Type of contract: Member of the European Commission’s contract staff, Function Group IV (article 3b of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants)

Duration of contract: 36 months (renewable up to maximum 6 years)

Area: Science and research, innovation, social science and policies, behavioural insights.

Place of employment: Brussels (BE)

Indicative basic salary: 4.449,31 - 6.444,59€ (applicable as of 1st of July 2025). For more detailed information please consult: WorkingConditions

We are

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) provides independent, evidence-based knowledge and science, supporting EU policies to positively impact society.

The current vacancy is in Unit EU Policy Lab: Foresight, Design and Behavioural Insights. The Unit is based in Brussels and it is part of the Directorate for Innovation in Science and Policymaking of the JRC which is under the authority of the Director-General.

Our mission is to inform the conception, development and implementation of EU policies with insights from foresight, design for policy and behavioural sciences. At the EU Policy Lab, we provide an experimental, collaborative, transdisciplinary and creative space to explore, connect and solve complex policy challenges. We strive to foster innovation in the policymaking process. The Unit leverages its complementary competences as well as those of other teams in the JRC to anticipate issues requiring EU policy attention, identify issues requiring further analysis, tackle policy issues from different perspectives and apply evidence from behavioural sciences.

The selected candidate will join the Competence Centre on Behavioural Insights (CCBI), helping integrate JRC scientific advice into EU policy -making; notably by collecting, analysing and interpreting behavioural evidence to inform public policy at EU level and contributing to the work of the EU Policy Lab.

We offer:

a dynamic and multidisciplinary work environment in the EU Policy Lab at the forefront of innovation and creativity. Join us for a unique opportunity to support EU policies by integrating scientific advice into policy making mainly through behavioural insights, and also in collaboration with foresight and design.

Our multidisciplinary team values creativity and collaboration, providing you with the opportunity to work alongside experts from diverse fields to craft behavioural insights approaches and methods that influence EU policy making.

We pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace culture that thrives on a creative, innovative, and open-minded approach, integrating diverse knowledge to build collective intelligence.

We propose

The jobholder will play a crucial role in providing JRC scientific advice to policy-making, notably by collecting, analysing and interpreting behavioural evidence to inform public policy at EU level.

Key responsibilities include:

Applying behavioural insights to improve the functioning of the JRC as the European Commission’s in-house science service.
Supporting JRC and other policy Directorate-Generals of the European Commission in applying behavioural insights to specific policy issues.
Bringing a behavioural dimension to activities of the EU Policy Lab, in conjunction with other teams (Foresight, Design for Policy).
Contributing to the provision of training activities, management and promotion of our Communities of Practice, and collaborations with relevant stakeholders.
Supporting and maintaining regular contacts and exchanges with other European Institutions, Member States, third countries, public and/or private international organisations and/or with research institutions and the academic community at large, in the area of behavioural sciences and at the interface between science and policy.
Promoting the merits of the behavioural approach to policy-making at the European Commission and with national and regional authorities.
Organising meetings, workshops and conferences with stakeholders on the application of behavioural insights to policy-making.
Collecting, analysing and interpreting behavioural evidence to generate policy-relevant behavioural insights.
Contributing to exploratory and policy-relevant behavioural research.

We look for

We are looking for a motivated and competent candidate to join the Competence Centre on Behavioural Insights of the JRC EU Policy Lab as a Policy Analyst and who meets the following requirements:

Essential:

A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in developing and synthesising behavioural evidence in policymaking;
University master’s degree, preferably in social sciences (e.g., economics, psychology, sociology, anthropology);
A strong understanding and knowledge of behavioural insights in a policymaking context;
Knowledge of quantitative research methods, including experimental methods, and experience with data analysis;
A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in conceiving and conducting behavioural or experimental studies;
Very good communication skills, and ability to communicate science and technical or specialised information to different audiences in an effective way;
Excellent knowledge of English (C1 level) with good drafting and presentation skills;
The ability to work in a team and to deal with tight deadlines.

Desirable:

Experience in project management;
Experience in designing and implementing (national or cross-country) field trials;
PhD in a relevant behavioural field;
A track record of publications in behavioural sciences;
Experience in using AI.

How to apply

If you are already on a valid CAST FG IV reserve list , or you have already applied to one of the calls below , you can directly submit your application at .

If not, before applying to this position, you must register for one of the two following:

the Call for Expressions of Interest | EU Careers (europa.eu) (CAST Permanent FG IV), which is used by a wide range of organisations (institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the European Union), or
the specialised call for researchers (JRC Call COM/1/2015/GFIV -Research), which is mainly used by the JRC.

Note that each of the calls above has different minimum eligibility requirements and different selection tests .