Jobs vacancies at the EMCDDA

Join our team!

Are you passionate about making a difference in the field of illicit drugs, helping EU countries be better prepared to handle drug-related threats? If so, we invite you to join the team at the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and contribute to our mission!

Continue reading to learn more about working at the EMCDDA or click the button below to go straight to current job vacancies.

Vacancies  

As a member of our team, you will have the opportunity to work in a dynamic and international environment, collaborating with experts from various disciplines. We value diversity and welcome professionals from different backgrounds, including research, social sciences, public health, statistics, data analysis, policy development, communications, administration, and more.

Working at the EMCDDA is mainly possible by applying to a call for application launched by the EMCDDA.

The EMCDDA offers employment in various staff categories: temporary staff, contract staff, trainees and seconded national experts. Click on the tabs below to learn more about employment details for each staff category.

Join us and contribute to shaping evidence-based drug policies and fostering a healthier and safer Europe. Together, we can make a difference in the field of drug addiction and create positive change in our societies.

We look forward to receiving your application and welcoming you to the EMCDDA!

What sort of positions are available?

• Temporary agents
• Contract agents
• Trainees
• Seconded national experts

Employee testimonials

What's it like to work at the EMCDDA? See what some of the people who work here have to say!

For me, working at EMCDDA is not just a job, it is a huge part of my life. In fact, I have been working on illicit drugs since 1996 so you could say I have spent more than half my life on drugs! In my job, I get to work with the best experts from all the different aspects of the drugs phenomenon, so every day there is an opportunity to learn something new which is important for me. All the colleagues are super friendly and helpful and there is a strong emphasis on teamwork. We also get to interact with colleagues from all over the European Union, and this involves learning about different cultures, embracing diversity and European values. It sounds cliché, but everyone is affected by drug use, some more than others, and I feel that working at the Agency has allowed me to make a difference in an area I feel passionate about.
Andrew C.

What I talk about when I talk about the EMCDDA: 1. Work is interesting, challenging and makes a difference; 2. I am afforded space and time to learn and develop new skills and competencies; 3. The agency is small enough that I know the names of all staff, but not so small that I would feel socially claustrophobic; 4. The work environment is informal, open, and respectful; 5. Staff come from all over Europe, providing for a diverse, engaging, and multi-lingual environment that for me is precious; 6. The offices are located in Lisbon, right by the riverside, affording us a most beautiful view; 7. I am a scientific writer at the EMCDDA and I wear it with pride.
Inês H.

Working at EMCDDA is like a drug, with various side effects 😊 I start each working day with pleasure; and that’s something, considering that my usual morning routine involves wrestling with the snooze button of two phones. The working environment here is addictive, and that’s because of people. There is a Romanian proverb “omul sfinţeste locul” (=people sanctify the place) (correspondent to “a good farmer makes a good farm”). The colleagues are not just colleagues; they’re more like the partners in crime you’d want especially when you want to learn how to do it. More, I like that I can always bug someone for help or answers without feeling guilty or annoying – it’s such a great vibe. Simply put, it's a nice blend of high-professionalism and spirited environment; we're all about top-notch quality, but we easily shift from a strict working meeting to a goofy coffee break.
Robert P.

What we offer

Meaningful work

Join us in our mission and contribute to a healthier and more secure Europe, through better-informed drug policy and practice.

Professional growth

The EMCDDA is committed to fostering the professional development of its staff. We provide access to training programmes, conferences, and workshops.

Collaboration and networking

Work alongside a diverse and multidisciplinary team of experts from all over Europe. Benefit from knowledge sharing, collaboration on research projects, and building a strong professional network within the drugs field.

International environment

As an EU agency, we promote an international and inclusive work environment. Engage with colleagues from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds, and gain valuable insights into drug-related challenges across Europe.

Work-life balance

We recognise the importance of work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements. We prioritise the well-being of our employees and provide support for a healthy work-life integration.

Compensation and other benefits

The EMCDDA offers competitive pay and a comprehensive welfare package with additional allowances depending on staff members' personal circumstances.

The conditions of employment of staff at the EMCDDA are based on the rules, principles and working conditions of the European civil service, as detailed in the Staff Regulations and the Conditions of Employment of other Servants of the European Communities.

Basic salary

Each grade has a basic salary comprised of multiple steps. Advancement to the next step occurs automatically every two years until reaching the top step within that grade. Basic salaries are annually adjusted to align with inflation and the purchasing power within EU countries.

A correction coefficient is applied to the remuneration of staff members in order to make up for differences in living conditions, as compared to Brussels and Luxembourg. In order to evaluate such differences in living conditions, the EU Staff Regulations use differences in purchasing power as a statistically reliable and calculable indicator. For Portugal, the local weighting factor is 96.6 % for 2024.

