Come join the EU-OSHA within its Liaison Office based in Brussels.

We are a dynamic Agency of the European Union based in Bilbao (Spain) with 65 staff members dedicated to promoting safe, healthy, and productive workplaces through technical, scientific, and economic information that supports policy-making and workplace risk prevention.

In our vibrant and respectful environment, we foster meaningful learning and development experience for our trainees by involving them in daily and project work, under the responsibility of a supervisor. Learning by doing and learning from others are at the root of your future paid traineeship experience!

Apply to this call and get the chance to take part in high level meetings and events, learn about occupational safety and health policy, impact of AI and digitalisation on the world of work, mental health, and many other topics!

The interviews will tentatively take place between the end of May and the beginning of June 2025, for a starting date in September 2025.

TRAINEESHIP DESCRIPTION

The Brussels Liaison Office is represented by a BLO Manager with whom the selected trainee will closely work.

The BLO Manager is responsible for relations with the EU institutions, including the European Commission, European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Economic and Social Committee. The BLO Manager promotes the work of the Agency, working closely with key stakeholders such as the European Social Partners and their activities within the European Social Dialogue framework.

We are seeking a highly motivated and proactive trainee to join our Brussels Liaison Office. This is a unique opportunity to work directly with the BLO Manager in a dynamic, hands-on environment. While our office is small with only a staff member and the trainee, there is regular communication with our colleagues in Bilbao, and the office is located within DG EMPL alongside with other EU Agencies, providing a unique opportunity for collaboration, networking, and exposure to a wider European public sector environment.

Under the supervision of our BLO Manager, the trainee will carry out the following tasks:

Supporting the daily operations of the Brussels Liaison Office, including interacting with the public, handling inquiries, managing phone and email correspondence, and assisting with various administrative duties.
Monitoring and reporting on key developments in EU institutions and policies.
Conducting research and preparing briefings to support meetings.
Attending meetings with the EU institutions, EU Social Partners, professional associations and network events, taking minutes and drafting summaries to capture key outcomes.
Identifying and researching potential actors and organizations relevant to our campaigns and events, and assisting with the organization of key activities in Brussels, including partner meetings, launches, media events, and campaign initiatives.
Regular and systematic liaison with the Bilbao-based colleagues.

TRAINEESHIP OVERALL SCOPE

The EU-OSHA traineeship programme is addressed to young university graduates, without excluding those who in the framework of lifelong learning have recently obtained a university diploma and are at the beginning of a new professional career.

The aims of the traineeship at EU-OSHA are:

To provide trainees an understanding of the objectives and activities of the Agency.
To enable trainees to acquire practical experience and knowledge of the day-to-day work of EU-OSHA. To provide the opportunity to benefit from a learning experience within a diverse, multi-cultural, and multi-linguistic environment, contributing to the development of mutual understanding, trust and tolerance.
To enable trainees to put into practice knowledge acquired during their studies, and in particular in their specific areas of competence. To introduce these graduates to the professional world and the constraints, duties and opportunities therein.

For detailed information on the EU-OSHA traineeship programme, applicants are advised to read carefully the Rules Governing the EU-OSHA Traineeship Programme.

TRAINEESHIP DURATION

Traineeship agreements are initially offered for a period of six months with the option for extension for up to six more months.

Traineeship agreements begin on the 1st or the 16th of the month.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be considered eligible, applicants must satisfy all of the following requirements on the closing date for submission of applications.

Nationality: be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union and Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein (parties of the EEA agreement)
University diploma: have completed the first cycle of a higher education course (i.e. university education of minimum 3 years duration) and obtained a full degree or its equivalent by the closing date for applications.
Languages: in order for the trainees to fully profit from the traineeship and to be able to follow meetings and perform adequately, applicants from Member States of the European Union must have very good knowledge of at least two official languages of the European Union, of which one must be English, as English is the main vehicular language within EU-OSHA; applicants from Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein must have very good knowledge of English, as English is the main vehicular language within EU-OSHA.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Candidates must submit their application through the Agency eRecruitment tool by no later than Tuesday 29/04/2025 at 13h00, Bilbao time.

Candidates are requested to send their application in English.

Candidates can check the status of their application within the eRecruitment tool and the main steps of the selection procedure on the website.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

EU-OSHA makes its selection of trainees on the basis of the applications received as per this call.

Candidates are screened on the basis of educational background, qualifications, competences, and motivation by at least two members of staff (Heads of Unit and/or delegated colleague(s)). Applications that best meet these criteria will then be further reviewed to ensure they meet all required eligibility criteria listed under point 4 above, with support from the HR Section.

Short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview (remotely) in order to check their competences, motivation, availability, language skills, and to discuss reciprocal expectations.

At the end of the process, the Heads of Unit and/or delegated colleague(s) establish a shortlist with the most suitable candidates to be proposed to the Executive Director. The Executive Director will take the final decision on the traineeship agreement(s) to be offered.

All candidates having participated to an interview will be informed about the outcome by the HR Section.

REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO THE START OF TRAINEESHIP

Successful candidates receiving and accepting the traineeship offer need to provide supporting documents and certificates required by HR Section within the indicated deadline.

Before the traineeship agreement is signed and thus before commencement of the traineeship, they are required to provide the following documents:

A proof of nationality;
A photocopy of all diplomas, academic qualifications/degrees obtained. For ongoing studies, an official declaration from the relevant university must be provided;
A photocopy of employment certificates, if applicable;
An excerpt from the police record;
A medical certificate confirming that they are “fit to work”;
A statement indicating whether they are gainfully employed;
A statement indicating whether they are in receipt of a grant or allowance from another source and if so, the amount of these grants or allowances;
A photocopy of health and accident insurance for the duration of the traineeship (EU insurance card is a common use). Sickness and accident insurance is mandatory. Trainees are responsible for organising their own insurance against accidents along with health cover and any insurance required for themselves and family members (where applicable) for the duration of their traineeship.

Trainees must not have any professional connections with third parties which might be incompatible with their traineeship (i.e. must not work for lobbyists, legal attaches, etc.), and they are not permitted to exercise any other gainful employment during the period of the traineeship which may adversely affect the work assigned during the traineeship.

Only once the above has been ascertained and once all requested documents have been received can a traineeship agreement be confirmed.

BASIC ALLOWANCE AND REIMBURSEMENT

Trainees are awarded a monthly allowance set on a yearly basis and subject to an annual revision. Currently, a trainee allowance is at 1.493,36 EUR/ month.

Upon presentation of the proper justification, disabled trainees may receive a supplement to their allowance equal to a maximum of 50% of the amount of the allowance. HR Section may consult the Agency’s medical services if necessary.

Trainees whose address (as, in principle, indicated in their application form) at the beginning of the traineeship is more than 50 km from the place of traineeship are entitled to a reimbursement of the travel expenses incurred at the beginning and end of the traineeship.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

EU-OSHA is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from all candidates who fulfil the eligibility criteria and are interested in the traineeship. EU-OSHA is committed to accommodating the needs of applicants and selected candidates who may have special requirements (e.g. for reasons of disability). EU-OSHA ensures that its selection procedure does not discriminate on the grounds of gender, colour, racial, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, nationality, age, sexual orientation or gender identity.