Ongoing call
Notice of call for expressions of interest - Scientific and Technical Support in the areas of the assessment of:
- Animal Health and Animal Welfare,
- Biological hazards and Chemical contaminants
- Pesticides
- Plant health
- Genetically Modified Organisms
- Food Additives
- Food Contact Materials
- Food Enzymes
- Feed additives
- Novel Foods and Nutrition
The objective of this call for expressions of interest is to establish a list of individuals (natural persons) with scientific expertise to assist EFSA in carrying out the preparatory work in the areas of generic risk assessments and the assessment of applications for the authorization of regulated products, in particular in the areas of animal health and welfare, pesticides, plant health risk assessment, genetically modified organisms, food additives, food contact materials, food enzymes, novel foods and feed additives. The delivered preparatory work will be reviewed by EFSA staff and/or ad hoc experts for its use in EFSA scientific outputs.
Background Information
Many food and feed related products require a scientific assessment to evaluate their safety before risk managers can authorise them for the EU market. These so-called regulated products include substances used in food and feed (such as additives, enzymes, flavourings, novel foods and nutrient sources), food contact materials and pesticides, genetically modified organisms, food-related processes and processing aids.
In addition, EFSA carries out generic risk assessments in the area of food safety, animal health and welfare and plant health. Furthermore, EFSA provides scientific advice on all aspects of animal diseases and well-being of food producing-animals during breeding, rearing, transportation and slaughter. Analysis of the impact that the conditions and treatment of animals can have on both animal and human health.
EFSA carries out these assessments to support EU risk managers in their decision-making.
A further description of EFSA's activities is available on the EFSA website: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics
The complete list of guidance documents prepared by our different panels is available on the EFSA website, http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en, in the applications section.
FIELDS OF EXPERTISE SOUGHT & REQUIRED TASKS
Individuals are required to have scientific expertise of the major knowledge areas listed in the official job description (available at https://careers.efsa.europa.eu/); amongst others:
- Microbiological characterisation and assessment of possible genetic modifications of the microorganisms used as additives or as production strains in the food or feed chain;
- Microbiological risk assessment of novel foods including expertise in the safety assessment of food enzymes;
- Chemistry and microbiology (viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc.);
- Chemical and physiochemical characterisation of novel foods including expertise in NMR, mass spectrometry and in the characterisation of chemical complexes and/or nanomaterials
- Physical-chemical properties of plant protection products and their active substances;
- Methods of analysis of plant protection products and of their residues;
- Toxicology and regulatory toxicology;
- Non dietary exposure and risk assessment of plant protection products;
- Environmental fate and behaviour of plant protection products;
- Ecotoxicology;
- ....
Individuals are required to have scientific expertise for undertaking the following tasks when applicable to the area of their interest, in particular:
- Provide preliminary completeness check of dossiers, in compliance with EFSA administrative and scientific guidance documents;
- Analyse and extract critical data extracted from dossier submitted (factual/ key findings/ observations/ uncertainties/ missing information) and prepare summary reports;
- Perform additional literature search and/or statistical analysis, when needed;
- Prepare input data to launch call-for-data. Collate and process data of food consumption, food processing and recipes. Disaggregate national dietary survey to FoodEx system;
- Preparation of draft assessments on the pesticide residues in plants, residues in livestock and consumer risk assessment, on the basis of the Member State Assessment reports;
- Analyse the data provided in Draft/Renewal Assessment Report (DAR/RAR) provided by the responsible Rapporteur Member State and any supporting documents;
- Preparation of draft assessments on the specific chapter of the DAR/RAR;
- Prepare summary report from literature for risk assessment purposes on animal health, animal welfare, plant health, foodborne pathogens, chemical contaminants, antimicrobial resistance, food additives and flavourings, food contact materials, enzymes and processing aids: data extracted from methodology and result section (key findings/uncertainty/conclusions/recommendations/gaps);
- Performing microbiological risk assessments,including modelling of pathogen behaviour.
