Chief Scientist /Head of Unit Scientific Evidence and Communication

Is this job for you? 

As the Chief Scientist of ECDC and Head of Unit, you will lead the Scientific Evidence and Communication (SEC) Unit with approximately 40 staff members and be responsible for defining and adjusting ECDC’s scientific strategy, ensuring quality, relevance, integrity and independence of scientific advice across ECDC’s work. The unit ensures the robustness and coherence of the Centre’s scientific processes and outputs, with a strong focus on transparency, quality assurance, strategic approach and clear communication to change behaviours and inform policy. 

To find out more about what the unit does, visit https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/about-us/ecdcs-organisational-structure

Reporting to the Director, you will be part of ECDC’s senior management team and contribute to setting the Centre’s strategic direction.

In this position, you will have a wide variety of tasks that will give you the opportunity to:

• Provide leadership and direction to the Scientific Evidence and Communication Unit, and develop a focus on enabling Centre-wide creation of high-quality scientific outputs, based on best available evidence, while ensuring compliance with the regulatory framework ECDC operates, in order to support the achievement of the Centre's Mission and Vision;
• Further develop and implement, in close cooperation with relevant internal and external partners, strategies to ensure optimal resource allocation and utilisation, with a focus on ensuring relevance, quality, timeliness and independence of the Centre's scientific outputs;
• Formulate and adjust, as needed, the ECDC scientific strategy;
• Ensure optimal quality of ECDC scientific advice through clearance of strategic scientific outputs of the Centre; 
• Develop and foster strong strategic relations in particular with the EU institutions, the Member States and other relevant stakeholders;
• Lead the development of a robust public health evidence framework, strengthening the production and use of high-quality systematic literature reviews to support science-based recommendations and enhance ECDC’s impact on public health policy and practice;
• Oversee the Centre’s science and public health communication activities promoting European public health and raising ECDC’s visibility while addressing mis- and disinformation;
• Oversee the work on social and behavioural science contribution to disease prevention to optimise adherence to science-based recommendations;
• Oversee the organisation and further development of the annual European Scientific Conference on Applied Infectious Diseases Epidemiology (ESCAIDE), including through chairing ESCAIDE’s Scientific Committee; 
• Host and ensure the editorial independence of the Eurosurveillance journal, which serves public health experts and policy makers with high quality, open access information and data relevant for timely public health action;
• Chair, by delegation from the Director, the ECDC Advisory Forum, facilitating its strategic scientific advice to ECDC;
• Further develop ECDC’s forward-looking activities through foresight and modelling of burden of disease to inform the Centre’s strategic scientific work planning and prioritisation;
• Contribute to other activities of ECDC, as required, within your field of competence.

What are we looking for?

Formal requirements

For your application to be considered eligible you must fulfil all the following requirements by the application deadline:

• A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is 4 years or more, or a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least 1 year when the normal period of university education is at least 3 years¹;
• At least 15 years of professional experience (following the award of the diploma)²;
• Thorough knowledge of one of the official EU languages and a satisfactory knowledge of another official EU language to the extent necessary for the performance of your duties³;
• Nationality of one of the EU Member States or of Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and to be entitled to your full rights as a citizen;
• To have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws on military service;
• Meet the character requirements for the duties involved⁴; and
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post.

You will need to provide appropriate documents to show that you meet all of the above criteria.

Selection criteria

For your application to be evaluated further, you will also need:

• At least 12 years of professional experience (following the award of the diploma) acquired in positions relevant to the job description, including substantial experience in leading scientific or public health staff;
• Proven track record of successful leadership in senior management positions, including responsibility for managing managers, strategic planning, organisational performance, and resource allocation, in a national or international context;
• Proven experience of leading through periods of multiple challenges/changes;
• Excellent knowledge of the relevant EU policies and activities and well-developed skills in operating in a political context;
• Proven experience in synthesizing complex scientific content into actionable public health guidance;
• Proven experience in developing and/or using principles, processes and tools of evidence-based public health and scientific advice;
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.

Additionally, we will assess the following competencies:

• Strategic vision and ability to communicate this vision;
• Excellent managerial skills, including:
  • The ability to set and revise objectives for the unit within the overall strategic framework and priorities of the Agency; 
  • The ability to determine and focus on priorities and to monitor and evaluate the progress made towards achieving the unit's and team members' objectives set, in cooperation with the members of the team; 
  • The ability to organise, assign and manage the unit's work among the members of the team and to set them challenging but realistic objectives; 
  • The ability to empower members of the team while ensuring that they understand what is expected of them and how their work contributes to the unit’s objectives; 
  • The ability to choose co-workers and to build strong teams with complementary strengths suited to the efficient pursuit of the unit’s objectives; 
  • The ability to motivate members of the team to achieve the desired results and also to provide regular feedback, acknowledge success and the need for improvement in order to enable them to achieve their objectives and greatest potential; 
  • The ability to develop and support career development and learning opportunities for the members of the team. 
• Excellent communication skills, including:
  • The ability to communicate clearly and present complex subjects simply, both orally and in writing, including to the members of the team;
  • The ability to solicit inputs from and listen to staff, partners, and stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including:
  • The ability to deal with people effectively, respectfully and courteously;
  • The ability to build productive and cooperative working relationships with hierarchy and other units and colleagues.
• Excellent negotiation skills, including: 
  • The ability to steer discussions and generate the best possible results without compromising productive working relationships with the other parties involved;
  • Well-developed diplomatic skills.
• High level of scientific integrity.

