Vacancy Notice N° e52/2016
Principal Scientific Assistant (Grade B5)
Directorate General of Democracy and Human Dignity (DG II)

European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM)
Closing date: 08 June 2016
Location : Strasbourg

Fixed-term contract: The total length of employment under fixed-term contracts will not exceed five years.

Job mission

FIXED-TERM CONTRACT – Turnover Profile

 

 

Turnover profiles are specific roles where it is considered to be in the best interests of the Organisation to have a consistent rotation of staff. Turnover profiles offer once-only opportunities under this scheme and the total duration of employment cannot exceed five years*.

 

Job mission

 

 

 

Under the authority of the Director of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) and of the Head of Department and in close collaboration with the responsible Scientific Officer, the incumbent will be responsible for ensuring the co-ordination of external quality assessment programs (Proficiency Testing Scheme (PTS) and audit scheme) in the field of blood transfusion, in accordance with policies, guidelines, quality assurance systems, priorities and deadlines.

 
 


 

 

 

* External recruitment procedure organised in accordance with Article 16 of the Regulations on Appointments

**  Staff members or former staff members who are or have previously been employed in the framework of the Junior Professional Programme or Turnover Profiles will not be eligible again for any of the profiles under these schemes. The Council of Europe reserves the right to assess the admissibility of candidates who are or have previously been employed with the Organisation according to their contractual situation at the closing date of this competition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key activities

 

The incumbent performs the following key duties:

 

  • prepares and sets up the annual PTS programme in the field of blood transfusion, in collaboration with the responsible advisory group;

  • organises and manages allocated PTS studies in the field of blood transfusion; prepares study protocols with the appointed Scientific Advisor; procures samples; and organises the distribution of samples to participating blood transfusion screening laboratories;

  • monitors and co-ordinates progress on both administrative and technical aspects of these studies in accordance with the relevant QA/QMS procedures and whilst respecting the confidentiality of the dossiers;

  • performs the evaluation of the results received from participating blood transfusion screening laboratories and drafts reports in collaboration with the statistician and the appointed Scientific Advisor;

  • coordinate audits in blood transfusion establishments;

  • maintains co-operation with the relevant bodies; attends and participates in meetings, conferences and seminars in order to keep up to date with developments in the field; follows new developments and is aware of the state-of-the-art in blood analysis and quality control methods in the field of blood transfusion.

  • contributes to the continuous improvement of the EDQM Quality Management System.

     

    Please note that the incumbent may be required to perform other duties not listed in the vacancy notice.

 

Eligibility Requirements

 

Only applicants who best meet the following criteria will be considered for shortlisting.

 

 

 

Qualifications:

 

 

 

  • Higher education degree or qualification (equivalent to the first cycle of the Bologna process framework of qualifications for the European Higher Education Area) in biology or pharmacy (or similar subject). 

     

    Experience:

 

  • At least 3 years of professional experience in the field of quality control of biologicals or blood transfusion including practical experience in a laboratory in these fields which applied the standards ISO 17025 or ISO 15189. Experience in auditing blood establishments would be an advantage.

 

Language requirements:

 

  • Very good knowledge of one of the official languages (English) and basic knowledge of the other (French).

 

Nationality:

 

  • Nationality of one of the 47 Council of Europe member states.

 

Age:

 

  • Under 65 years of age at the closing date of the vacancy notice.

 

 Admissibility:

 

  • Candidates must be eligible for employment on this type of profile**.

 

Employee Core Values

Council of Europe staff members adhere to the values Professionalism, Integrity and Respect.

Competencies

 

Essential:

 

  • Professional and technical expertise

 

  • has proven knowledge in the field of quality assurance of blood transfusion or pharmaceuticals, in particular of biologicals; 

 

  • Analysis and problem solving

  • Planning and work organisation

  • Service orientation

  • Teamwork and co-operation

  • Relationship building

  • Drafting skills

  • Concern for quality

     

    Desirable:

  • Results orientation

 

For more information, please refer to the Competency Framework of the Council of Europe.

Additional information

 

Applications

 

Applications must be made in English or French using the Council of Europe on-line application system.  By connecting to our website www.coe.int/jobs you can create and submit your on-line application.  Applications must be submitted at the latest 8 June 2016 (midnight Central European Time).

 

 

 

The selection procedure consists of a shortlisting based on candidates’ applications and may include ability tests, behavioural questionnaires, a job related written exam, situational exercises, language tests, interviews and full assessment centres.

 

 

 

Only candidates who best match the requirements of the job vacancy will be shortlisted and invited to test or a written exam. Tests or written exams may be eliminatory, in which case only candidates who succeed in the tests will be invited for interview. Depending on the number of applicants, the length of the professional experience considered for shortlisting may be increased from that indicated in the vacancy notice.

 

 

 

Following this competition, a list of eligible candidates, in order of merit, may be established. This list will be valid for two years with the possibility of extending it to a maximum of four years. During the period of validity of the list, candidates on the list may be offered employment of fixed term duration. It should be noted that placement on this list does not give candidates the right to an appointment within the Council of Europe. The choice of candidates from a reserve list is not made solely according to the order of merit, but also takes into account the requirements of the position to be filled and the qualifications of the candidates.

 

 

 

The first two years of employment will constitute a probationary period. Provided the staff members’ work is considered satisfactory, he/she may be offered a contract of fixed term duration. However, the total length of employment will not exceed five years. The staff member so recruited shall not be eligible for any subsequent internal competition, promotion or transfer to a post, or for secondment.

 

 

 

Details on conditions of employment including salaries, allowances, pension scheme and social insurance can be consulted on our recruitment website.

 

 

 

Under its equal opportunities policy, the Council of Europe is aiming to achieve parity in the number of women and men employed in each category and grade. In the event of equal merit, preference will therefore be given to the applicant belonging to the under-represented sex.

 

 

 

The Council of Europe welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief or sexual orientation.

 

 

 

During the different stages of the recruitment procedure, specific measures may be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities.

 

 

 

The Organisation

 

 

 

The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading organisation in the protection of human rights, democracy and rule of law. It was founded in 1949 in order to promote greater unity between its members  and  now includes 47 member states, all having signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights.

 

 

 

By Statute, the Council of Europe has two constituent organs: the Committee of Ministers, composed of the member states’ Ministers for Foreign Affairs, and the Parliamentary Assembly, comprising delegations from the national parliaments. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe represents the entities of local and regional self-government within the member states. The Commissioner for Human Rights is an independent and impartial institution within the Council of Europe mandated to promote the awareness of and respect for human rights in member states.

 

 

 

The European Court of Human Rights is the judicial body which oversees the implementation of the Convention in the member states. Individuals can bring complaints of human rights violations to the Strasbourg Court once all possibilities of appeal have been exhausted in the member state concerned.

 

The Council of Europe has its permanent headquarters in Strasbourg (France) and in addition it maintains external presence in more than twenty countries. More information about Council of Europe external presence.

 

 

 

The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (http://www.edqm.eu) is a leading organisation that protects public health by enabling the development, supporting the implementation and monitoring the application of quality standards for safe medicines and their safe use. Its standards are recognised as a scientific benchmark world-wide. The European Pharmacopoeia is legally binding in European member states.  Similarly, the EDQM develops guidance and standards in the areas of blood transfusion, organ transplantations and consumer health issues.  Its mission is to contribute to the basic human right of access to good quality medicines and healthcare and to promote and protect human and animal health.