Selection procedure reference: EMA/TR/11358
Deadline for applications: 06 May 2026 23:59 CET
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 06 May 2026 23:59 CET, with an intake on 1 October 2026.
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 posses a previous degree), 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 two trainees in the Process Management Office.
Specific objectives and projects
Context:
In December 2025, an agreement was reached on an ambitious reform of the current EU Pharmaceutical legislation aiming to make the EU pharmaceutical framework more competitive: the New Pharmaceutical Legislation (NPL). Before the NPL becomes fully applicable, many processes managed by the Agency will need to be adapted during the transition period, particularly within the Human Medicines Division, which runs processes related to the lifecycle of human medicines, including scientific advice, marketing authorisation applications and variations.In this context, the Process Management Office supports the implementation of process changes affecting the Human Medicines Division and is looking for two enthusiastic trainees to contribute to this project by analysing the gap between current internal and external process documentation, guidelines and information, and the requirements of the NPL, with the aim of drafting proposals for optimisation.
Project description:
The project focuses on conducting a research-driven analysis and optimisation of current process documentation in line with the New EU Pharmaceutical Legislation reform. It also aims to ensure consistency, accessibility and alignment between internal guidelines for Agency staff and external information disseminated to industry stakeholders and National Competent Authorities (NCAs) through the Agency's websites, guidelines and communication channels.The trainees will develop recommendations and practical tools to improve documentation and communication processes. This will support the Agency's implementation of the legislation while enhancing transparency and efficiency for stakeholders.
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Trainee activities:
The trainees will:
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Analyse the implications of the New EU Pharmaceutical Legislation for documentation requirements and propose improvements, including templates, visual aids or digital optimisation solutions.
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Conduct research on best practices in regulatory documentation management, stakeholder communication strategies and knowledge-sharing approaches used by other EU regulatory bodies.
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Perform mapping and gap analysis of existing internal process documentation versus public-facing information on websites and guidelines, identifying inconsistencies, redundancies and opportunities for optimisation.
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Investigate stakeholder needs (e.g. through review of feedback, surveys or literature) regarding documentation clarity and accessibility for industry and NCAs.
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Collaborate on the development of an optimised documentation framework and communication processes, including pilot testing of updates where appropriate.
Expected outputs:
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Proposed optimised documentation framework, including templates, guidelines and recommendations for alignment between internal and external resources.
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A set of prioritised improvement proposals with an implementation roadmap presented to the team.
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Drafting materials such as updated website content or training overviews for internal use.
Learning outcomes
Trainees will gain valuable hands-on exposure to EU pharmaceutical regulatory processes, the implementation of major legislative reforms and multi-stakeholder communication in a public-health context. They will develop skills in research methodology, process analysis, documentation optimisation, regulatory writing, and cross-functional collaboration; all highly relevant for careers in regulatory affairs, health policy, or knowledge management.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for consideration for this placement, you are required to:
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enjoy full rights as a citizen of a European Union Member State or Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway;
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possess a scientific degree in phamacy/chemistry or any other life science (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.
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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.
Additional skills
Experience in regulatory affairs and/or quality assurance.
Behavioural Competencies
You will demonstrate the following behavioural competencies:
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.
The conditions of employment are stated in the Executive Decision on rules governing the traineeship programme at the EMA available here .
Expected selection timelines
Deadline for applications
06 May 2026 23:59 CET
Assessments (remote)
From mid-June 2026 to mid-July 2026
Decision and offers
By end of July 2026
Placement start
1 October 2026
Domenico Scarlattilaan 6 - 1083 HS Amsterdam - The Netherlands
Telephone +31 (0)88 781 6000 - Email recruitment@ema.europa.eu
© European Medicines Agency, 2024. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.