Depending on the number of applications received, the selection committee may apply stricter requirements within the aforementioned selection criteria.

Why ECDC?

You will play an active role in making a tangible difference in public health. 

At ECDC you will join a team of more than 400 colleagues with diverse backgrounds and professions who work together for the common goal of helping countries prevent and respond to outbreaks and public health threats. Every position at ECDC plays an important part, and we cooperate closely for our collective goals. 

ECDC is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all suitably qualified candidates without any distinction on grounds of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnic or social origin, religion, or belief. Women are currently under-represented in management functions and to achieve a better gender balance, we strongly encourage women to apply for this vacancy.

As an ECDC staff member, you will have the chance to own or support initiatives impacting the health and well-being of people in Europe. 

You will be joining ECDC at interesting times. In October 2022, the European Parliament endorsed an extended mandate that will allow ECDC to adopt a stronger role in supporting EU Member States in the prevention and control of infectious disease threats and improve European preparedness and response. This includes real-time surveillance systems, mobilising an EU Health Task Force to assist local responses in Member States and building a network of EU reference laboratories. 

What can we offer you?

We offer a competitive salary and a range of benefits, including health insurance, learning opportunities and flexible work arrangements such as flexible working hours and teleworking in the Stockholm area for part of the week. Additionally, you can work up to 10 days a year from outside the Stockholm area.

Depending on your experience, the monthly basic salary usually starts at € 13 449.79 and may be supplemented by various allowances including, as applicable, expatriation and/or generous family allowances. Salary is exempt from national tax and instead an Agency tax is deducted. We also provide financial support when relocating to Stockholm.

Our benefits package is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and we are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive work environment that values the well-being of our employees. 

Learn more about the benefits of joining ECDC here: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/about-ecdc/work-ecdc/staff-positions/what-we-offer 

How does our selection process work?

The selection process includes a remote written test, a video conference interview with a Selection Committee, an assessment centre and a meeting with the Director of ECDC; the selection process may include additional steps.

After a candidate has been selected for the position, additional shortlisted candidates can be placed on a reserve list. The reserve list may be used when ECDC needs to fill similar positions at the same level in the future. The reserve list is valid until 31 December 2027 and may be extended.

Visit https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/about-us/work-with-us/internal-procedure-recruitment-selection for an overview of the different steps in the selection process and see the ECDC-candidate-guide.pdf (europa.eu) for a detailed explanation of the selection and recruitment process. 

When starting a new contract under the EU staff regulations, all new staff must successfully complete a probationary period of nine months.

How do you apply?

To apply for this vacancy, please create/ log in to your ECDC e-recruitment user account.

See detailed instructions on how to apply here: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/Candidate-E-recruitment-user-guide.pdf

Please submit your application well ahead of the deadline in case of technical issues and/or heavy traffic on the website. After submitting your application, you will receive an automatic email message confirming receipt of your application. Ensure that the email address you provide for your applicant account is correct and that you check your email regularly.

If you require any technical support, please send an email to recruitmentecdc [dot] europa [dot] eu (recruitment[at]ecdc[dot]europa[dot]eu).

ECDC does not accept applications submitted after the deadline or applications submitted by email, mail or any other means.

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment. If you require any adjustments during the selection and recruitment process, please let us know.

Only candidates selected for interviews will be notified. You can see the progress of the selection process from within your e-recruitment account. 

Translations of this vacancy notice in all EU languages can be obtained by using the automatic translation function on this website.

Note: 

While this vacancy notice can be translated into all official EU languages from its English original, the language of day-to-day operations in the Agency is generally English. ECDC therefore prefers to receive the application in English.

Disclaimer: Please note that in the event of any differences in meaning or interpretation between the original English version of this content and a translation, the original English version takes precedence.

We welcome your application!

1. _{^{Only diplomas and certificates that have been awarded in EU member states or that are the subject of equivalence certificates issued by authorities in the said Member States shall be taken into consideration}}
2. _{^{Compulsory military service is always taken into consideration.}} 
3.  _{^{Candidates with a non-official EU language or English as their mother tongue must provide proof of their level of a second language with a certificate (B1 or more). In addition, in order to be eligible for a promotion through an annual promotion exercise the staff members have to have a working knowledge of a third EU language, as described in the applicable Staff Regulations and Implementing Rules.}} 
4. _{^{Prior to the appointment, the successful candidate will be asked to provide a certificate from the police file to the effect of non-existing criminal record.}}