EMA Traineeship Programme 2027 in Amsterdam: Apply for Paid 10-Month Placements With a €2,049.77 Monthly Stipend

Apply for the European Medicines Agency Traineeship Programme 2027 in Amsterdam. Explore eight placements, eligibility requirements, the €2,049.77 monthly stipend, application process and September 2026 deadline.

Applications are open for the European Medicines Agency Traineeship Programme, offering recent graduates and eligible university students an opportunity to complete a paid, ten-month placement at the Agency’s headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The current opportunities cover pharmaceutical regulation, public health, law, information science, veterinary digital services, paediatric medicine safety, artificial intelligence, financial data analytics and process automation. Successful applicants will join the Agency on March 1, 2027, and remain in the programme until December 31, 2027.

EMA offers a monthly stipend of €2,049.77 for a full-time placement, a contribution toward travel costs when joining the Agency, professional mentorship, structured development activities and access to a multidisciplinary European working environment.

The deadline for all eight currently advertised placements is September 30, 2026, at 23:59 Central European Summer Time. Late applications will not be accepted.

EMA Traineeship Programme 2027 at a Glance

Programme detail	Information
Host organization	European Medicines Agency
Location	Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Current intake	March 1, 2027
End date	December 31, 2027
Duration	10 months
Full-time schedule	40 hours per week
Part-time options	80% or 50% when combined with qualifying university studies
Monthly stipend	€2,049.77 for full-time participation
Travel support	Contribution toward travel costs when joining EMA
Working arrangement	Office-based in Amsterdam with limited hybrid working
Current placements	Eight
Application deadline	September 30, 2026, at 23:59 CEST
Remote assessments	Mid-October to mid-November 2026
Decisions and offers	By the end of December 2026
Required English level	At least C1
Second-language requirement	At least B2 in another official EU language
Application method	Online through the EMA Careers Portal

About the European Medicines Agency

The European Medicines Agency is a decentralised agency of the European Union. It began operating in 1995 and is based in Amsterdam.

EMA is responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines within the European Union. It works with national regulatory authorities and scientific experts to ensure that medicines available in the European market are safe, effective and of appropriate quality.

The Agency’s responsibilities extend across human and veterinary medicines. Its work includes medicine development, scientific assessment, pharmacovigilance, regulatory guidance, public-health communication, access to information, legal support, innovation and the digitalisation of regulatory processes.

The traineeship programme allows eligible young professionals to understand how a major European public-health organization operates while contributing to practical projects under professional supervision.

Purpose of the EMA Traineeship Programme

The programme is designed primarily as a structured learning and professional-development experience. Trainees complete tasks that increase their technical knowledge, practical skills and understanding of the Agency’s work.

EMA welcomes young professionals because they can bring new perspectives, current academic knowledge and innovative ideas. In return, trainees receive practical exposure to the European medicines regulatory system and experience working in a multicultural EU institution.

The wider EMA traineeship programme covers areas such as:

• Medicine regulation.
• Life sciences.
• Healthcare.
• Chemistry.
• Information technology.
• Pharmaceutical law.
• Human resources.
• Finance.
• Communications.
• Public relations.
• Data analysis.
• Process improvement.
• Artificial intelligence.
• Stakeholder engagement.
• Scientific information management.

Not every field is necessarily available during every application cycle. Candidates must apply for one of the placements listed on the live EMA Careers Portal.

What EMA Offers Successful Trainees

Ten-Month Placement in Amsterdam

The current intake will run from March 1 to December 31, 2027. EMA’s wider programme may also offer a separate October-to-July cycle, depending on the vacancies advertised.

The current placements are based at the Agency’s premises in Amsterdam. They should not be treated as fully remote opportunities.

Monthly Stipend

A full-time trainee will receive a monthly stipend of €2,049.77.

The amount is reduced proportionately for approved 80% or 50% part-time arrangements. EMA does not describe this stipend as a permanent employee salary, and applicants should consult the programme rules for any applicable administrative or financial conditions.

Travel Contribution

EMA provides a contribution toward travel expenses when the trainee joins the Agency. The programme page does not promise that every relocation or travel expense will be covered in full.

