Working at IHCP
Currently open:
Seconded National Experts:
No position open at the moment.
Traineeships:
No position open at the moment.
The Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP) is one of the seven scientific institutes of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC), located in Ispra, Italy.
Its competences range from toxicology, molecular biology, validation of testing methods (chemical, biological, toxicological), to material sciences, surface chemistry and engineering, computational chemistry and bioinformatics. The IHCP carries out applied and underpinning research in several areas related to health and consumer protection including chemicals and risk assessment, alternatives to animal testing, genetically modified organisms, nanotechnology for applications in the field of health and environmental monitoring, evaluation and quantification of human exposure to health stressors through the environment and consumer products including chemicals, textiles and toys and food contact materials.
For more details on IHCP's activities, browse this section of our website.
- Permanent appointments
- Temporary agent contracts
- Contract agent contracts
- Seconded national expert positions
- Grantholder positions
- Traineeships
Opportunities exist to join IHCP and to carry out challenging and interesting work.
Candidates who wish to pursue a research-oriented career are encouraged to consider the following options:
Permanent appointments
Officials of the European Commission are recruited through open competitions, which are organised by the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO).
Temporary agent contracts
Failure to find a suitable candidate for a position from the EPSO reserve lists for officials allows the Commission to recruit candidates as temporary agents from EU 12 countries (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia) for a defined period of time. Please note that no call is open at present. Check this page for future information.
Contract agent contracts (maximum 3 years)
IHCP has the possibility to recruit Contract Agents from Function Groups II, III and IV and offer a short-term contract up to the maximum of 3 years.
See the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) website to consult calls for expression of interest and to read about the selection procedure.
Seconded national expert positions
Seconded national experts (SNEs) are national or international civil servants who are working temporarily for the Commission under the rules applicable to such experts.
The decision C(2008) 6866/finallays down rules on SNEs and national experts in professional training (currently referred to as structural trainees)and was adopted by the Commission on 12 November 2008, entering into force on 1 January 2009.
How to participate?
In case you are interested in one of our vacancies for a SNE position, please contact your Permanent Representation to the EU. They will provide you further information on how to apply.
Contact: see list of Permanent Representations of the Member States to the EU.
Grantholder positions
Grantholder contracts are aimed at developing training, career development and mobility opportunities for researchers throughout their careers. The JRC offers contracts under the national employment law of the site where the JRC Institute is established to scientists embarking on doctoral studies, to those early on in their career and to those with experience. See The rules governing the JRC Grantholder scheme.
There are 3 categories of grantholders:
Category 20. Ph.D. students (duration 12-36 months)
This category is intended for students who submit a proposal for doctoral studies related to a research area published in the institute's call for interest for grantholders. Prior agreement to follow the research project must be obtained from the professor responsible for following the thesis at the student's university (not obligatory at the time of the application). The selected candidates must provide proof of enrolment in a university's doctoral studies programme before the grant may start and will have not more than six months from the date of the Commission's offer of a grantholder contract to produce this proof of enrolment.
Category 30. Post-Doc researchers (duration 12-36 months)
Researchers holding a doctoral degree or having fulfilled all the obligations to obtain a PhD (certified by their university) or having a minimum of 5 years research experience after the first university degree giving access to doctoral studies (which may include periods of training such as a masters degree), in a field relevant to IHCP's scientific activities.
Category 40. Senior scientists (duration 3-24 months)
Any senior scientist with a proven reputation in a field of science relevant to IHCP's scientific activities and who has a minimum of 10 years research experience at post-doctoral level or a minimum of 15 years research experience after the university degree giving access to doctoral studies (which may include periods of training such as a masters degree).
For further information please consult also:
- (UPDATED 04.10.2011) Guide for Grantholders :
Italian version / English version - Draft Employment Contract under Italian Employment Law : Italian version / English version
VACANCIES
The applications received will be verified and subsequently evaluated.
The pre-selected applicants will be invited for an interview to present their educational and professional experience and, if applicable, their PhD thesis in front of an audience composed of senior scientists and administrators of the IHCP.
Please note that your application does not constitute any commitment on behalf of the Commission at this stage of the procedure.
For your information, please also consult here the Statement on personal data protection (updated March 2011).
Please note that for all applications, the on-line procedure is now mandatory (more details below).
The Chemicals Assessment and Testing Unit of the Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP) is looking for a Grantholder, category 30, to work in the field of Food safety with a focus on food contact materials (packaging, kitchenware):
- 2012-IPR-I-30-000-00072: Post-Doc Researcher : Food safety
hereWithin the indicated deadline, the applicants have to send their application online via the following form: http://recruitment.jrc.ec.europa.eu/call-for-grantholders.php
For further information on grantholder positions in the Joint Research Centre, please consult the following site: http://recruitment.jrc.ec.europa.eu/
Traineeships
The aims of the traineeship scheme (which are governed by a set of rules) are to enable students or recent graduates to practise what they have acquired during their studies; to experience the professional world; and to gain a first hand experience of the workings of the JRC, and of the European Commission, in general.
There are three types of traineeships:
- training related to the preparation of a thesis for a university degree;
- training after university education;
- industrial placement.
The duration may not be for fewer than 3 months. The maximum duration is one year.
General information can be found here (Traineeships at IHCP)
Specific Privacy Statement
Please note that we abide by REGULATION (EC) N. 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18th December 2001 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community Institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data.
By sending in an application for a position, the individual allows IHCP to read, copy and exploit the content of his/her application for the purpose of the recruitment procedure.
A specific privacy statement (updated March 2011) informs you on how your personal data will be treated.
Spontaneous Applications
Please note that the JRC has streamlined the procedure for spontaneous applications. Therefore, you must send your spontaneous application to JRC-HR-SPONT-APPLICATIONS@ec.europa.eu.
Contact
IHCP Human Resources Team
