The European Commission is currently looking for top scientists to join the non-food Scientific Committees for the term 2016-2021. The Scientific Committees provide the Commission with high quality and independent risk assessment and scientific advice in the areas of public health, consumer safety and environmental risks. Each Committee consists of a maximum of 19 members.

Scientists may apply for membership in one or more of the following committees:

1. Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS)
2. Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER)

Successful applicants are expected to be well-established scientists with more than 10 years of professional experience and multi-disciplinary accomplishments.

Members of the Committees are selected on the basis of their expertise in one or more of the fields of competence and collectively cover the widest possible range of disciplines. The fields of competence of the Scientific Committees embrace public health, consumer safety and environmental risks and are spelled out in detail in the text of the call.

Members are appointed to the Scientific Committees for a term of five years.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must hold:

• a university degree in a relevant scientific area at postgraduate level;
• at least 10 years of professional experience;
• good knowledge of English.
• ability to work in English.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

Applications who meet the eligibility requirements are evaluated, based on the evidence declared, against the following criteria:

• further education
• professional experience
• scientific excellence
• experience in scientific risk assessment and/or providing scientific advice;
• analytical skills: analysing complex information and peer reviewing scientific publications;
• multi-disciplinary and international experience;
• managerial and organisational skills, in particular in project management.
• communication skills

In its selection process, the Commission will also consider candidates' independence (potential conflicts of interest), representation from different geographic regions and gender balance. The European Commission is an equal-opportunity employer and committed to avoiding any form of discrimination.

WORKLOAD AND INDEMNITIES

Members are expected to attend meetings on a regular basis where opinions, statements or guidance document are discussed, drafted and adopted. In particular, they are requested to actively contribute to scientific discussions, examination of documents, drafting of opinions during meetings of Scientific Committees and their working groups; to attend workshops and hearings on invitation and act as ‘chairs’ and/or ‘rapporteurs’ of working groups, on an ad hoc basis.

Applicants should be aware that participating in the work of the Committees requires a commitment of approximately 4 hours a week on average.

Candidates should be willing to work with electronic methods for the management and exchange of documents and also interactive meetings (audio-meetings).

Applicants are required to express their commitment that, if appointed, they will participate in the activities of the Scientific Committees according to the investment of time and effort as described above, including participation in a fair share of working groups.

The Scientific Committees' members do not receive a salary as they are not employed by the Commission, but they are reimbursed the cost of their travel, accommodation and subsistence in accordance with the existing rules for expert groups. Members are also paid a flat allowance of a maximum of EUR 450 for each full day of a meeting that they attend, including related preparatory work.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/sc_membership

DEADLINE

The deadline for applications is 2 November 2015

OTHER LINKS

http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/call_experts/call_exp_2015_en.htm

http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/about/index_en.htm