Science And Research

Scientific Officer - European Chemicals Agency (AD5, Helsinki)

European Chemicals AgencyECHA Helsinki, Finland

GradeAD5
Contract TypeTemporary Agent
Salary Range€6,153 - €6,961/month
Deadline15 October 2026

About this position

The summary below is published by European Chemicals Agency on the official vacancy notice. Our own analysis — salary realism, comparable openings, career trajectory, language profile — follows further down the page.

- About the selection process » - How it works - Eligibility - EPSO testing - EPSO’s Competency Framework

- Work for the EU » - Apply for a permanent staff competition - Register for the contract staff selection procedure - Apply for a temporary position - Apply for a traineeship - Check upcoming opportunities

- Information for candidates » - Instructions and policies for candidates - Ongoing competitions - Successful candidates and reserve lists

Scientific Officer

Domain(s)

Science and Research

Reference number

ECHA/TA/2026/04

Deadline

15/10/2026 - 11:00 (Brussels time)

Location(s):

Helsinki (Finland)

Grade:

AD 5

Institution/Agency

Type of contract

Link to vacancy

Recruitment procedures for temporary staff are organised by the EU institutions, bodies and agencies concerned and are not under EPSO’s responsibility. We advise you to visit their job vacancies websites") for the latest information on their respective job vacancies.

Contract and working arrangements

Working arrangements: Helsinki (Finland).

Hiring unit: ECHA.

Position details

Reference: ECHA/TA/2026/04
Vacancy Notice: Download PDF
Last Verified: 15 September 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Scientific Officer at ECHA based in Helsinki at the AD5 grade level (Temporary Agent). The vacancy reference is ECHA/TA/2026/04. The role falls under the Science And Research domain.

- About the selection process » - How it works - Eligibility - EPSO testing - EPSO’s Competency Framework

- Information for candidates » - Instructions and policies for candidates - Ongoing competitions - Successful candidates and reserve lists

Scientific Officer

Domain(s)

Science and Research

Reference number

ECHA/TA/2026/04

Deadline

15/10/2026 - 11:00 (Brussels time)

Location(s):

Helsinki (Finland)

Grade:

AD 5

Institution/Agency

Type of contract

Link to vacancy

Salary at this grade

Basic monthly salary at AD5 runs from €6,153 (step 1) to €6,961 (top step), giving an annual range of roughly €73,836 to €83,532 before tax and allowances. Steps increase automatically every two years; the figures here are taken from the salary grid in the EU Staff Regulations.

Eligible staff posted away from their country of nationality also receive an expatriation allowance worth 16% of basic salary (around €984 per month at step 1 of AD5) together with household, dependent-child, and education allowances where applicable. Take-home pay is then adjusted by the country correction coefficient for Helsinki. For a worked example see our correction coefficients guide and the EU salaries overview.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 11 September 2026, 4 days ago.

The application deadline is 15 October 2026, 29 days from today. Late applications are not accepted, so submit through the official EU Careers portal well in advance.

Last verified against the EU Careers feed on 15 September 2026.

Where to learn more

For full responsibilities, requirements, and career progression at AD5 see our AD5 grade page; for headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at ECHA see the ECHA institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Helsinki see our Helsinki location page; for related vacancies in the Science And Research field browse our Science And Research domain page.

New to EU careers? Our beginner's guide walks through entry routes, EPSO competitions, and what to prepare. For application logistics see application tips and EPSO competitions.

Net pay at this grade

At step 1 of AD5, gross monthly basic salary on the Administrators grid is €6,153. Eligible expatriate staff add a 16% expatriation allowance on top (roughly €984 per month) before two automatic deductions reduce the taxable base: the joint sickness insurance scheme (JSIS, ~3.6%, €257) and the EU pension contribution (~10.3%, €735). EU community tax (Council Reg. 260/68) is then applied progressively; for the AD7-equivalent band the effective rate sits in the 11 to 13% range, which works out to about €737 per month here.

Helsinki carries a correction coefficient of 119.7% (Article 64 of the Staff Regulations), so the net is multiplied by 1.20 to reflect the local cost of living. On those assumptions take-home pay is approximately €6,473 per month, or about €77,675 per year, before household and dependent-child allowances, which can add several hundred euros monthly for staff with families. For the exact bracket-by-bracket computation see our net-pay methodology, and our correction coefficients guide for the full duty-station table.

Comparable recent roles

In the last twenty-four months ECHA (and the wider Commission and agencies family) has filled several adjacent roles at the same AD5 grade level. The most recent comparable vacancies, with their actual application windows:

Supervisory Officer at Anti Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) (published 2026-09-15, closed 2026-09-29)
Case Handler Officer at European Commission (COMP – Competition) (published 2026-09-15, closed 2026-09-28)
Legal Officer at European Commission (BUDG – Budget) (published 2026-09-15, closed 2026-09-28)
Supervisory Officer at Anti Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) (published 2026-09-15, closed 2026-09-29)
Economic Analyst at European Commission (BUDG – Budget) (published 2026-09-15, closed 2026-09-21)

Pattern recognition matters here: recruiters at the same Directorate-General often re-advertise nearly identical profiles every six to nine months, so candidates who miss one window can typically position for the next one. Browse the live catalog: all AD5 openings, other vacancies at ECHA, more roles in Science And Research.

Career trajectory

Career progression for AD5 staff is governed by Articles 44 to 46 of the Staff Regulations (consolidated text on EUR-Lex) and Annex IB on the promotion procedure. Step increases are automatic every two years (Art. 44); grade promotion is competitive, based on the appraisal exercise (Art. 45) and the Career Development Review. For roles at ECHA, the typical next move is AD7 within four to five years on merit, then AD9 by year nine if the appraisals are strong. Article 46 governs the classification at recruitment, which sets the starting step within the grade (usually step 1 for external recruits without prior EU service, step 2 or 3 where relevant professional experience is recognised).

Mobility within the institutions is encouraged via the inter-institutional and intra-institutional vacancy publication system: temporary agents who pass the probation period and reservists from EPSO laureate lists can typically apply to internal vacancies after one year of service. Lateral moves between Directorates-General reset the seniority clock for promotion only if the new post carries a different grade.

Language profile

Beyond the formal language requirements stated in the vacancy notice, the day-to-day working languages at this employer are English and French in roughly equal measure, with German appearing in some technical files. Internal meetings and most policy drafting in Brussels run in English; French remains the preferred internal language in Luxembourg-based services and parts of DG TRADE.

Application cadence

ECHA has not advertised another AD5 role with the same grade and Science And Research signature in the past twenty-four months. This opening has rarely been seen on the EU Careers feed and may be the first such posting in our two-year window. Applicants who pass the eligibility checks should not assume the same profile will reopen on a predictable cadence.

Visit the official European Chemicals Agency website

Apply on EU Careers

Source: This job listing was sourced from the officialEU Careers portal (EPSO). First published: 11 September 2026.Salary estimate based on EU Staff Regulations.

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