tools, methods and approaches may be used within the work of the Authority.
WHY EFSA?
You will play an active role in an organisation that makes a difference to the lives of 445 million EU citizens.
EFSA employs over 565 staff members, and its Scientific Committee and Panels engage highly qualified and independent scientific experts. Every position within EFSA plays an important part in creating an inspirational environment in which to work and develop.
EFSA’s standards and values are driven by ethics and integrity and all staff is expected to act in a manner consistent with its principles, including fairness, transparency and impartiality in work practices and conduct towards other people.EFSA is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all suitably qualified candidates without any distinction on grounds of age, gender, sexual orientation, impairment and disability, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief. All EFSA staff is committed to creating an open and inclusive environment.
As an EFSA staff member, you will have the chance to make a difference to European food safety working in an international and dynamic environment. You will also be able to participate in several valuable networking opportunities across Europe.
You will be joining EFSA at an exciting time as we are implementing the EFSA Strategy 2027, aligned with the Transparency Regulation, which increased EFSA’s responsibilities towards EU citizens. The following are the objectives of the Strategy 2027.
1. Deliver trustworthy scientific advice and communication of risks from farm to fork.
2. Ensure preparedness for future risk analysis needs.
3. Empower people and ensure organisational agility.
WHAT CAN WE OFFER YOU?
Salary and benefits
EFSA can offer the selected candidate a contract of 5 years with the possibility of renewal. If renewed for a second time, the contract will be for an indefinite period. The successful candidate will be recruited as Temporary Agent Grade AD8 with the basic salary starting from € 7.898 monthly, subject to an annual review of remuneration provided for in Article 64 and Article 65(1) of the Staff Regulations. In addition to the basic salary, EFSA offers a range of benefits:
- Various allowances to which the successful jobholder may be entitled, such as a household allowance, expatriation allowance (16% of basic salary), dependent child allowance and education allowance. The salary is subject to a Community tax deducted at source and staff members are exempt from national taxation.
- Wide range of leaves (e.g. annual leave, parental leave, public holidays) and flexible working hours. Besides working in EFSA’s modern headquarters located in the heart of Parma, staff members are also offered the possibility to telework.
- A comprehensive welfare package including pension scheme, medical, accident and occupational disease insurance coverage, unemployment and invalidity allowance, and travel insurance.
WHAT ARE THE SELECTION REQUIREMENTS?
You must satisfy the following requirements on the closing date for submission of your application:
I. Eligibility criteria
1. General requirements
• Be national of a Member State of the European Union, Iceland or Norway;
• Enjoy full rights as a citizen;
• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by laws concerning military service;
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post;[1]
• Have a thorough knowledge of one of the EU official languages and a satisfactory knowledge of another EU language;• Meet the character requirements for the duties involved.
2. Qualifications
a) A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least four (4) years attested by a diploma[2]
OR b) A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three (3) years attested by a diploma[2] and in addition at least one (1) year of professional experience.
3. Experience
In addition to the above, at least nine (9) years of proven professional experience[3] acquired after having obtained the qualifications mentioned in point 2. In case you do not fulfill all the eligibility criteria, your application will not be taken into consideration.
II. Selection criteria The following competencies will be assessed throughout the different phases of the selection procedure. Candidates are also expected to demonstrate effective communication in both spoken and written English as well as strong motivation for the position.
Technical competencies
i. At least 9 years of professional experience as a scientist in the areas of food and nutrition, novel foods or feed products, food science or biotechnology (or related areas), preferably with demonstrated experience in the fields of regulatory sciences (e.g. risk assessments).
ii. Experience in drafting clear, concise and structured scientific reports, publications, opinions and guidance documents using appropriate scientific terminology.
iii. Experience in identifying and collaborating with key internal and external stakeholders in the field of innovative food/feed products and emerging technologies and experience in scientific networking.
iv. Experience in detecting the latest scientific trends and translate them in scientific strategies, policies and priorities.
v. Experience in communicating scientific outputs to different target audiences, conveying technical scientific concepts to internal and external stakeholders (both orally and in writing) and make them understandable to the target audience.
vi. Experience in managing scientific projects, ensuring on-time delivery of project outputs.
2. Behavioural competencies
i. Deal with ambiguity: Able to work constructively within unexpected and unpredictable situations and show resilience and composure, even in difficult or adverse circumstances; able to decide and act without having the total picture; accept constructive feedback in a positive manner;
ii. Demonstrate political savvy and strategic agility: Look beyond the current situation and visualise what the future can bring with a keen sense for arising opportunities and good understanding of how and when to best pursue them; able to think in a creative and innovative way;