VACANCY NOTICE FOR
TEMPORARY AGENT SELECTION
| Job title (same as on the job description) | Policy Officer - MCM innovation and funding |
| Reference | HERA/ COM/2026/2061 |
| Application deadline | 03.11.2026 - 12.00 (Brussels time) |
| Directorate-General (full name) | DG HERA, Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority |
| Unit | HERA.04, Threats & MCM Intelligence, Innovation & Funding |
| Place of assignment | Brussels |
| Grade range | AD5/7 |
| Domain * | HEALTH |
| Contract type | Temporary Agent 2b |
| About us (“We are”) |
| We are the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG HERA). DG HERA 's mission is to assist the Commission to improve preparedness and response to serious cross-border threats to health by ensuring access to medical countermeasures (MCM). It includes:
• strengthening health security coordination involving all relevant actors during preparedness and crisis response times and bringing together the EU Member States, industry and relevant stakeholders in a common effort;
• addressing vulnerabilities and strategic dependencies related to the development, production, procurement, stockpiling and distribution of MCM;
• contributing to reinforcing the global health emergency response.
DG HERA is responsible for the following tasks exercised in close cooperation with the Member States:
• assessment of health threats and intelligence gathering relevant toMCM;
• promoting advanced research and development of MCM and related technologies;
• addressing market challenges and boosting the Union’s open strategic autonomy in MCM development and production;
• swift procurement and distribution of MCM;
• increasing stockpiling capacity of MCM;
• strengthening knowledge and skills in preparedness and response related to MCM.
HERA.04 is the Unit for Threats and MCM Intelligence, Innovation and Funding. The unit lays the foundations for structured and targeted pandemic preparedness and response planning in area of medical countermeasures (MCM) by developing and strengthening intelligence gathering systems and activities, including identifying, assessing and addressing serious cross-border health threats. To this end, this unit aims to promote research, innovation and development of medical countermeasures able to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to health emergencies.
HERA’s website: https://ec.europa.eu/health/hera/overview_en |
| About the role (“We propose”)
If several positions are advertised for similar job profiles, please add the number of vacant jobs. The position[s] will consist of [explain sufficiently in detail]: |
| This role aims at supporting research, innovation, and market access for medical countermeasures (MCM) across a large range of categories including vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and personal protective equipment. This includes identifying priority health threats and relevant MCMs, whether in the R&D pipeline or already available on the market, and contributing to the design of innovative funding mechanisms to enhance their accessibility and availability. This work will draw on a broad range of EU funding instruments, spanning from horizontal R&D as well as more thematic or sector specific support programmes.
These duties will involve actively collecting and assessing information derived from intelligence gathering activities, desk research, stakeholder engagement, and analysis of the funding landscape, including HERA-like organisations within the EU and at global level.
The role will also contribute to the design, implementation and monitoring of support actions targeting both platform and threat-specific MCMs addressing DG HERA’s high-priority health threats. In addition, the successful candidate will be expected to support broader health and innovation policy activities, as required. |
| Qualifications, experience and skills (“We look for”)
(set criteria in terms of education, professional experience and personal qualities that the ideal applicant should have): |
| We are looking for a highly motivated and skilled colleague to join our team. The successful candidate should have a strong understanding of the technological specificities of medical countermeasures, combined with extensive familiarity with their clinical use. Hands on experience in the field of health threats is essential, including an understanding of intelligence mechanisms used to collect early warning signals related to MCMs and of how these signals can be translated into research and innovation policy priorities and operational actions.
Familiarity with policy development in the EU institutions is also essential, particularly in relation to funding programmes, rules, and instruments under both direct and indirect management, as well as the management and implementation of health projects. Experience in managing large-scale projects financed through different funding streams would be an asset. A sound understanding of the cross-border health threat ecosystems would also be highly desirable.
As a Policy Officer you will play a critical role in designing innovation and market access actions, as well as in implementing innovative funding schemes and tools. You will translate the scientific needs and market realities of MCMs into EU initiatives, helping to ensure their availability and accessibility.
The successful candidate should demonstrate flexibility, adaptability and resilience, given DG HERA’s role in supporting responses to health emergencies. Experience in crisis response would therefore be desirable. Atypical working hours including evenings and weekends may occasionally be required, particularly during emergencies
The position ideally requires a combination of scientific and policy background and experience. In addition, excellent oral and written communication skills in English are essential as the job holder will be expected to engage with a wide variety of stakeholders including academia, industry, EU agencies among others in diverse settings, and to represent the Commission in internal and external meetings.
The candidate should also demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and experience:
• A medical background would be highly desirable.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
• Strong problem-solving skills, results-oriented approach, attention to detail and initiative.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment. |
| How to express your interest?
You should send your documents in a single pdf in the following order:
- your CV 2. completed application form. Please send these documents by the publication deadline to Ana.BURGOS-GUTIERREZ@ec.europa.eu indicating the selection reference HERA/COM/2026/2061 in the subject.
No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline. |
| Eligibility |
| For eligibility please consult this page with all the information needed. |