Legal and Policy Officer - European Commission (FGIV, Brussels)

About this position

The summary below is published by European Commission 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:

• Contribute to development, interpretation and implementation of legal and contractual rules governing MSCA
• Draft and revise policy and legal documents, including regulatory and implementing texts, guidance material, and model grant agreement provisions
• Support preparation of legal and policy positions on programme implementation issues
• Coordinate complex files with key Commission services including Research Executive Agency, Horizon Europe Common Legal Support Service, Legal Service and DG BUDG
• Analyse legal and regulatory questions and assess their operational implications
• Support preparation of clear solutions for internal and external stakeholders
• Cooperate with stakeholders and national bodies from Europe and beyond

Are you eligible?

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

• Education: Completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma
• Experience: Proven experience and solid background in legal advice and financial management; good understanding of EU programmes, particularly Horizon Europe and MSCA; practical knowledge of legal and financial requirements governing implementation of Horizon Europe Work Programme part would be a strong asset
• Languages: English (C1), EU official language (B2)
• Key skills: Strong organisational planning and coordination skills, Accuracy and attention to detail, Discretion and ability to handle confidential information, Analytical and problem-solving skills, Good interpersonal skills, Service-oriented attitude, Initiative, resilience and ability to meet deadlines, Flexibility and willingness to learn, Ability to work autonomously and as a team player
• Eligibility: Citizen of an EU Member State enjoying full rights as a citizen; fulfilled obligations concerning military service; physically fit to perform duties; appropriate character references; passed EPSO CAST in Function Group IV

Selection process

The notice describes the following selection steps:

• Registration in EPSO CAST database
• Submission of CV and completed application form
• Selection of candidates from EPSO database
• Interview with selection panel

Contract and working arrangements

Contract duration: 1 year, renewable one or more times up to a maximum duration of 6 years.

Working arrangements: Brussels.

Hiring unit: Unit EAC.C2 - Choose Europe and MSCA, DG EAC.

Position details

Reference

EC/2026/EAC/345994

Directorate-General

EAC - Education, Youth, Sport and Culture

Vacancy Notice

Download PDF

Last Verified

27 August 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Legal and Policy Officer at European Commission based in Brussels at the FGIV grade level (Contract Agent). The vacancy reference is EC/2026/EAC/345994. It is hosted by EAC - Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, the Directorate-General responsible for this policy area. The role falls under the European Policy domain.

Legal and policy officer

in DG EAC of the European Commission

Job title: Legal and Policy Officer

Domain: European Policy and Law

Where : Unit EAC.C2 - „Choose Europe and MSCA“, Brussels

Function Group : FG IV

Contract Type : 3b

Express your interest until : 31.08.2026 - 12.00 (noon, Brussels time)

WE ARE

We are the team behind Choose Europe and the Marie Skłodowska -Curie Actions (MSCA) , working to make Europe a place where research talent can thrive. We support researchers’ training and career development at every stage of their journey, and help connect people, ideas and

opportunities across borders. By promoting excellent working conditions, strong careers and global openness, we help make Europe an attractive destination for talent from around the world.

WE PROPOSE

We offer a stimulating policy and legal officer role at the heart of Horizon Europe , where you will help shape and advance the political and regulatory framework of the Marie Skłodowska -Curie

Actions (MSCA) —the European Union’s flagship instrument for researcher training and career

development.

We propose a post at the centre of the legal, regulatory and policy framework underpinning the MSCA under Horizon Europe. The successful candidate will contribute to the development, interpretation and implementation of the legal and contractual rules governing the programme, ensuring that policy objectives are translated into clear, robust and operationally sound provisions.

The post offers the opportunity to work on the drafting and revision of policy and legal documents, including regulatory and implementing texts, guidance material, model grant agreement provisions and internal procedures. The role also involves supporting the preparation of legal and policy positions on issues related to programme implementation, with particular attention to coherence, legal certainty and compliance with the applicable financial and regulatory framework.

The successful candidate will contribute to the coordination of complex files with key Commission services, notably the Research Executive Agency, the Horizon Europe Common Legal Support Service, the Legal Service and DG BUDG, and will help ensure that proposals and implementing approaches are legally sound, financially compliant and aligned with the broader framework of Horizon Europe. The post requires a strong capacity to analyse legal and regulatory questions, assess (Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/EAC/345994 )

their operational implications and support the preparation of clear solutions for internal and external stakeholders.

The role will also require cooperation with stakeholders and national bodies from Europe and beyond.

Overall, we propose a challenging and rewarding position for a colleague with a strong interest in legal and regulatory matters, policy drafting and programme implementation, who wishes to contribute to the sound and compliant delivery of one of the European Union’s flagship research and innovation programmes.

WE LOOK FOR

We are looking for a dynamic, committed colleague with proven experience and solid background

and knowledge in legal advice and financial management. The successful candidate should have a good understanding of EU programmes, in particular the Horizon Europe and the MSCA . Practical

knowledge of the legal and financial requirements governing the implementation of a Horizon Europe Work Programme part would be a strong asset. We need a team player with a collegial and

proactive attitude who can also work autonomously. We would expect you to help analyse complex files from a legal, and financial point of view and to give sound advice on these matters. Excellent knowledge of English is required.

