Senior Medicines and Medical Devices Shortages Specialist

Job grade: AD08 

Internal/interagency job grade: AD08 and above

Type of position: Temporary agent 

Selection procedure reference: EMA/AD/11337 

Job title: Senior Medicines and Medical Devices Shortages Specialist 

Talent Pool: AD08 Science & Regulations

Deadline for applications: 07 May 2026 23:59 CET 

Salary: 8911,48 Euro (including local weighting) [1] plus benefits (see calculators on the right) (based on a fulltime contract (40hrs/week))

Location: Amsterdam; Netherlands (NL) (relocation to take up duties is mandatory)

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About this position:

The Supply and Availability of Medicines and Devices Office (TRS-SAM) is seeking a Senior Medicines and Medical Devices Shortages Specialist to help ensure the secure and continuous supply of medicines and medical devices across Europe.

This is a great opportunity for a senior professional with strong expertise in the European legal framework for medicines, including current and upcoming EU legislation, as well as relevant national and global developments. A solid understanding of medicine supply chains and proven experience engaging with supply chain stakeholders are essential.

In this role, you will contribute to strengthening supply resilience, preventing shortages, and supporting public health at EU level. 

If you are passionate about public health, regulatory excellence, and the importance of strengthening the supply of medicine, we invite you to join us in making a tangible difference.

In this job you will:

• Manage shortage and supply chain related discussions with stakeholders; 
• Lead discussions on implementation of new pharma legislation in the area of shortages and security of supply;
• Interact with international partners e.g. bilateral and multilateral shortage and security of supply-related activities with international regulatory counterparts;
• Support policy development relating to shortage prevention plans and their implementation across the EU; 
• Inform and keep up to date strategies to identify vulnerabilities in the supply chains of critical medicines to inform appropriate solutions to ensure their secure and continued supply;
• Provide scientific secretariat to the Executive Steering Group on Shortages and Safety of Medicinal Products.

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Here is the link to the Role Description of Senior Medicines and Medical Devices Shortages Specialist outlining generic duties and responsibilities:

Medicines and Medical Devices Shortages Senior Specialist

Apply if you meet these eligibility criteria:

To be eligible for consideration for this position, you are required to meet the following general and specific eligibility conditions: 

General conditions: 
1.    enjoy full rights as a citizen of a European Union Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway; 
2.    have a thorough knowledge of English (at least level C1) and a satisfactory knowledge of another official language of the European Union (at least level B2); 
3.    have fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service. 

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Specific conditions: 

1.    possess a university degree (minimum of four years) in  the field of of Sciences (e.g. biology, chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacy, medicine, engineering, pharmaceutical management, pharmaceutical supply chain management) that must have been obtained by the closing date of this vacancy notice, and at least 9 years’ relevant professional experience after obtaining the relevant degree, that must have been obtained by the closing date, in the field of the above-mentioned areas and duties. 

or

2.   possess a university degree (minimun of three years) in the field of of Sciences (e.g. biology, chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacy, medicine, engineering, pharmaceutical management, pharmaceutical supply chain management) that must have been obtained by the closing date of this vacancy notice, and at least 10 years’ relevant professional experience after obtaining the relevant degree, that must have been obtained by the closing date, in the field of the above-mentioned areas and duties.  

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General Condition 1 and Specific Conditions 1 and 2 will be verified firstly based on the application form and then you will be required to provide documentary evidence at the interview stage. Failing to present these documents may result in the disqualification from the selection procedure. 

Only candidates eligible will be assessed by the Selection Committee.

You will also need to have:

Experience

• In-depth understanding of pharmaceutical and medical device supply chains, from raw materials and APIs to finished products and distribution;
• Project management experience in leading, coordination, planning, implementation, evaluation and timely delivery of projects.
• Experience to engage constructively with a wide range of stakeholders, including MAHs, manufacturers, wholesalers and patient representatives;
• Experience in identification and management of issues that may impact security of supply of medicines.
• Experience in monitoring stock levels and forecast demand to prevent shortages.

Skills & Knowledge 

• Knowledge of logistics/distribution, regulatory requirements for imports/exports and contingency plans for supply disruptions.
• Knowledge of the EU regulatory aspects related to the medicinal product and medical device lifecycle, from research and development, manufacturing to authorisation and post-marketing.

