Legal Officer
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- EFSA/F/4/2025/01 Requisition #
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- 1 day ago Post Date
Legal Officer
EFSA/F/4/2025/01
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), based in Parma, Italy
is looking for a
Legal Officer
(Contract Agent, Function Group IV)
Please send us your application by no later than 15 May 2025 at 23:59 (local time), following the instructions in the ANNEX.
The purpose of this call is to establish a talent pool (reserve list) that may be used for the recruitment of staff when a position becomes available and will be valid until 31/12/2026. The validity of the talent pool may be extended.
IS THIS JOB FOR YOU?
Are you a highly motivated professional with experience in the legal field? Do you want to play an active role within a dynamic team in a multicultural organisation?
EFSA is looking for a legal officer with a results driven mind and an ability to work proactively, both individually and in a team, and with a specific interest in legal issues related to technological development, process digitisation and artificial intelligence.
The jobholder will work in the Legal Affairs Services Unit within the Management Services Department.
Your key responsibilities
• Provide legal and regulatory advice on any aspect of legal relevance, including in relation to technological developments (Artificial Intelligence), activities of the EFSA Scientific Committees and Panels, intellectual property (copyright), outsourcing procedures, the management of human resources;
• Draft legal opinions, briefs, reports and correspondence on any legal issue referred for consideration in all areas of EFSA activities; draft EFSA's internal rules, decisions and EFSA governance documents;
• Present and explain the interpretation of law or legal positions at internal or external meetings;
• Ensure proper interpretation and implementation of the legal framework applicable or pertaining to EFSA activities, including the AI Act;
• Handle requests of confidentiality, public access to documents and access to environmental information, in a legally sound and accurate manner, in accordance with applicable legal framework and latest case law;
• Handling complaints and legal proceedings involving or relating to EFSA's mission or activities;
• Follow up on all legislative initiatives pertaining or impacting on the Authority, and coordinating with EFSA colleagues on these matters;
• Interact with regulatory scientists and/or IT product managers/developers to develop and improve legal processes;
• Provide assistance to the Executive Director in providing the secretariat of the Management Board;
• Contributing to the relations with external stakeholders, including EU institutions and agencies, national competent authorities and lawyers.
WHY EFSA?
You will play an active role in an organisation that makes a difference to the lives of 445 million EU citizens.
EFSA employs around 565 staff members, and its Scientific Committee and Panels engage highly qualified and independent scientific experts. Every position within EFSA plays an important part in creating an inspirational environment in which to work and develop.
EFSA employs around 565 staff members, and its Scientific Committee and Panels engage highly qualified and independent scientific experts. Every position within EFSA plays an important part in creating an inspirational environment in which to work and develop.
EFSA’s standards and values are driven by ethics and integrity and all staff is expected to act in a manner consistent with its principles, including fairness, transparency and impartiality in work practices and conduct towards other people.
EFSA is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all suitably qualified candidates without any distinction on grounds of age, gender, sexual orientation, impairment and disability, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief. All EFSA staff is committed to creating an open and inclusive environment.
As an EFSA staff member, you will have the chance to make a difference to European food safety working in an international and dynamic environment. You will also be able to participate in several valuable networking opportunities across Europe.
You will be joining EFSA at an exciting time as we are implementing the EFSA Strategy 2027, aligned with the Transparency Regulation, which increased EFSA’s responsibilities towards EU citizens. The following are the objectives of the Strategy 2027.
1. Deliver trustworthy scientific advice and communication of risks from farm to fork.
2. Ensure preparedness for future risk analysis needs.
3. Empower people and ensure organisational agility.
You will be joining EFSA at an exciting time as we are implementing the EFSA Strategy 2027, aligned with the Transparency Regulation, which increased EFSA’s responsibilities towards EU citizens. The following are the objectives of the Strategy 2027.
1. Deliver trustworthy scientific advice and communication of risks from farm to fork.
2. Ensure preparedness for future risk analysis needs.
3. Empower people and ensure organisational agility.
To find out more, have a look at EFSA at a glance and our website at www.efsa.europa.eu.
WHAT CAN WE OFFER YOU?
Life in Parma
Parma is a lively city of around 200.000 inhabitants located in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna and ranked as one of the most liveable cities in Italy. Its centre is rich in art, with architecture from different periods and plenty of parks. Parma is famous for its food, surrounding picturesque countryside and medieval castles. It is strategically located between major cities like Milano and Bologna and within reachable distance from ski resorts, seaside and mountains.
Salary and benefits
EFSA can offer the selected candidate a contract of 5 years with the possibility of renewal. If renewed for a second time, the contract will be for an indefinite period. More information can be found in the Notice on policy on the duration of staff contracts at EFSA.
The successful candidate will be recruited as Contract Agent Function Group IV with the basic salary starting from € 4.270,49 monthly, subject to an annual review of remuneration provided for in Article 64 and Article 65(1) of the Staff Regulations.
In addition to the basic salary, EFSA offers a range of benefits:
- Various allowances to which the successful jobholder may be entitled, such as a household allowance, expatriation allowance (16% of basic salary), dependent child allowance and education allowance. The salary is subject to a Union tax deducted at source and staff members are exempt from national taxation.
- Wide range of leaves (e.g. annual leave, parental leave, public holidays) and flexible working hours. Besides working in EFSA’s modern headquarters located in the heart of Parma, staff members are also offered the possibility to telework.
- A comprehensive welfare package including pension scheme, medical, accident and occupational disease insurance coverage, unemployment and invalidity allowance, and travel insurance. Further information regarding rights, benefits, obligations and conditions of employment can be found at the following links:
WHAT ARE THE SELECTION REQUIREMENTS?
You must satisfy the following requirements on the closing date for submission of your application:
I. Eligibility criteria
1. General requirements
• Be national of a Member State of the European Union, Iceland or Norway;
• Enjoy full rights as a citizen;
• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by laws concerning military service;
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post;[1]
• Have a thorough knowledge of one of the EU official languages and a satisfactory knowledge of another EU language;
• Meet the character requirements for the duties involved.
2. Qualifications
A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three (3) years attested by a diploma in the legal area.[2]
In case you do not fulfil all the eligibility criteria, your application will not be taken into consideration.
II. Selection criteria
The following competencies will be assessed throughout the different phases of the selection procedure. Candidates are also expected to demonstrate effective communication in both spoken and written English as well as strong motivation for the position.
1. Technical competencies
i. Experience in providing legal and/or regulatory advice to different target audiences: able to convey complex/technical/sensitive legal and regulatory concepts and make them understandable to the target audience in at least one of the following areas: Union food law, personal data protection rules, intellectual property law, administrative law related to transparency and confidentiality, public access to documents, competing interest management, financial rules, Union civil service law;
ii. Knowledge by training or by experience of the AI Act and other legal requirements relating to AI systems: able to contribute to ensuring a legally sound use of AI systems, including by performing risks assessments from a compliance perspective;
iii. Experience in managing legal processes/affairs: able to assess and handle conflict of interests within the organisation; able to handle requests involving commercially sensitive data and personal data;
iv. Experience in pre-litigation process: able to effectively defend the interests of the organisation in the context of the review of administrative decisions; able to effectively defend the interests of the organisation in the context of complaints lodged to the European Ombudsman and legal proceedings before the EU Courts;
v. Experience in defining internal policies and process design: able to draft legal documents; able to describe process scope, activities, inputs/outputs, actors and stakeholders involved and provide input for possible improvements; able to cooperate with scientists and/or IT product managers/developers to optimise legal processes and related IT tools;
vi. Experience in EU institutions and agencies with exposure to internal decision-making and legal processes.
2. Behavioural competencies
i. Deal with ambiguity: Able to work constructively within unexpected and unpredictable situations and show resilience and composure, even in difficult or adverse circumstances; able to decide and act without having the total picture; accept constructive feedback in a positive manner;
ii. Demonstrate political savvy and strategic agility: Look beyond the current situation and visualise what the future can bring with a keen sense for arising opportunities and good understanding of how and when to best pursue them; able to think in a creative and innovative way;
iii. Focus on stakeholder needs: Committed to meet the expectations and requirements of internal and external stakeholders; establish and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders and gain their trust and respect;
iv. Plan and measure for results: Set ambitious goals that exceed the targets and create plans to achieve them; ensure an efficient and responsible planning and management of resources;
v. Work with others: Work confidently within a group and contribute to achieve the common goals, understanding own role and how it supports the team and the organisation; able to cooperate, listen actively, manage conflicts and motivate colleagues.
NOTE
Candidates are invited to read the ANNEX that represents an integral part of this vacancy and provides information on how to complete the application, the steps of the selection process the rules on independence and appeal procedures. Selection steps applicable to this selection procedure: following the CV screening phase the best qualified candidates will be directly invited to the written test and interview with the selection board.
Candidates are particularly encouraged to take into consideration the information on Pre and post-occupational activities.
[1] Before appointment, a successful candidate shall be medically examined by an institution’s medical officer in order that the European Food Safety Authority may be satisfied that the candidate fulfils the requirement of article 28(e) of the Staff Regulations of the Officials of the European Communities.
[2] Any academic qualification mentioned in the application form shall be duly supported by evidence ( copies of e.g. diplomas, certification, etc.) Only qualifications issued by EU Member State authorities and qualifications recognised as equivalent by the relevant EU Member State authorities will be accepted. In instances where diplomas are obtained from a non-EU Member State, EFSA may request the candidate to provide a relevant document of comparability issued by a recognised authority.