Personal qualities

•Strong organisational planning and coordination skills, accuracy and attention to detail;

- Discretion and ability to handle confidential information;

- Analytical and problem -solving skills;

- Good interpersonal skills;

- Service -oriented attitude;

- Initiative, resilience and ability to meet deadlines;

- Flexibility and willingness to learn

HOW TO EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST?

With a view to guaranteeing equal access to all, the Commission recruits from an open database of spontaneous applications. The present call for interests aims at helping the recruiters to identify potentially interested candidates within this database.

In practice, to express your interest, please follow the subsequent two steps: (Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/EAC/345994 )

1. If you are not registered yet in the open EPSO database, please do so at the following address: CAST Permanent . Please select under selection procedures for contract agent the

CAST permanent profile that best suits your education and experience.

2. You should send your documents in a single pdf in the following order: 1. your CV 2. completed application form. Please send these documents by the publication deadline to [email protected] indicating the call for interest reference EC/2026/EAC/345994 in the subject.

No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline. (Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/EAC/345994 )

ANNEX

1. Selection

 Am I eligible to apply?

You must meet the following eligibility criteria when you validate your application :

Our rules provide that you can only be recruited as a contract agent at the European Commission if you:

General criteria:

- Are a citizen of a Member State of the EU and enjoy full rights as a citizen;

- Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service;

- Are physically fit to perform the duties linked to the position;

- Produce the appropriate character references as to suitability for the performance of the duties.

- Have passed an EPSO CAST in the relevant Function Group for this position. At the stage of the application, it is sufficient to be registered in the EPSO CAST data base.

Qualifications:

(a) Have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma.

Only qualifications issued or recognised as equivalent by EU Member State authorities (e.g. by the Ministry of Education) will be accepted.

Languages:

- have a thorough knowledge (minimum level C1) of one of the 24 official languages of the EU 2

- AND have a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2) 3 of a second official language of the EU, to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties.

 What about the selection steps?

The selecting unit chooses from the EPSO database 4 candidates with the appropriate profile and

invites them to an interview. For the interview a selection panel is set-up to assess the best

2 The official languages of the European Union are: BG (Bulgarian), CS (Czech), DA (Danish), DE (German), EL (Greek), EN (English), ES (Spanish), ET (Estonian), FI (Finnish), FR (French), GA (Irish), HR (Croatian), HU (Hungarian), IT (Italian), LT (Lithuanian), LV (Latvian), MT (Maltese), NL (Dutch), PL (Polish), PT (Portuguese), RO (Romanian), SK (Slovak), SL (Slovenian), SV (Swedish). 3For details on language levels, please see the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/resources/european-language-levels-cefr).

(Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/EAC/345994 )

candidates. Due to the large volume of applications that we may receive only candidates selected for the interview will be notified.

For operational reasons and in order to complete the selection procedure as quickly as possible in the interest of the candidates and of the institution, the selection procedure will be carried out in English and possibly in a second official language.

4Therefore, candidates who did not pass already a CAST on the level Function Group [IV], should register their profile at this address: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/Cast-Permanent

2. Recruitment

The candidate selected for recruitment will be requested to provide documentary evidence in support of the statements made in the database and, where relevant, the call for interest.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo a mandatory pre-recruitment medical check-up carried out by the Commission.

 Type of contract and working conditions

The place of employment will be in Brussels

The successful candidate will be engaged as a contract agent under Article 3(b) of the

Conditions of Employment of Other Servants , in function group FG IV. General information on

Contract Agents can be found at this link .

The grade or proposed grade range, as well as the step in that grade, will be defined on the basis of the candidates’ previous professional experience, in accordance with Commission Decision

C(2017)6760 laying down the criteria applicable to classification in step on engagement.

The duration of the first contract will be 1 year. Subject to the interest of the service, the contract may be renewed one or more times up to a maximum duration of 6 years.

The duration of the renewal(s) will be defined according to the General Implementing Rules in force at that moment (currently, Commission Decision C(2017)6760 on policies for the engagement and

use of contract agents).

Contract agents recruited in Function Group IV have to successfully complete a 9-month probationary period.

The pay of staff members consists of a basic salary supplemented with specific allowances,

including, where applicable, expatriation and family allowances. The provisions guiding the

calculation of these allowances can be consulted in the Conditions of Employment of Other

Servants. As a member of staff of the European institutions, your pay is subject to a tax raised by

those institutions.

The European Commission applies a policy of equal opportunities and non-discrimination in

accordance with Article 1d of the Staff Regulations.

Salary at this grade

Basic monthly salary at FGIV runs from €4,449 (step 1) to €5,034 (top step), giving an annual range of roughly €53,388 to €60,408 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 €712 per month at step 1 of FGIV) together with household, dependent-child, and education allowances where applicable. Take-home pay is then adjusted by the country correction coefficient for Brussels. For a worked example see our correction coefficients guide and the EU salaries overview.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 18 August 2026, 10 days ago.

The application deadline is 31 August 2026, 2 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 27 August 2026.

Where to learn more

For full responsibilities, requirements, and career progression at FGIV see our FGIV grade page; for headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at European Commission see the European Commission institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Brussels see our Brussels location page; for related vacancies in the European Policy field browse our European Policy 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.