Full-Time and Part-Time Arrangements

A standard full-time traineeship involves 40 hours of work per week.

Part-time participation at 80% or 50% may be available when the placement is combined with eligible university studies, such as Erasmus+, a similar academic programme or doctoral studies. Applicants should confirm the permitted arrangement in the particular vacancy notice.

Hybrid Working

The current vacancies state that trainees may work remotely for up to 40% of their working time from within the Netherlands. Occasional teleworking from outside the Netherlands may also be permitted.

This arrangement does not convert the programme into an international remote placement. Trainees are expected to be based in the Netherlands and attend the Agency’s Amsterdam premises.

Individual Mentorship

Each trainee is assigned a mentor who is responsible for:

• Helping establish individual learning objectives.
• Supervising the trainee’s work.
• Monitoring progress regularly.
• Providing professional guidance.
• Supporting the trainee throughout the programme.

Career and Professional Development

Trainees can benefit from:

• Workshops and structured learning activities.
• Meetings connected to the Agency’s work.
• Information about EMA’s mission, functions and regulatory responsibilities.
• Agency-wide competency-development opportunities.
• Career reflection and professional guidance.
• Exposure to experienced specialists.
• Practical experience in an international and multidisciplinary environment.

What EMA Expects From Trainees

EMA expects applicants and selected trainees to demonstrate:

• An open-minded approach to working in a multicultural setting.
• Genuine interest in the Agency’s working methods.
• Willingness to contribute new ideas and perspectives.
• A proactive and responsible attitude.
• Ability to work cooperatively with colleagues.
• Curiosity and willingness to learn.
• Strong professional communication.
• Adaptability.
• Research and analytical ability.
• Commitment to personal learning and development.

The vacancy notices consistently identify communication, interpersonal ability, teamwork, adaptability, research, analysis and continuous learning as important behavioural competencies.

General Eligibility Requirements

Candidates must satisfy all general requirements and the academic conditions of their chosen placement.

Nationality Requirement

Applicants must enjoy full rights as citizens of:

• A European Union Member State; or
• Iceland;
• Liechtenstein; or
• Norway.

Nationality is a mandatory condition. Merely living, studying or working in an eligible country does not replace the citizenship requirement.

Academic Status Requirement

A candidate must fall into at least one of the following groups:

1. Recent university graduate

   For the current vacancies, the applicant must have completed a relevant university degree of at least three years between September 30, 2025, and September 30, 2026.

2. Erasmus+ or similar university-programme student

   The applicant may be completing a placement as part of Erasmus+ or another comparable academic programme.

3. Master’s student

   A current master’s student can apply if they have already fully completed an earlier relevant university degree.

4. PhD student

   A current doctoral student may apply when their education is relevant to the chosen placement.

The required field of study varies considerably among the eight available tracks. Candidates should not assume that possession of any university degree makes them eligible for every placement.

Language Requirements

Applicants must have:

• A thorough command of English at a minimum of CEFR level C1.
• Good knowledge of another official European Union language at a minimum of CEFR level B2.

C1 English generally means that the candidate can understand complex professional and academic material, communicate fluently and produce well-structured written work. B2 in a second official EU language indicates an independent working knowledge of that language.

Documentary Evidence

Candidates must be ready to provide evidence of nationality and academic eligibility in the application and during the interview stage.

Required evidence may include:

• A passport or national identity document.
• University degree certificates.
• Academic records.
• Evidence of graduation dates.
• Erasmus+ or similar programme documentation.
• Proof of current master’s or doctoral enrolment.
• Translations of academic documents where required.

Failure to provide satisfactory evidence may result in disqualification.

Eight EMA Traineeship Placements Open for the March 2027 Intake

As of August 28, 2026, the EMA Careers Portal lists eight active traineeship opportunities. All have the same deadline, programme period, stipend and general nationality and language requirements, but their academic requirements and project responsibilities differ.

1. Supporting Stakeholder Engagement and Medicines Health Information

Selection reference: EMA/TR/11533
Department: Public and Stakeholders Engagement Department
Relevant degrees: Biomedical sciences, pharmacy, medicine, public health or social sciences

This placement focuses on improving stakeholder-engagement processes and examining how public enquiries are handled across the European medicines regulatory network.

EMA works with patients, consumers, healthcare professionals, academic institutions and the pharmaceutical industry. The selected trainee will help the Agency organize, collect and communicate information about these engagement activities more effectively.

Principal activities include:

• Developing a standardized data-collection template.
• Identifying the minimum information needed for stakeholder-engagement reporting.
• Proposing a more efficient process for collecting information across EMA offices.
• Examining possible digital tools for information collection.
• Recommending a shorter, clearer and more structured reporting format.
• Incorporating suitable visual elements into reports.
• Surveying relevant authorities in the EU regulatory network.
• Studying communication channels, workflows, response times, query categories and enquiry volumes.
• Comparing practices across EU Member States.
• Identifying examples of effective public-enquiry management.
• Examining how enquiries move between EMA and national authorities.
• Identifying inefficiencies or opportunities for better coordination.
• Assessing potential uses of digital tools and artificial intelligence.
• Preparing practical recommendations.

The placement can build experience in stakeholder engagement, survey design, qualitative analysis, professional communication, process mapping and multinational regulatory cooperation.

Desirable skills include project management, communications, stakeholder engagement, process improvement, analysis, organization and strong written English.

View the official stakeholder-engagement placement.

2. Analysis of EU Strategic and Legal Provisions Promoting Pharmaceutical Innovation

Selection reference: EMA/TR/11542
Department: Regulatory Science and Innovation Task Force
Relevant degrees: Biomedical sciences or medicine

The successful trainee will prepare a review of existing and forthcoming European legislation, regulations and strategies related to innovation in medicine development and regulation.

The project aims to identify European initiatives concerning innovation and competitiveness and assess how they can be translated into tangible, sustainable and meaningful regulatory outcomes.

The trainee will have opportunities to:

• Examine existing and proposed EU legislation.
• Review European strategies connected to pharmaceutical innovation.
• Study initiatives affecting medicine development and competitiveness.
• Engage with the European Medicines Regulatory Network and specialist experts.
• Learn how EMA supports developers during the early stages of medicine development.
• Understand key stages in medicine development.
• Develop knowledge of regulatory science.
• Examine evolving methods and technologies for evidence generation.
• Strengthen scientific writing and presentation skills.
• Translate complex legal, scientific and policy information into an accessible review report.

Competitive applicants should be able to demonstrate experience or ability in:

• Scientific writing.
• Literature reviews.
• Policy analysis.
• Analytical work.
• Data visualization.
• Synthesis of complex scientific or legal information.
• Clear professional communication.

View the official pharmaceutical-innovation placement.

3. EMA Legal Department

Selection reference: EMA/TR/11532
Department: Legal Department
Relevant degree: Law

This placement provides broad exposure to the work of EMA’s Legal Department and its three principal areas:

• Pharmaceutical Law and Support to Core Business.
• Litigation.
• General Affairs and Anti-Fraud.

The selected trainee may support projects involving general pharmaceutical legislation, requests for public access to documents, European Ombudsman enquiries, litigation and other legal matters affecting the Agency.

Possible responsibilities include:

• Supporting Legal Administrators.
• Attending relevant meetings.
• Researching legislation and case law.
• Preparing reports and legal notes.
• Assisting with access-to-document matters.
• Supporting litigation-related work.
• Contributing to responses involving the European Ombudsman.
• Examining legal issues connected to EMA’s regulatory responsibilities.
• Communicating with internal stakeholders.

The placement is intended to improve the trainee’s knowledge of the legal framework governing EMA, legal research methods, internal procedures and professional legal communication.

Additional strengths include:

• Knowledge of EU law.
• Knowledge of EU pharmaceutical law.
• Relevant academic, professional or previous placement experience.
• Ability to draft formal documents in English.

View the official Legal Department placement.

4. Information Centre and EMA’s Public-Health Knowledge Base

Selection reference: EMA/TR/11539
Department: Information Centre
Relevant degree: Library and Information Science or a comparable discipline

This placement examines how scientific publishing and information-retrieval practices are changing and what those changes mean for access to medical, scientific and public-health information.

