Jobs at REA

The European Research Executive Agency (REA) currently employs almost 900 highly qualified colleagues from different backgrounds and nationalities across Europe. We are the largest Executive Agency of the European Commission and continue to grow. In 2023, we will welcome yet more staff, to support the EU’s research and innovation policy, as well as other Commission priority areas. Find out more about us in our corporate brochure. 

REA is located in Brussels. The agency offers different working contracts: 

• Temporary agent (TA) contracts - (about 25% of the REA’s staff) 

TAs are recruited under Article 2(f) of the Conditions of Employment for Other Servants (CEOS) and in accordance with the agency’s General Implementing Provisions governing the engagement of Temporary staff. 

Temporary staff are predominantly recruited for specialised tasks. Typical job profiles include administrators in the following fields: research programme management, finance, legal services, and some management positions such as Heads of Sector and Deputy Heads of Unit. 

• Contract agent (CA) contracts – (about 75% of the REA staff) 

CAs are recruited under Article 3(a) of the Conditions of Employment for Other Servants (CEOS) and in accordance with the agency’s General Implementing Provisions governing the engagement of Contract staff. 

Depending on the responsibilities and qualifications required, contract staff are recruited for a wide range of support and technical tasks and according to the relevant function group (FGI to FGIV). Typical job profiles include: Project Advisers, Project Officers, Legal Advisers, Financial Advisers, Financial Officers, HR Officers, Project Assistants, Financial Assistants, secretaries, etc. 

For updated information on CAST testing possibilities, please refer to the  EPSO website and FAQs. 

Interim agents 

REA may hire interim agents for short periods, to face peaks in workload or to compensate for long-term absences. 

To find out about short-term opportunities, please contact: 

Randstad 
Rue des Princes 8-10 
1000 Bruxelles 
Tel.: +32 (0)2/643 47 90 
Email: inhouse_1230@randstad.be 
Website: http://www.randstad.be/ 

You can also email your CV to REA-INTERIM-AGENTS@ec.europa.eu

How does REA fill its vacant positions:

Vacant positions for TA and CA staff are first published within the Agency in order to facilitate internal mobility. 

If the vacancy cannot be filled by internal mobility, the reserve lists for the corresponding profiles can be consulted: 

• TA reserve lists
• CA reserve lists

If no suitable candidate is found on the reserve lists, the vacancy can be filled by: 

• publishing the post in the inter-institutional mobility portal;  
• launching a new external selection (Call for expression of interest);
• participating in an external joint selection activities with other Executive Agencies;
• organising a CAST selection procedure.

Selection procedures differ for Contract Agents and Temporary Agents. For Contract Agents, the main reference point is  REA’s  Decision REA/SC(2017)4.5 adopting the Commission Decision C(2017)6760 on the conditions of employment of Contract Agents. 

To be employed as a Contract Agent 3(a), candidates must succeed in all parts of the EPSO CAST tests (Reasoning and Competency). For questions and further details concerning the EPSO Permanent CAST competitions’ modalities, please refer to the EPSO FAQ and to the EPSO CAST Permanent page. 

Some clarifications on the new General Implementing Provisions (GIPs) of 16.10.2017 are available on the FAQ dedicated to these new provisions for contract agents.

For Temporary Agents the main reference point is REA’s Decision REA/SC(2015)WP.1.

TIP: Before completing an application form, make sure that you meet all the eligibility requirements specified in the vacancy notice. Applications that do not meet the requirements will not be taken into consideration.

Please note that REA does not consider spontaneous applications or CVs. Only applications for published vacancies will be taken into consideration. 

A. Inter-institutional selection procedures:

The inter-institutional mobility has been put in place to facilitate the mobility of contract and temporary staff as described in the above Commission Decisions.   

TA vacancies are published on a dedicated inter-agency mobility portal(only accessible to EC staff). As described in the REA/SC(2015) WP1 decision, these vacancies are open to internal applicants who are already employed within the Institutions covered by the above Decision as Temporary Agents with a contract type 2(f) Temporary staff. 