Social Security and tax

Staff members pay a community tax at source and contribute to:

• Health insurance (1.7%), and accident insurance (0.1%): You are provided with coverage, starting from your first working day. This comprehensive coverage includes protection against sickness, hospitalisation, medical expenses related to pregnancy, accidents, and occupational diseases. You retain the freedom to select a medical practitioner of your choice, regardless of your location globally. Reimbursement of up to 85% of expenses is available, contingent upon the nature of the treatment and within specified limits. Under certain conditions, spouses and children may also be eligible for sickness insurance coverage, although accident insurance is not included for them.
• EU pension scheme: A retirement pension is granted to staff completing a minimum of 10 years combined service in the Agency or other Community Institution, provided that they have reached pensionable age (65 or 66 years). No minimum period is required when the age of normal retirement has been reached whilst in service. There is the possibility to transfer in pension rights acquired with other national schemes, this transfer doesn't count to the '10 years of service'. Should you leave from the Institutions prior to the 10 years’ service, you will need to request the transfer out of the rights acquired with the EU into another scheme.
• Unemployment insurance (0.81%).
• Income Tax: Income tax is levied progressively at a rate of between 8% and 45% of the taxable portion of your salary. A special levy (6%) is calculated on the part of the remuneration exceeding the minimum remuneration. Your salary is exempt from Portuguese tax. For more information please see the protocol on the immunities of the European Union.

Expatriation allowance

The expatriation allowance is paid to officials who are not and have never been nationals of the State in whose territory the place where they are employed is situated, and who during the 5 years ending 6 months before they entered the service, did not habitually reside or carry on their main occupation within the territory of that State for the purposes of this provision, circumstances arising from work done for another state or for an international organisation are not taken into account;

The expatriation allowance can also be paid to officials who are or have been nationals of the State in whose territory the place where they are employed is situated, but who during the 10 years ending at the date of their entering the service habitually resided outside the European territory of that State, for reasons other than the performance of duties in the service of a state or of an international organisation.

The expatriation allowance corresponds to 16% of the basic salary.

Foreign residence allowance   

A staff member who is not a national of the State in whose territory she or he is employed, but do not qualify for expatriation allowance will receive an allowance corresponding to 4% of the total basic salary.

Family allowances

• Household allowance: Staff who have dependent children, or are married and the spouse's income is below a specified limit. It corresponds to EUR 213.70 plus 2% of the basic monthly salary. 
• Dependent child allowance: Staff who have dependent children under 18 years of age (or until 26 years of age if the child pursues further education). It corresponds to EUR 467.13 per child monthly. 
• Pre-school allowance: Staff with children of pre-school age, not yet in primary education. It corresponds to EUR 114.12 per child monthly. 
• Education allowance: Registration, attendance and transport costs for your children in primary, secondary or university education are reimbursed up to a ceiling.

Taking up duties allowance    

• Installation allowance to help staff settle at the place of employment. This allowance is paid on presentation of proof of installation (i.e. long term rental agreement or deeds of a property).
• Daily allowance intended offset costs of temporary residence.
• Reimbursement of removal expenses. 
• Initial travel from place of recruitment to the place of employment for the staff member and direct family.

Annual leave

Staff members are entitled to annual leave of 24 working days plus EMCDDA holidays, which correspond to some Portuguese national holidays and Easter, Christmas and other events. Additional leave days are granted for age, grade and if you are entitled to the expatriation allowance. Special leave is granted for certain circumstances such as marriage, birth of a child or other family events.

Flexitime and teleworking

The EMCDDA has in place a flexible framework that encompasses various aspects of staff daily work, including working hours, flexitime, and teleworking.

Fitness facilities are available on the premises

Application and selection process

Below you can find an overview of the application and selection process

Vacancies

Read our Guidelines on recruitment at the EMCDDA to better understand how recruitment processes work as well as some helpful information on how the EMCDDA will process your personal data in the context of a recruitment procedure.

Below you can find information on any job vacancies currently being advertised by the EMCDDA. To apply for job vacancies or consult any previous calls for applications, please use the EMCDDA E-Recruitment system.

Closed calls

Previous calls for application

We encourage you to carefully review the requirements and qualifications for each position and submit your application within the specified deadline. 
 

Data protection

All personal data collected for the recruitment process will only be used for the purposes of that procedure and will in no case be transmitted to any third party. Any data provided will be treated in the strictest confidence and with high standards of security. All documents provided to the EMCDDA during the recruitment procedure will be kept in the EMCDDA’s files and will not be returned to applicants. Application documents will only be kept for as long as it is mandatory to fulfil the requirements of existing auditing/control procedures applicable to the EMCDDA.

Privacy statement

Previous calls for application

• Calls from 2014 onwards
• Calls (2005-2014) may be found on the web archive of the EMCDDA
• Contact us if you still can't find a call for application