The trainee will explore emerging information tools, including artificial-intelligence-enabled solutions, that may help EMA staff discover, understand and use scientific literature more efficiently.

The project also involves supporting the visibility and strategic development of EMA’s Information Centre.

Activities and learning areas include:

• Analysing changes in scientific publishing.
• Exploring new publication formats and discovery platforms.
• Reviewing AI-enabled literature-search and information tools.
• Improving digital scientific literacy.
• Supporting the implementation of the Information Centre’s strategy.
• Communicating library and knowledge services to EMA staff.
• Increasing internal engagement with the Information Centre.
• Working with electronic databases and online subscriptions.
• Learning about information-resource management software.
• Developing knowledge-management skills.
• Supporting collection management and cataloguing.
• Conducting literature searches.
• Assisting with document delivery.
• Delivering live presentations.
• Providing customer-oriented information services.

This track is particularly relevant to applicants interested in medical librarianship, information management, scientific literature and digital knowledge services.

View the official Information Centre placement.

5. Mobile Application for Veterinary Electronic Leaflets

Selection reference: EMA/TR/11543
Department: Veterinary Regulatory Affairs and Referrals Office
Relevant degrees: STEM, computer science, data science or a related field

EMA’s Union Product Database contains validated information about veterinary medicines authorized across the EU and EEA. Its public portal provides official information about authorized veterinary medicines in the EU’s official languages.

This project explores the development of a mobile application that could make electronic veterinary-medicine package leaflets accessible to veterinary professionals and members of the public.

The trainee’s responsibilities may include:

• Gathering and consolidating source information.
• Identifying the needs of different users.
• Supporting the design of the application.
• Developing technical components with EMA colleagues.
• Testing usability with sample users.
• Working with project stakeholders.
• Presenting findings and progress.
• Preparing project handover documentation.
• Considering accessibility, transparency and consistency across EU and EEA countries.

Candidates can gain experience at the intersection of animal health, veterinary medicine regulation, public information and digital-product development.

Useful technical experience includes:

• JavaScript or TypeScript.
• Swift.
• Kotlin.
• Dart.
• Flutter.
• React Native.
• Application programming interfaces.
• Software development kits.

View the official veterinary mobile-application placement.

6. Development of Medicines for Children and Paediatric Pharmacovigilance

Selection reference: EMA/TR/11538
Department: Paediatric Medicines Office
Relevant degrees: Medicine, pharmacy or life sciences

Medicines used by children require careful safety monitoring during development and after authorization. Developers of new medicines must prepare Paediatric Investigation Plans explaining how their products will be researched and developed for children.

The selected trainee will support a project examining safety monitoring for paediatric medicines and how regulatory safety measures have changed over time.

Key tasks include:

• Reviewing ongoing safety-monitoring procedures for medicines used by children.
• Comparing historical and current safety measures.
• Identifying trends and gaps.
• Highlighting opportunities to strengthen paediatric pharmacovigilance.
• Contributing to work supporting the assessment of Paediatric Investigation Plans.
• Summarizing findings for internal discussions.
• Supporting future regulatory improvements.
• Contributing toward a possible scientific paper for a peer-reviewed journal.

The trainee can develop knowledge and experience in:

• EU pharmacovigilance requirements.
• Paediatric medicines regulation.
• Medicine safety monitoring.
• Risk-management approaches.
• The full lifecycle of paediatric medicines.
• Regulatory and scientific data analysis.
• Evidence-based regulatory decision-making.
• Medicine development for different paediatric age groups, including neonates.
• Scientific and regulatory writing.

Familiarity with EU pharmacovigilance or paediatric regulatory frameworks, excellent written and spoken English, and strong analytical ability will strengthen an application.

View the official paediatric-medicines placement.

7. Leveraging Administration for Automation, AI and Digitisation

Selection reference: EMA/TR/11582
Department: Leveraging Administration for Automation, AI and Digitisation Office
Relevant degree: A university degree of at least three years meeting the current graduation or study requirements

This placement is connected to the Administration Division’s digitalisation working group. The trainee will contribute to an AI-driven project intended to simplify and improve administrative workflows.

