Introduction

The Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) aims to translate health research and innovation into real benefits for patients and society, and to ensure that Europe remains at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary, sustainable, patient-centric health research. Health research and healthcare increasingly involve diverse sectors. By supporting projects that bring these sectors together, IHI will pave the way for a more integrated approach to healthcare, covering prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and disease management. IHI is a partnership between the European Union and European industry associations representing the pharmaceutical, medical technology, biotechnology, digital health and vaccine industries, namely COCIR, EFPIA (including Vaccines Europe), EuropaBio, and MedTech Europe. IHI’s total budget is EUR 2.4 billion. Half of this comes from Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme. The IHI industry partners have committed EUR 1 billion to IHI, and a further EUR 200 million can be committed by other organisations that decide to support the objectives of IHI in specific areas of research by becoming contributing partners.

For more information, please visit the IHI JU website: http://www.ihi.europa.eu.

• promoting awareness of the IHI programme through information days, workshops and other public meetings disseminating information on the call and evaluation processes, rules and procedures explaining the benefits of participating in the programme, as well as highlighting key project results and the benefit of IHI projects for stakeholders and society at large;
• Undertaking other relevant tasks and activities of the Scientific Operations Team, as requested by the Head of Scientific Operations or the IHI Executive Director, as they may evolve according to the development of IHI programme.

Eligibility criteria

Candidates will be considered for the selection phase on the basis of the following criteria to be fulfilled by the closing date for applications:

General conditions

• Be a national of a Member State of the European Union;
• Enjoy their full rights as a citizen1;
• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws concerning military service;
• Meet the character requirements for the duties involved;
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post2;
• Have a thorough knowledge of one of the official EU languages and a satisfactory knowledge (at least B2 level) of another of these languages to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties (candidates are invited to specify in their CV possible language certificates they have obtained and which can demonstrate their language skills).

Education

• Have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four (4) years or more;

OR

• Have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma, and appropriate professional experience of at least one year

Experience

• In addition to the above, have at least seven (7) years of relevant professional work experience acquired from the time when the university degree giving access to the selection procedure was awarded on completion of a required minimum of four years of study.
• Eligibility criteria must be fulfilled by the deadline for applications and maintained throughout the selection procedure and appointment.

If candidates do not fulfil all the eligibility criteria, their application will not be taken into consideration.

Selection criteria

Candidates will be considered for the selection phase on the basis of the following criteria, to be fulfilled by the closing date for applications:

Essential

• Suitability to perform the tasks described under point 2 job description;
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in an area related to the work of the programme such as biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, medical technologies, medical devices, in vitro diagnostics, medical imaging, biotechnology, bio-engineering, digital technologies, data science and technology, data analytics, high performance computing, artificial intelligence, real world data and real world evidence, health economics, health technology assessment and the regulation of medicines and medical devices;
• Demonstrated professional experience of at least four (4) years in project management in an area related to the work of IHI programme (acquired after the education referred to in section “education”);
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the medicinal product and/or medical device development lifecyle, particularly the challenges experienced when developing innovative new products, devices or medicines etc, as well as those involved when trying to bring those innovations to market for the benefit of patients;
• Fluent written and spoken English (native or near-native level).

Advantageous

• A post graduate qualification or equivalent (e.g. Masters, Phd, MD, etc.) in a field relevant to the position (such as biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, medical technologies, chemistry, data management, data analysis, biomedical engineering, digital technologies, etc.);
• Experience of managing large multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder projects (applicants must state in their application how they have obtained such experience);
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the generation, analysis and/or use of data related to health research and/or data related to health care;
• Professional experience within an industrial setting related to the IHI programme;
• Professional experience in managing research programmes at EU level and/or knowledge of IT tools used in the European institutions such as Compass, Sygma etc.

Behavioural competencies

Throughout the different phases of the selection procedure candidates will also be assessed on the following criteria that are essential to the post:

• Good analytical ability and problem-solving skills;
• Knowledge and skills in the use of statistics and the presentation of data
• High level of organisational and planning skills;
• Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills: ability to work both independently and as a team player;
• Strong customer service-oriented approach;
• Very good communication skills;
• Ability to handle many tasks simultaneously while delivering high-quality work under tight deadlines 

In order to be evaluated in the best possible way, candidates are recommended to give evidence of their knowledge with specific examples and/or detailed professional experience.

Candidates are invited to be as detailed and as clear as possible in the description of their professional experience and specific skills and competences in their application form.

Failure to comply with the eligibility and essential selection criteria will result in the disqualification of the applicant concerned.

Independence and Declaration of Interest

• The successful candidate will be required to make a declaration of their commitment to act independently in the public interest and to make a declaration in relation to interests that might be considered prejudicial to his/her independence. Candidates must confirm their willingness to do so in their application.

Appointment and reserve list

The recruitment will take place upon a decision of the IHI Executive Director (the Appointing Authority).

The Executive Director of the IHI JU will select a successful candidate from the reserve list and offer them the post. A binding commitment can only be made after the verification of all conditions4 and will take the form of a contract signed by the Appointing Authority of IHI.

The reserve list could be used to fulfil other positions within IHI JU depending on the needs of the Joint Undertaking and will be valid until the date indicated in the relevant vacancy (the validity of the reserve list may be extended).

Candidates should note that inclusion on the reserve list does not guarantee recruitment. Recruitment will be based on the availability of posts and budget.

Before the appointment, a successful candidate shall undergo a medical examination by the medical services of the Commission in order that IHI JU may be satisfied that she/he fulfils the requirement of article 28(e) of the Staff Regulation of the Officials of the European Communities.

The reserve list will be valid until 31 December 2025 and may be extended at the discretion of the Appointing Authority.

IHI may decide at any time during the procedure not to pursue the recruitment.

Deadline for applications

Interested candidates are invited to submit their application no later than 16 September 2024 23:59 CEST (Central European Summer Time / Brussels time), following the instruction in the ANNEX.

Conditions of employment

The place of employment will be Brussels, where the IHI JU premises are located.

The successful candidate will be appointed as a Temporary Agent AD 7, pursuant to Article 2(f) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities, for a period of three years. After an evaluation of the post holder’s performance, and subject to budget availability, the term of office may be extended. The period of engagement will not in any case exceed the lifetime of IHI JU.

The successful candidate who is offered a contract of employment will be graded on entry into service at the relevant step (1 or 2), according to the length of his/her professional experience.

The basic monthly salary for AD 7, step 1 is EUR 7.261,98 subject to an annual review of remuneration provided for in Article 65(1) of the Staff Regulations, and to a Community tax deducted at source and staff members exempt of national taxation. In addition to the basic salary,

staff members may be entitled to various allowances, in particular expatriation allowance (16%), household allowance, dependent child allowance and education allowance.

A comprehensive welfare package including pension scheme, medical, accident and occupational disease insurance coverage, unemployment and invalidity allowance, and travel allowance.

Further information can be found at the following link Staff Regulations.

The salary is subject to a Community tax deducted at source and staff members are exempt from national taxation.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Candidates are invited to read the ANNEX that represents an integral part of this vacancy and provides information on how to complete the application, the steps of the selection process and appeal procedures.

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