European Food Safety Authority Jobs

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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), based in Parma, Italy, is the EU's decentralised agency providing independent scientific advice on risks associated with the food chain. It employs scientific and risk-assessment specialists alongside data, IT and corporate staff, and works in English. EFSA recruits mainly as Temporary Agents and Contract Agents on the standard EU grades. The listings below cover current EFSA vacancies. See /contract-types/temporary-agent/ for the main hiring category and /guide/language-requirements/ for the English-working reality at the agencies.

What EFSA does and who it hires

EFSA produces the independent scientific assessments that underpin EU food-safety law, covering food and feed safety, nutrition, animal health and welfare, plant health and pesticides. Its recruitment is dominated by scientific profiles: risk assessors, toxicologists, biologists, statisticians and data scientists, and the scientific officers who coordinate expert panels, supported by IT, communications, legal and corporate functions. Working in English across the board, EFSA runs its own selection procedures rather than EPSO competitions, publishing vacancy notices on its careers portal that are cross-posted to the EU Careers feed and here. Because the work is highly specialised, many notices ask for a specific scientific discipline plus relevant experience, which shapes eligibility.

Grades, language and applying

EFSA recruits mainly as Temporary Agents on the AD/AST grid and Contract Agents on the FG grid, so an AD5 scientific post starts at €6,152.64 per month basic and an AD7 at €7,876.27, before the expatriation allowance, family allowances and the Italian correction coefficient applied for Parma. English is the working language, so EFSA suits English-first candidates, with a second EU language welcome but rarely a daily requirement. Selection typically involves eligibility screening against the scientific criteria in the notice, a written or technical test, and one or more competency-based interviews, producing a reserve list. Scientific posts frequently require a doctorate or equivalent specialist experience in the relevant field.

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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 →
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 →

Frequently asked questions

Where is EFSA based?
The European Food Safety Authority is based in Parma, in northern Italy. It is the EU's decentralised agency providing independent scientific advice on risks associated with the food chain, underpinning EU food-safety legislation across the Union.
What jobs does EFSA offer?
EFSA recruits scientific risk assessors, toxicologists, biologists, statisticians and data scientists, and scientific officers who coordinate expert panels, supported by IT, communications, legal and corporate functions, mostly as Temporary Agents and Contract Agents on the EU grades.
Do I need to speak Italian to work at EFSA?
No. EFSA works in English across the board, so a second EU language is welcome for the two-language rule but rarely a daily requirement. The agency's scientific work is conducted and reported in English, making it accessible to English-first candidates.
What qualifications does EFSA require?
It depends on the post, but scientific roles frequently require a doctorate or equivalent specialist experience in the relevant field, such as toxicology, biology or food science. Each vacancy notice states the exact discipline, degree level and experience needed.
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