2019 EPSO Scientific Research Administrators Competition Released

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) has just released the EPSO/AD/371/19 Notice of Competition – calling forward applications for the EPSO Scientific Research Administrators (AD7) competition.

• Reference Number: EPSO/AD/371/19
• Open for Applications: 21 February, 2019
• Application Deadline: 26 March, 2019 (12-noon Brussels Time)
• Grade: AD7
• This notice covers six fields. You may only apply to one field.
• This competition includes a Talent Screener

Under the EPSO Scientific Research Administrators competition, the following profiles and reserve lists have been advertised, from which the Europen Commission may recruit new members:

Below we will explore the specifics of this competition and the selection process that you will need to undertake.

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Snapshot of the 2019 EPSO Scientific Research Administrators Competition

The deadline for registrations is 26 March 2019, at 12 midday (CET).

This competition will recruit Scientific Research Administrators at AD7 level in six areas of specialty: quantitative & qualitative policy impact assessment/evaluation; data science applications; modelling for policy; development of space; telecommunication and remote sensing applications; scientific knowledge management & communication; nuclear research and decommissioning. 

Successful candidates will work at the core of the Union's science and technology hub providing support for the conception, development, implementation and monitoring of EU policies.

Please see ANNEX I of the Notice of Competition for more specific information.

Successful applicants will mainly be recruited by the European Commission's Joint Research Centres based in Geel (Belgium), Ispra (Italy), Karlsruhe (Germany), Petten (The Netherlands) and Seville (Spain).

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates will need to satisfy the following:

• Have EU citizenship
• Fulfilled any military service requirements
• Meet the character requirements for the duties concerned
• Must have knowledge of at least two official EU languages:
  • Have a thorough knowledge (minimum C1 level) of one of the 24 official EU languages – will be defined as your Language 1
  • Have a good command (minimum B2 level) of either English, French, German, Italian or Spanish and must be different to your Language 1 choice – will be defined as your Language 2. (The application's Talent Screener component must be filled out in your chosen Language 2)
• Qualifications & Work Experience:
  • You must have a level of education which corresponds to at least 4 years of completed university studies attested by a diploma in a relevant scientific domain (see list below). PLUS at least 6 years’ professional experience directly relevant to the field of duties being sought. (Doctoral studies in one of the scientific domains listed below can be counted as working experience up to a maximum of 3 years.) OR
  • You must have a level of education which corresponds to at least 3 years of completed university studies attested by a diploma in a relevant scientific domain (see list below). PLUS at least 7 years’ professional experience directly relevant to the field of duties being sought. (Doctoral studies in one of the scientific domains listed below can be counted as working experience up to a maximum of 3 years.) 

Relevant scientific domains that will be considered by the Selection Board include: Agricultural sciences, Architecture, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Computer sciences, Ecology, Economics, Educational sciences, Engineering, Environmental sciences, Forestry, Geography, Geology, Hydrological sciences, Life sciences, Material sciences, Mathematics, Medical sciences, Meteorology, Nanotechnology, Nano biotechnology, Natural sciences, Nuclear sciences, Nutritional sciences, Oceanography/marine sciences, Pharmacy, Physics, Political sciences, Psychology, Social sciences and Humanities, Statistics.

Please consult ANNEX IV of the Notice of Competition for examples of minimum qualifications.  

Selection Process

1. Eligibility Check

EPSO will check the data provided by each candidate via their online application against the eligibility requirements of this competition. 

2. Talent Screener

You MUST complete your Talent Screener in your chosen Language 2.

The selection board assigns a weighting to each selection criterion and based on the information provided in the Talent Screener each candidate will receive a score. Only those candidates with the highest overall marks will go through to the next stage. Therefore, you should include all relevant information in your Talent Screener answers, even if you have already mentioned it in other sections of your application form. The questions are based on the selection criteria included in this notice - see ANNEX II for the list of criteria.

3. Assessment Centre

Those who scored the highest marks in the Talent Screener will be invited to the Assessment Centre. A maximum of 3 times the number of successful candidates sought for each field will be invited to this phase.

Please note that the Assessment Centre will most likely take place in Brussels.

You will be required to sit a series of computer-based multiple-choice questions and reasoning tests. These tests must be completed in your chosen Language 1. 

The results of these tests will not be taken into account in your final overall mark, however, you must reach the minimum pass mark in all tests to be considered.

Then 8 general competencies, as well as the field-related competencies required for each field of this competition, will be tested through 4 tests:

1. Case Study
2. Group Exercise
3. General Competency-based Interview
4. Field-Related Interview

These tests must be completed in your chosen Language 2.

Each competency will be awarded a mark out of 10, with a total pass mark required of 40/80. 

4. Reserve List

After checking candidates’ supporting documents, the selection board will draw up a Reserve List (for each field) of the eligible candidates who obtained the highest overall score, until the number of successful candidates sought is reached.

How Can You Apply?

Make sure to ALWAYS check the official Notice of Competition and understand the rules relating to the exams. For full details on this profile and the selection procedure read the official Notice of Competition and the General Rules Governing Open Competitions to ensure you have the required qualifications and satisfy the eligibility criteria before applying. 

To start the application process, click below for the various profiles:

Scientific Research Administrators - Quantitative & qualitative policy impact assessment/evaluation
Scientific Research Administrators - Data science applications
Scientific Research Administrators - Modelling for policy
Scientific Research Administrators - Development of space, telecommunication and remote sensing applications
Scientific Research Administrators - Scientific knowledge management & communication
Scientific Research Administrators - Nuclear research and decommissioning

Are You New to EPSO Competitions? 

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If you have a question or need additional help in understanding the EPSO processes, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Useful reading:

The Motivation Challenge - What To Write In Your EPSO Application?

How To Make The Most Of Your EPSO Talent Screener

13 Best EPSO Preparation Resources - Free and Paid

What EU Job Applicants Should Always Keep in Mind

6 Reasons Why EU Exam Candidates Fail