The particular AI solution may be finalized during project planning, but the selected trainee is expected to participate throughout the development and implementation process.

Responsibilities include:

• Supporting project planning and coordination.
• Helping design, test and introduce an AI solution.
• Gathering business requirements.
• Converting operational needs into appropriate technical requirements.
• Working with administrative and multidisciplinary teams.
• Supporting data preparation.
• Participating in model evaluation.
• Monitoring solution performance.
• Promoting effective adoption of the selected tool.
• Recording project outcomes and lessons learned.
• Preparing recommendations for future AI and automation projects.
• Communicating technical progress to non-technical stakeholders.

The placement can provide experience in:

• AI use cases in public administration.
• Workflow automation.
• User stories and acceptance criteria.
• AI project lifecycles.
• Testing and implementation.
• Large language model-based assistants.
• Bots and automation platforms.
• AI documentation and governance.
• Communicating technological benefits and limitations.

Applicants should have relevant knowledge of Python, including data cleaning, visualization and validation. The notice specifically refers to Pandas, NumPy, Plotly, Pydantic and regular expressions. Knowledge of Power BI is desirable.

View the official automation, AI and digitisation placement.

8. Data Analytics and Process Automation

Selection reference: EMA/TR/11545
Department: Financial Management Office
Relevant degree: A university degree of at least three years meeting the current graduation or study requirements

This placement focuses on converting raw financial information into useful insights and improving financial processes through analysis, visualization and automation.

EMA’s Financial Management Office uses data to support transparent administration, statutory reporting and informed decision-making. It is also seeking to reduce repetitive manual tasks through digital process improvement.

Principal responsibilities include:

• Collecting financial data from multiple sources.
• Structuring and analysing data.
• Developing reports and visualizations.
• Creating dashboards, including through Power BI.
• Producing information for managers and decision-makers.
• Supporting statutory reporting requirements.
• Reviewing existing financial processes.
• Identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Designing and implementing automation solutions.
• Using Power Automate and comparable digital tools.
• Working with finance and procurement specialists.
• Collaborating with data and process-improvement colleagues.

The selected trainee can develop experience in EU-agency financial management, data structuring, analytical reporting, dashboard design and process automation.

Applicants should ideally demonstrate:

• Basic knowledge of data-analysis tools.
• Basic knowledge of data-visualization tools.
• Analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Communication skills.
• Teamwork.

View the official financial data and process-automation placement.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the official EMA Careers Portal.

Step 1: Review All Current Placements

Visit the EMA vacancies page and identify the placement that best matches your degree, academic background and technical skills.

Do not apply based only on the general programme description. Every vacancy contains specific degree and competency requirements.

Step 2: Create an EMA Candidate Profile

Applicants can create a candidate profile before selecting a vacancy. The profile can be used to pre-fill future applications and monitor application progress.

Step 3: Complete the Online Application

Select the relevant placement and complete every required part of the application form. Pay particular attention to the eligibility and pre-screening questions.

A negative response to a mandatory eligibility question may prevent the application from progressing.

Step 4: Substantiate Pre-Screening Answers

Candidates should describe relevant education, knowledge, projects and experience when answering pre-screening questions, even if the same information appears elsewhere in the application.

The selection team may evaluate the application primarily through these responses. Applicants should not assume that reviewers will infer eligibility from a CV or another section.

Step 5: Tailor the Application

The description of skills and motivation should be directly connected to the selected placement.

For example:

• A legal applicant should emphasize EU law, pharmaceutical law, legal research and English drafting.
• A public-health applicant should highlight stakeholder engagement, surveys, communication and process improvement.
• A technical applicant should identify relevant programming languages, frameworks, APIs, automation platforms and data tools.
• A life-sciences applicant should explain relevant knowledge of pharmacovigilance, medicine development or regulatory science.
• An information-science applicant should discuss databases, literature searches, cataloguing and knowledge-management tools.