- Propose draft GIS analysis on vector or raster data and apply a GIS workflow; making maps in a variety of ways and present them in a multitude of media;
- Attend meetings, either physically or via web-conference if necessary.
PROCEDURAL ASPECTS OF THE LIST
• The procedure has its legal basis in Art 237 of the EU Financial Regulation.
• Individuals submit an expression of interest in accordance with the rules set out in this notice.
• The contracting authority will draw up a list of individuals who meet the criteria set out at point 3.
• Individuals listed in the list do not act or speak on behalf of EFSA and EFSA cannot be held responsible for their actions and expressions.
The list resulting from this call for expression of interests is valid for maximum 4 years from publication of the notice.
More information can be found in the official job description, at https://careers.efsa.europa.eu/
CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT FOR A PARTICULAR ASSIGNMENT
Where a particular task relating to the field described at point 2.2 is to be performed by an individual, the contracting authority will assign individuals to the task on the basis of the skills, experience and knowledge necessary and in accordance with the principles of non-discrimination, equal treatment and absence of conflict of interests.
The tasks will be formalised in a service request sent to the individual selected and via a specific contract.
REMUNERATION
Individuals shall be remunerated at a fixed fee of 350 euros per day worked.
The individuals commit themselves to respect applicable national legislation, including taxation, social security and labour law with regard to any payment received from EFSA.
EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENT
Where applicable, the travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed under the conditions set out in the contract according to the conditions stipulated in Annex I.
PLACE OF WORK
Tasks will be carried out in most of the cases remotely and delivered using electronic communication tools. In certain cases EFSA may request that specific tasks are carried out in EFSA premises or other sites that will be mentioned in the contract specifications.
REQUIREMENTS
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Applicants must be citizens of a Member State of the European Union (EU), or of a country of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) or of an EU Candidate country. Experts from third countries may also apply, and will be considered, if the required level of expertise may not be found among nationals of EU, EFTA or EU Candidate countries.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA
More information on exclusion criteria and corresponding declaration of honor can be found in the official job description, on https://careers.efsa.europa.eu/
SELECTION CRITERIA
Applicants to be placed on the list shall be selected on the basis of their professional and technical capacity to perform the tasks described in point 2.2. In particular, the applicants must meet these selection criteria to evidence their capacity:
(i) Education
A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three (3) years attested by a diploma in one of the following fields:
• Genetics,
• Ecology
• Plant Sciences,
• Veterinary Science,
• Zoology/Entomology
• (Mammalian) Toxicology,
• Human Medicine,
• Biology/Microbiology,
• Chemistry,
• Biochemistry,
• Agronomy/Crop Sciences/Forestry sciences,
• Mathematics/Statistics/Biostatistics,
• Food/Feed Technology,
• Pharmacology,
• Exposure Assessment,
• Epidemiology,
• Regulatory Science,
• Information Science,
• or related areas.
(ii) Professional experience
In addition to the above:
• at least 3 years of proven professional experience in at least one of the above fields in which the above qualifications (i) were obtained; and
• demonstrable experience in the risk assessment in the scientific areas indicated in Annex IV, as evidenced by:
-the preparation and drafting of at least 2 relevant risk assessment reports and/or publications in peer-reviewed journals related to the above-mentioned scientific expertise, carried out in the last 5 years before the application date (the publications should be in EN); and
• an excellent ability to communicate clearly and effectively in both spoken and written English, evidenced by either:
-having written at least 2 reports or publications in English; or
-a certificate demonstrating at least level B.2 of the Common European Framework of References for Languages; or
-having worked for at least 2 years in a working environment where the day-to-day working language for meetings, communications is English.
Additional information on the application process, the remuneration, DoI and data protection can be found in the official job description, at https://careers.efsa.europa.eu/
The call for expression of interests shall be read entirely on the EFSA career page, together with its annexes which contain essential additional information.