CA vacancies are published in a dedicated inter-agency job market portal(only accessible to EC staff).  These vacancies are open to applicants that are already employed within the Commission/agencies that have adopted Commission Decision C(2017)6760, as Contract Agents with a contract type 3(a). Some vacancies may also be open to Contract Agents with a contract type 3(b).

B. External selection procedures:

The employment of REA staff members shall be conditional upon passing a selection procedure for Contract Agents 3(a) or Temporary Agents 2(f). In addition to the Inter0Institutional selection procedures described above, REA also organises external selection procedures.

B.1. Call for expression of interest:

To fill Contract and Temporary Agent vacancies according to the establishment plan, REA may organise a call for expression of interest with a view to establishing a reserve list from which candidates can be recruited. This type of selection procedure is open to external and internal candidates.

B.2. Joint selection procedures:

To fill Contract and Temporary Agent vacancies according to the establishment plan, REA may also participate in joint selection procedures with other Executive Agencies with a view to establishing a common reserve list from which candidates can be recruited. The selection procedure will be detailed in the call for expression of interest and is likely to reflect standard recruitment practices at REA (publication of the call, application period, screening (if applicable), interviews, establishment of reserve list). The profiles sought in each selection will depend on the needs of the services in each agency and upon common agreement between the participating agencies.

Whilst a lead agency may be appointed to conduct/”lead” the selection procedure, and the procedure may differ somewhat according to the selection practices of the lead agency, the recruitment processes are managed by each agency individually and are subject to their specific data protection records and notices.

B.3.CAST selection procedures:

In order to fill Contract Agent vacancies according to the establishment plan, REA may also organise CAST selection procedures. This type of selection procedure is conducted by directly searching candidates with valid application profiles in the EPSO CAST database. There is no publication of vacancy notice for this specific selection procedure. Suitable candidates are only contacted if they are sent to the EPSO CBT tests or invited to an interview. 

I. Inter-institutional mobility vacancies 

A. Temporary agent 2(f):

There are no open vacancies for the moment.

B. Contract staff 3(a) and 3(b): 

There are no open vacancies for the moment.

II. External vacancies

A. Temporary agent 2(f):

There are no open vacancies for the moment.

B. Contract staff 3(a)

There are no open vacancies for the moment.

C. Traineeships at REA

REA ongoing selection procedures – state of play 

2021 - 2023 REA completed selection procedures

We offer (paid) traineeship opportunities, as part of the European Commission’s scheme for trainees - the Bluebook traineeships. There are two five-month internship sessions per year, starting on 1 March and 1 October respectively. 

In general, we are looking for trainees with a background in:

• External and internal communication
• Human resources
• Law
• Economics
• Project management (in the topics managed by the REA).

For more information and to apply, please visit the European Commission's Traineeship Office and consult our organisation chart.

Read what our trainees say about their experience:

• Pascalle, Kezia Eka Sari, Sofia and Anais - March 2023 traineeship session
• Jeanne, Oscar, Siriana and Victoria - October 2022 traineeship session
• Lilly, Esma, Laura and Assmae - March 2022 traineeship session
• Alice, Saul, Reshma, André and Vasiliki - October 2021 traineeship session
• Maria, Arpad, Tereza and Stela - March 2021 traineeship session

We hope to welcome you soon to the REA family for an exciting and mutually rewarding time together!

• Data protection notice for the selection of Contract Agents (CA): PDF 
• Data protection notice for the selection of Temporary Agents (TA): PDF 
• Data Protection notice for the recruitment of Contract Agents (CA) Temporary Agents (TA): PDF   
• Data protection notice for inter-Agency mobility of Temporary Agents and Contract Agents: PDF 
• Data protection notice for the selection & recruitment of Bluebook trainees: Document under revision 
• Data protection notice for the recruitment of Interim Agents: Document under revision 

• Staff regulations and CEOS 
• Reimbursement form for applicants 
• Financial identification form 
• Legal entity form  
• European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO)