Trainee (Information Centre - Increasing EMA's knowledge base to support its public health work) - 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:

• Analyse the landscape of scientific publishing and its implications for accessing and using medical and health-related information
• Explore how information retrieval practices can be improved to strengthen digital scientific literacy across EMA
• Investigate emerging methods and technologies, particularly AI-enabled tools, that support discovery, interpretation, and use of scientific literature
• Identify opportunities to enhance how EMA staff navigate an increasingly complex information environment
• Contribute to enhancing the visibility and strategic positioning of the InfoCentre
• Support the roll-out of new elements of the InfoCentre strategy
• Help communicate InfoCentre services more effectively
• Identify opportunities to strengthen engagement with staff across the Agency

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Relevant university degree (minimum of three years or more) in Library and Information Science or similar, obtained between 30 September 2025 and 30 September 2026, or be a university student on an Erasmus+ or similar programme, or a PhD student or Master's student with a previous fully finished degree in the areas mentioned
• Languages: English (C1), Other official EU language (B2)
• Key skills: Communication skills, Interpersonal skills, Working with others, Adaptability, Research and analytical skills, Learning and development
• Eligibility: Full rights as a citizen of a European Union Member State or Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway

Selection process

The notice describes the following selection steps:

• Assessments (remote) from mid-October 2026 to mid-November 2026
• Decision and offers by end of December 2026

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: 10 months (1 March 2027 – 31 December 2027).

Working arrangements: At the Agency's premises in Amsterdam with possibility for teleworking up to 40% of working time from The Netherlands and occasional teleworking from outside The Netherlands.

Hiring unit: Information Centre.

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Trainee (Information Centre - Increasing EMA's knowledge base to support its public health work) at EMA based in Amsterdam (Traineeship).

Type of position:Trainee

Job Type:30 September 2026 23:59 CEST

Selection procedure reference: EMA/TR/11539

Deadline for applications: 30 September 2026 23:59 CEST

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is a decentralised agency of the European Union (EU), located in Amsterdam. It began operating in 1995. It is responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines in the EU.

This traineeship opportunity is now open for applicationsuntil 30 September 2026 23:59 CEST, with an intake on 1 March 2027.

About the traineeship programme

The Agency is looking for motivated, qualified recent graduates or students on an Erasmus+ or other programme or PhD students or Master's students, who are interested in gaining experience and contribute to the Agency’s work for every patient in Europe. The purpose of a traineeship at the Agency is to perform tasks that are predominantly in the interest of the trainee’s training and principally serve to increase the trainee’s knowledge and to gain relevant experience.

Placement description

We are looking for a trainee in the Information Centre (library).

Specific objectives and projects

The traineeship will focus on analysing how the landscape of scientific publishing is evolving and what this means for accessing and using medical and health‑related information. As publication formats and discovery tools change, the trainee will explore how information retrieval practices can be improved to strengthen digital scientific literacy across EMA. The trainee will further progress the ongoing investigation into emerging methods and technologies—particularly AI‑enabled tools—that support more efficient discovery, interpretation, and use of scientific literature. The goal is to identify opportunities to enhance how EMA staff navigate an increasingly complex information environment.

In addition, the trainee will contribute to enhancing the visibility and strategic positioning of the InfoCentre. This includes supporting the roll‑out of new elements of the InfoCentre strategy, helping to communicate its services more effectively, and identifying opportunities to strengthen engagement with staff across the Agency.

Overall, this traineeship offers the opportunity to help shape how the InfoCentre responds to a shifting scientific information environment, promotes digital scientific literacy, and continues to evolve its role as a key knowledge hub within EMA.

Learning outcomes

Unique learning opportunity for an information science/librarian graduate:

- Gain knowledge of innovative literature resources, information services and tools including electronic databases, online subscriptions and related management software available in the field of medicine, life sciences and regulatory science

- Increase knowledge management skills in the field of library and information science

- Gain experience in a customer-oriented information service within an Agency of the European Union

- Improve soft and practical skills while gaining insights into collection management, cataloguing, conducting literature searches, performing document delivery and delivering live presentations

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for consideration for this placement, you are required to:

1. enjoy full rights as a citizen of a European Union Member State or Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway; 2. possess a relevant university degree (minimum of three years or more) in Library and Information Science or similar, that must have been obtained between 30 September 2025 and 30 September 2026orbe a university student on an Erasmus + or a similar programmeor a PhD student or a Master's student with a previous fully finished degree in the areas mentioned before. 3. a thorough knowledge of English (at least level C1) and good knowledge of other official EU language (at least B2) of theCommon European Framework for Languages

For criteria 1 and 2, you will be required to provide proof in the application form and at the interview stage. Failing to present these documents may result in thedisqualification from the procedure.

Behavioural Competencies

You will demonstrate the following behavioural competencies:

- Communication skills - Interpersonal skills - Working with others - Adaptability - Research and analytical skills - Learning and development

Conditions of traineeship

The traineeship is offered for 10 months (1 March 2027 – 31 December 2027) and takes place at the Agency’s premises in Amsterdam with possibility for teleworking up to 40% of working time from The Netherlands and occasional teleworking from outside The Netherlands. Traineeships are offered for either full-time or part-time (80% or 50%) if combined with university studies.

The Agency pays a monthly stipend of €2,049.77 for a full-time traineeship (reduced accordingly for 80% or 50%) and a travel contribution upon joining the Agency.

Each trainee will have a mentor at the Agency who will guide the trainee through the programme.

The conditions of employment are stated in the Executive Decision on rules governing the traineeship programme at the EMA available here.

Expected selection timelines

Deadline for applications · 30 September 2026 23:59 CEST Assessments (remote) · From mid-October 2026 to mid-November 2026 Decision and offers · By end of December 2026 Placement start · 1 March 2027

Domenico Scarlattilaan 6 - 1083 HS Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Telephone +31 (0)88 781 6000 - Email [email protected]

© European Medicines Agency, 2024. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 3 August 2026, 48 days ago.

The application deadline is 30 September 2026, 9 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 18 September 2026 (2 days ago).

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.