Medicines and Medical Devices Shortages Specialist - European Medicines Agency (Amsterdam)

About this position

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

Key responsibilities

According to the vacancy notice, the role centres on the following duties:

• Facilitate coordination of EMA's legal mandate in availability and security of supply of medicinal products and medical devices shortages
• Identify critical medicines and evaluate and manage vulnerabilities in supply chains
• Provide scientific and secretariat support to the MSSG, MDSSG and associated Working Parties, Working Groups and subgroups
• Manage, mitigate and support prevention of critical shortages
• Monitor and analyse data on shortages to identify and manage potential or actual shortages of centrally authorised medicinal products
• Support implementation of new EU pharmaceutical legislation focusing on prevention, mitigation, and management of medicine shortages
• Coordinate management of critical shortage cases
• Help develop innovative regulatory approaches to strengthen Europe's preparedness

Are you eligible?

Check these requirements from the notice before investing time in an application:

• Education: University degree (minimum of three years) in scientific (pharmacy, chemistry, biology or equivalent) or technical (e.g. applied science) discipline
• Experience: At least 3 years of professional experience after obtaining the relevant degree in pharmaceutical supply chain and manufacturing of medicinal products for human use and/or medical devices, obtained through working in industry, EU competent authority, notified body, or academia
• Languages: English (C1), another official language of the Europe… (B2)
• Key skills: Knowledge of EU regulatory aspects related to medicinal product and medical device lifecycle, Strong understanding of pharmaceutical supply chains and their vulnerabilities, End-to-end knowledge of production and supply process from raw materials, API production, intermediates, formulation, manufacturing, and packaging, Shortage management & availability, Regulatory frameworks & strategy, Applied knowledge, Adaptability and agility, Analysing and problem solving, Prioritising and organising, Ethics and Integrity
• Eligibility: Full rights as a citizen of a European Union Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway; fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: Temporary agent.

Working arrangements: Amsterdam, Netherlands (relocation to take up duties is mandatory).

Hiring unit: Supply and Availability of Medicines and Devices (TRS SAM) team.

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Medicines and Medical Devices Shortages Specialist at EMA based in Amsterdam (Temporary Agent).

Type of position:Temporary agent

Job Type:05 October 2026 at 23:59 CET

Job grade: AD 6

Internal job grade and Interagency: AD06 and above

Type of position: Temporary agent

Selection procedure reference: EMA/AD/11585

Job title: Medicines and Medical Devices Shortages Specialist

Talent Pool:AD06 Science & Regulation

Deadline for applications: 05 October 2026 at 23:59 CET

Salary: 6961.29 Euro(including local weighting)plusbenefits(see calculators on the right) (based on a fulltime contract (40hrs/week))

Location:Amsterdam, Netherlands (relocation to take up duties is mandatory)

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Role summary

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) Supply and Availability of Medicines and Devices (TRS SAM) team is looking for a highly motivated professional to join their dynamic and high-impact team. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the availability and supply resilience of medicines and medical devices across the EU, while working closely with senior stakeholders from the European medicines regulatory network, the European Commission, industry, patients and healthcare professionals and international partners.

You will provide scientific and secretariat support to the Executive Steering Group on Shortages and Safety of Medicinal Products (MSSG), the Executive Steering Group on Shortages of Medical Devices (MDSSG), and the Medicine Shortages Single Point of Contact (SPOC) Working Party. The role involves coordinating key activities, preparing scientific analyses and decision-making materials, facilitating stakeholder collaboration, and supporting the management of medicine shortage and supply issues that can directly impact patient care across Europe.

You will also contribute to the implementation of the new EU pharmaceutical legislation, with a particular focus on the prevention, mitigation, and management of medicine shortages. This includes supporting the identification and management of supply chain vulnerabilities affecting critical medicines, coordinating the management of critical shortage cases and shortages of centrally authorised medicinal products, and helping to develop innovative regulatory approaches to strengthen Europe’s preparedness and ensure continued availability of medicines for patients.

Here is the link to the Role Description of Medicines and Medical Devices Shortages Specialist outlining the generic duties and responsibilities: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/other/role-description-medicines-medical-devices-shortages-specialist_en.pdf

In this role you will:

- Facilitate the coordination of the implementation of the legal mandate of EMA in the area of availability and security of supply of medicinal products and/or medical devices shortages, in particular with respect to identification of critical medicines (Union list of critical medicines), and evaluation and management of vulnerabilities in the supply chains of those medicines; - Provide scientific and secretariat support to the MSSG, the MDSSG and their associated Working Parties, Working Groups and subgroups; - Manage, mitigate and support the prevention of critical shortages; - Monitor and analyse data on shortages with view to identifying and managing potential or actual shortages of centrally authorised medicinal products.

Apply if you meet these eligibility criteria:

General conditions:

1. enjoy full rights as a citizen of a European Union Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway;

2. have a thorough knowledge of English (at least level C1) and a satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the European Union (at least level B2);

3. have fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service.

Specific conditions:

1. possess a university degree (minimum of three years) in: scientific (pharmacy, chemistry, biology or an equivalent) or technical (e.g. applied science) discipline th at must have been obtained by the closing date of this vacancy notice,

and

2. at least 3 years of professional experience after obtaining the relevant degree, that must have been obtained by the closing date of the publication.

General Condition 1 and Specific Conditions 1 and 2 will be verified firstly based on the application form and then you will be required to provide documentary evidence at the interview stage. Failing to present these documents may result in the disqualification from the selection procedure.

Only candidates eligible will be assessed by the Selection Committee in accordance with the Assessment Criteria below.

You will need to have:

Experience

- 3 years from the time when a university degree was awarded on completion of a minimum of three years of study in pharmaceutical supply chain and manufacturing of medicinal products for human use and/or medical devices obtained through working, for example in industry, EU competent authority, notified body, academia

Skills & Knowledge

- Knowledge of the EU regulatory aspects related to the medicinal product and medical device lifecycle, from research and development, manufacturing to authorisation and post-marketing; - Strong understanding of pharmaceutical supply chains and their vulnerabilities, including end-to-end knowledge of the production and supply process from raw materials and starting materials, API production, intermediates, formulation, manufacturing, and packaging.

Competencies you will need to have:

Role competencies

- Shortage management & availability - Intermediate

Sub-family competencies

- Regulatory frameworks & strategy - Intermediate - Applied knowledge - Intermediate

Grade competencies

- Adaptability and agility - Intermediate - Analysing and problem solving - Intermediate - Prioritising and organising - Intermediate

Core competencies

- Ethics and Integrity - Intermediate - Team collaboration - Intermediate - Customer centricity - Intermediate - Results orientation - Intermediate - Communication Intermediate - Cross-cultural sensitivity - Intermediate - Continuous learning and self-development - Intermediate

The assessment of competencies forms an important part of this selection process. EMA therefore advises you to refer to its Competency Framework for more information on the definitions of these competencies and their associated levels.

These are considered nice to have:

- In working in a multicultural environment; - Project management experience in leading, coordination, planning, implementation, evaluation and timely delivery of projects.

- A clear understanding of the role of EMA within the legislative framework for the regulation of medicinal products and medical devices.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 14 September 2026, 1 day ago.

The application deadline is 5 October 2026, 18 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 headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at EMA see the EMA institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Amsterdam see our Amsterdam location 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.