Are you an experienced career development, learning management, or talent development professional looking to shape strategy at organisational level?

EMBL is seeking a strategic and operational expert in professional development who understands how to design scalable learning approaches, embed career pathways, and use data-driven insight to strengthen future workforce capability.

Your role

Reporting to the People Development Lead, you will step into this newly created role at a pivotal time; supporting an ambitious programme to strengthen professional development and embed structured career pathways for scientific and non-scientific staff, across our 6 European sites.

Key priorities will include:

• Supporting the development of of EMBL’s Professional Development Strategy aligned with EMBL’s long-term organisational goals

• Translating workforce planning insights into targeted learning and capability-building initiatives

• Embedding career frameworks and structured development programs across multiple job families and functions 

• Partnering closely with HR, Group Leaders, and senior stakeholders to integrate professional development with performance management, talent development, and succession planning

• Delivering coaching conversations and tools to support long- and short-term career strategy

• Developing self-directed learning toolkits and digital learning resources

• ​Evaluating programme effectiveness using metrics, feedback, and performance indicators

This role will be located in Heidelberg and may involve some travel to our European sites - Hamburg, Rome, Barcelona and Grenoble on occasion. 

You have

• A degree and/or professional qualification in HR, Learning & Development, Business Administration, or related field

• Proven experience in learning & development, talent development, career consulting, or HR business partnering 

• Experience managing or supporting a Learning Management System (LMS)

• Strong capability in analysing data and using metrics to improve learning effectiveness

• Experience designing and facilitating blended learning programmes

• Confidence engaging with diverse, international stakeholder groups

• Experience integrating professional development with broader HR processes

• The confidence to navigate working in a complex, matrix organisation with multicultural stakeholders, geographically dispersed across 6 sites. 

You might also have 

• Experience with HRIS and/or Learning Management Systems

• Experience in international or research-led organisations

Please click here for a copy of the full job description.

Hybrid working

At EMBL we are pleased to offer hybrid working options for all our employees. A dedicated desk will be available everyday, but most of our HR team work three days on site and two from home. We have a team day once a week (on a Wednesday) and you can choose two other campus based days to suit you!

​Salary

Grade 5 or 6, monthly salary from EUR 4,031 or EUR 4,580 plus allowances based on family circumstances (excl. pension and insurance contributions)

Contract length

3 years, renewable to a maximum of 9 years.

Why join us

EMBL is curiosity-driven, community-oriented and international. As an inclusive, equal opportunity employer, we believe that diversity enables us to collaborate more effectively and be innovative in our approaches. We are, therefore, committed to creating an inclusive and flexible culture - one where everyone can realise their full potential and make a positive contribution to our organisation. 

We encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing team – we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and personal experiences reflect the diversity of the populations that our science serves. We actively encourage applications from all genders and cultures, ethnic groups and all demographics to help us avoid perpetuating biases and oversights at this transformational point in our people strategy.

Enjoy lots of benefits:

• Financial incentives: Salary free of income tax, Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances

• Flexible working arrangements

• Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)

• Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition to public holidays

• Relocation package including installation grant (if applicable)

• Campus life: Free shuttle bus (Heidelberg), library, subsidised on-site cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)

• Family benefits: Kindergarten (Heidelberg), 10 days of child sick leave, generous paid maternity/parental leave and monthly family & child allowances

• Benefits for international newcomers: Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance.

• For detailed information please visit our employee benefits page here

What else you need to know

• International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Visit our International Applicants page, to find out more.

• EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we apply DORA principles to our recruitment and performance assessment processes here.

• Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and scientific excellence. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and/or any other diverse backgrounds.

• How to apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system. Applications will close at 23:59 CET on the date shown below. We aim to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date.

Closing Date