AD8

AD8 EU Jobs - 10 Open Positions

Administrator grade - policy development, management, and specialist positions

10 open positions €8,911 - €10,083/month

Salary band

EUR 6767-7461 /month

Basic gross salary band, before allowances (expatriation, household, dependent-child) and the country correction coefficient. Use the salary calculator to estimate net pay.

Current vacancies

10 open at AD8

Live vacancies refreshed daily from every EU institution and agency we track. Jump to AD8 vacancies.

Career path: AD vs AST vs FG

AD8 is an Administrator (AD) grade, covering policy development, legislative drafting, management, and senior specialist roles across the EU institutions. By contrast, AST grades (AST1-AST11) cover technical and administrative assistants, AST/SC grades cover secretarial and clerical support, and FG grades (FG I-IV) are Contract Agent fixed-term roles. AD careers run from AD5 (entry) to AD16 (Director-General).

AD8 Salary in 2026: Step by Step

Basic monthly salary for AD8 under Annex I of the EU Staff Regulations. Every two years of service moves you up one step automatically (Article 44). The net estimate deducts EU community tax, pension, sickness insurance and the solidarity levy at a flat ~25%; actual net varies with allowances and family situation.

Step Gross salary (EUR/month) Est. net (~75%)
Step 1 €8,911 €6,684
Step 2 €9,286 €6,964
Step 3 €9,676 €7,257
Step 4 €9,945 €7,459
Step 5 €10,083 €7,562

On top of basic salary, staff may receive the 16% expatriation allowance, household and dependent-child allowances, and the country correction coefficient adjusts pay outside Brussels. See the full EU salary tables or estimate your own net pay with the salary calculator.

About AD8 positions, requirements, and career path

What is a AD8 Position?

AD8 is a mid-career Administrator grade frequently held by experienced policy officers, senior legal officers, project coordinators, and senior specialists at EU agencies. AD8 staff manage complex files end-to-end, supervise junior administrators on a task basis without formal hierarchical responsibility, and act as the institution's lead negotiator in technical working groups. The current AD8 basic monthly salary ranges from approximately EUR 6,767 to EUR 7,461 gross per month, before the expatriation allowance and dependant allowances. Many EU agency direct-recruitment notices specifically target AD8 candidates for roles that need substantial experience but do not yet involve people management.

How to Get a AD8 Position

AD8 is typically reached through internal promotion from AD7 after three to four years of strong appraisals, or through direct external recruitment by EU agencies. External recruitment at AD8 requires at least nine years of relevant post-graduate professional experience, often supplemented by a specialist qualification (bar admission, professional accountancy, PhD in a relevant scientific discipline). EPSO specialist competitions are occasionally organised at AD7 with the possibility of classification at AD8 depending on experience. The CAST Permanent process is not used at AD8 level; contract agent equivalents stay within FG IV.

AD8 Career Progression

From AD8, the next step is AD9, typically reached after three to four years. AD9 is often the grade at which officials first become eligible to apply for formal head-of-unit selection procedures at smaller agencies and decentralised bodies. AD8 staff can also apply for postings as Member of Cabinet, secondment to a member-state government, or a tour of duty in an EU Delegation. The Bluebook traineeship coordinator and EPSO competition managers are typically AD8 positions inside the Commission's HR DG. See /grades/ad9/ for the next grade up.

Requirements

A completed university degree (at least three years, four years for some specialist roles) plus a minimum of nine years of relevant professional experience for external recruitment. Demonstrated ability to manage complex files independently and to draft in English at a professional level. Thorough knowledge of two EU official languages (one at C1, another at B2). Specialist roles often require an additional professional certification.

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10 positions found

From the EU Jobs Alert guide How to land a job at the EU institutions A walkthrough of EPSO competitions, agency calls, and contract roles, written by our editor. Read the guide →
From the EU Jobs Alert guide How to land a job at the EU institutions A walkthrough of EPSO competitions, agency calls, and contract roles, written by our editor. Read the guide →
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