Step 6: Check Character Limits

EMA advises candidates to answer concisely and respect all character limits. Long but unfocused answers can be less effective than brief responses that directly demonstrate the required evidence.

Step 7: Proofread the Application

Review grammar, spelling, dates, degree information and language claims before submission.

Academic dates are especially important because the recent-graduate pathway applies only to degrees obtained within the specified period.

Step 8: Submit Before the Deadline

Candidates may update information in their application until the closing time. However, EMA cannot accept applications submitted after the deadline.

Applicants should submit early enough to manage possible technical problems.

Application Deadline

The deadline for all eight current placements is:

September 30, 2026, at 23:59 CEST

The deadline is stated in Central European Summer Time, not the applicant’s local time. Candidates applying from another time zone should convert the deadline carefully and submit well in advance.

What Happens After Submission?

Initial Application Assessment

EMA assesses applications against the eligibility requirements and placement-specific criteria. The general programme page states that this stage can take approximately two to three weeks.

Remote Assessment Period

For the March 2027 intake, remote assessments are expected to take place between mid-October and mid-November 2026.

Interview and Possible Written Test

Candidates whose profiles most closely match a placement may be invited to a short remote interview with the hiring manager.

Applicants may also be required to complete a written or other relevant assessment.

Documentary Verification

Shortlisted candidates must be able to prove their nationality, degree, graduation date and academic status. Missing or inconsistent documentation can result in disqualification.

Decisions and Offers

EMA expects to issue decisions and offers by the end of December 2026.

Successful candidates will receive a traineeship contract confirming the March 1, 2027 starting date and applicable programme conditions.

Practical Tips for a Strong EMA Application

1. Select the right placement

   Apply where your academic background and technical knowledge closely match the published requirements.

2. Treat eligibility questions as decisive

   Verify nationality, graduation dates, degree duration and language levels before beginning.

3. Use evidence rather than general claims

   Instead of saying that you have analytical skills, describe a research project, data analysis, policy review, legal assignment or technical product that demonstrates those skills.

4. Connect your motivation to EMA’s work

   Explain why medicine regulation, public or animal health, regulatory science, digitalization or EU administration interests you.

5. Address every placement-specific skill

   Use the vacancy notice as a checklist and provide relevant evidence for as many requirements as possible.

6. Do not exaggerate language or technical proficiency

   Candidates may be tested or questioned about the claims in their applications.

7. Prepare documentation early

   Obtain degree certificates, enrolment evidence, identity documents and translations before the interview stage.

8. Prepare for a competency-based interview

   Be ready to explain how you have demonstrated communication, teamwork, adaptability, analysis, research and learning ability.

9. Monitor email and spam folders

   EMA communicates with candidates by email. Missing an assessment or interview invitation could end the application.

10. Use only the official portal

    EMA states that it does not charge candidates to participate in recruitment or traineeship selection. Applicants should not pay intermediaries or respond to requests for money.

Official Application Link

Applications must be submitted through the EMA Careers vacancies portal.

Candidates should also read the official EMA traineeship overview before applying.

For recruitment-related questions, EMA lists the following contact details:

• Email: recruitment@ema.europa.eu
• Telephone: +31 (0)88 781 6000
• Address: Domenico Scarlattilaan 6, 1083 HS Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Conclusion

The European Medicines Agency Traineeship Programme provides eligible graduates and university students with a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience inside an important European public-health and medicines-regulation institution.

The current March 2027 intake includes eight diverse placements spanning stakeholder engagement, pharmaceutical innovation, law, scientific information, veterinary application development, paediatric pharmacovigilance, artificial intelligence and financial data automation.

Successful trainees will receive a monthly full-time stipend of €2,049.77, a travel contribution, professional mentorship, structured learning opportunities and experience working in an international EU environment.

Eligibility is strict. Candidates must hold an eligible nationality, satisfy the relevant academic-status requirement, possess the required degree for their selected placement and demonstrate C1 English plus B2 knowledge of another official EU language.

Applications must be completed through the official EMA Careers Portal by September 30, 2026, at 23:59 CEST. Candidates should apply early, provide detailed evidence in the pre-screening questions and ensure that every eligibility claim can be supported with official documents.

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