Competencies you will need to have:

Role competencies 

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• Pharmaceutical quality – Basic
• Scientific product lifecycle and procedure management - Intermediate  
• Shortage management &availability - Advanced

 

Sub-family competencies 

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• Regulatory Framework and Strategy - Intermediate
• Applied knowledge - Advanced 

 

Grade competencies

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• Adaptability and agility – Intermediate
• Coping with pressures and setbacks – Advanced  
• Analysing and problem solving – Advanced 

 

Core competencies 

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• Ethics and integrity – Intermediate
• Team collaboration - Advanced
• Customer centricity - Advanced
• Results orientation - Advanced
• Communication - Advanced
• Cross-cultural sensitivity - Advanced
• Continuous learning and self-development -Intermediate 

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The assessment of competencies forms an important part of this selection process. EMA therefore advises you to refer to its Competency Framework for more information on the definitions of these competencies and their associated levels.

These are considered nice to have:

Experience

• In working in a multicultural environment.

Skills & Knowledge 

• A clear understanding of the role of EMA within the legislative framework for the regulation of medicinal products and medical devices.

 

Selection procedure timelines - Please note, timelines may change 

 

Deadline for applications 07 May 2026 23:59 CET  Preliminary Assessments Foreseen: Last week of May 2026 Final assessments Foreseen: Second week of June 2026 Decision expected Foreseen: Last week of June 2026

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Selection process

Only eligible candidates (see eligibility criteria) will be assessed by the selection committee.

Suitability and qualifications of eligible candidates will be assessed against the assessment criteria and competences in different steps of the selection procedure.

Note:  Candidates who fail any assessment linked to any Need to Have requirement, Sub-family, Grade specific competencies, Role competencies and Core Competencies at any stage of the process are disqualified, despite getting points on other criteria.

Before the start of the selection procedure, it is decided which criteria and competences will be assessed at each stage of the process. Certain criteria / competences will be assessed / scored only for shortlisted candidates during interviews (and/or tests). Please consult the  Careers at EMA - Guidance on selection and recruitment (section 1.3. selection procedure) for an overview of the criteria and competences assessed at each stage of the process.

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Shortlisting

In order to allow the selection committee to carry out an objective assessment of all candidates in a structured way, as part of their application, all candidates must answer the pre-defined set of questions based on Need to have criteria and sub-family competences.

The Selection Committee will therefore assess eligible candidates using the information provided in the responses to those questions and in their application. When answering a question, you should include all relevant information, even if it is already mentioned in other sections of your application form.

To carry out this assessment, each of your responses will be awarded points (0 to 10). The points are added up to identify those candidates whose profiles best match the duties to be performed as advertised in the vacancy notice.

Only the candidates with the highest total marks at the shortlisting stage will progress to the next stage. The Selection Committee will decide to limit the number of candidates invited to the next stages. Please consult theCareers at EMA - Guidance on selection and recruitment (table on section 1.3.6 Preliminary and final assessments)  for an overview of the thresholds.

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Assessments

Next steps of selection may include a preliminary assessment. Most assessments will be conducted remotely (i.e. Webex/Teams, remote test, etc.). All assessments are based on the assessment criteria listed in this vacancy notice.

Shortlisted candidates will participate in personality assessments (e.g. SHL occupational personality questionnaire OPQ32) to assess their Core Competencies (pass score is 26 out of 100 points and above). In addition, selected Core Competencies may be assessed throughout the process.

Additional assessments, such as cognitive (e.g. deductive reasoning) assessments might also be foreseen as part of the selection process. Furthermore, motivation and overall fit for the job and knowledge of EU relevant to role may be assessed.

Please consult the Careers at EMA - Guidance on selection and recruitment (section 1.3.3 selection procedure) for an overview of the criteria and competences assessed at each stage of the process and the type of assessment tolls used.

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Reserve list and/or job offers

The aim of this selection procedure is to create a reserve list of qualified and suitable candidates. Each candidate having reached the final step of the selection procedure will be notified via e-mail whether she/he has been placed on the reserve list, and relevant Talent Pool. Candidates should note that the placement on a reserve list and/or Talent Pool does not guarantee an employment offer.

We strongly encourage that candidates do not apply for the vacancies that are at the same grade and the same subfamily as the Talent Pool they have been placed on, as this will not improve their chances of being considered for a vacant post within the Agency.

When a vacancy becomes available, candidates on the reserve list may be contacted for an additional interview.

More information about selection and recruitment (including administrative complaint procedure) at the EMA is available at our careers website. 

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Conditions of employment

In principle, the Agency offers a five-year renewable contract. Contracts of a shorter duration may be offered to the candidates.

The successful candidate will be required to relocate to the Netherlands to pick up duties.

[1] The local weighting adjusts salaries to the cost of living in the Netherlands compared to Brussels. The current weighting for the EMA's location in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is 114.6. Please consult the Eurostat and Commission websites for more information on weightings.

 

 

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Domenico Scarlattilaan 6 - 1083 HS Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Telephone +31 (0)88 781 6000 - Email recruitment@ema.europa.eu

 

© European Medicines Agency, 2025. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.