European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA)

The European Maritime Safety Agency was established for the purpose of ensuring a high, uniform and effective level of maritime safety, maritime security as well as prevention of and response to pollution by ships within the EU.

The idea of a European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA)  originated in the late 1990's along with a number of other important European maritime safety initiatives. EMSA was set up as the decentralised agency that would provide a major source of support to the European Commission and the Member States in the field of maritime safety, security and prevention of pollution from ships. The Agency was established by Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 and subsequent amendments have refined and enlarged its mandate to cover among other measures, the efficiency of maritime transport.

The Agency provides technical, operational and scientific assistance to the European Commission and Member States in the fields of maritime safety, maritime security, prevention of, and response to, pollution caused by ships as well as response to marine pollution caused by oil and gas installations.

The Agency also contributes to the overall efficiency of maritime traffic and maritime transport and supports European cooperation on coastguard functions.

EMSA's activities can be broadly described as:

• providing technical and scientific assistance to the Member States and the European Commission in the proper development and implementation of EU legislation on maritime safety, security, prevention of pollution by ships and maritime transport administrative simplification;
• monitoring the implementation of EU legislation through visits and inspections;
• improving cooperation with and between Member States;
• building capacity of national competent authorities;
• providing operational assistance, including developing, managing and maintaining maritime services related to ships, ship monitoring and enforcement;
• carrying out operational preparedness, detection and response tasks with respect to pollution caused by ships and marine pollution by oil and gas installations;
• at the request of the European Commission, providing technical operational assistance to non-EU countries around relevant sea basins.

From the publication of this call, EMSA envisages to select 16 trainees. The starting date of the traineeship is 1 September 2025 until 31 August 2026.

More information about the selection procedure as well as the rights and duties of the trainees can be found in the Decision N˚2024/021 of the Executive Director relating to the rules governing the traineeship scheme of EMSA.

1. Unit E.0: Executive Office, Communication

Profile 1: The trainee will play an important role in supporting the communication team by taking and editing photographs of events and seminars, carrying out graphic design work, and preparing visuals and short video clips for social media. Key Responsibilities:

• Take and edit photographs using a professional-quality camera and Adobe Photoshop.
• Use Adobe InDesign and Illustrator for graphic design work on brochures, catalogues, reports, and other outputs.
• Prepare visuals and short video clips for social media using Adobe suite and Canva.
• Assist in the preparation of web pages and online projects.

Specific Area of University Degree: Graphic design, communication, multimedia, administration, business. Technical Skills: Adobe suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator), Canva. Soft Skills: Creativity, good organisational skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner, good interpersonal skills, attention to detail and teamwork.

Profile 2: The trainee will assist in public information tasks, communication aspects of events, and planning and monitoring communication work. Key Responsibilities:

• Assist in handling requests from the public.
• Assist in communication aspects of events held at EMSA or elsewhere in the EU.
• Assist in planning communication work and monitoring the team’s output.
• Assist in planning and realizing communication campaigns, focusing on social media campaigns.

Specific Area of University Degree: Graphic design, communication, multimedia, administration, business. Technical Skills: Social media management, Adobe suite. Soft Skills: Creativity, good organisational skills, ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner, good interpersonal skills, attention to detail and teamwork. 

2. Unit 1.1: Sustainability

The trainee will support environmental reporting, monitoring new technologies related to pollution response, and reviewing studies on alternative fuels. Key Responsibilities:

• Assist in drafting the annual implementation report of the Sulphur Directive.
• Support work related to the reporting from MSs on the ETS Directive.
• Support coordination of relevant IMO Correspondence Groups in relation to GHG discussions.
• Assist in monitoring new technologies for response to spills of low sulphur oils.
• Support review of studies related to alternative fuels and their accidental releases into the marine environment.
• Assist in updating the MAR-CIS information application and other projects related to chemical transportation hazards.
• Support other projects aiming at the development of pollution response services.

Specific Area of University Degree: Scientific studies, Environmental studies, Chemistry. Technical Skills: Environmental reporting, data analysis. Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good organisational skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

3. Unit 1.2: Visits & Inspections, Human Element

The trainee will assist project officers in preparing visits and inspections, organizing meetings and workshops, and supporting the development of the EU Seafarers’ Certification Platform. Key Responsibilities:

• Assist in preparing visits and inspections to Member States and third countries.
• Assist in organizing meetings and workshops related to the STCW Convention.
• Assist in matters related to the implementation of the MLC, 2006.
• Assist in developing the EU Seafarers’ Certification Platform and the STCW Information System.

Specific Area of University Degree: Maritime Studies, preferably in Navigation and Marine Engineering, Maritime Law. Technical Skills: Maritime regulations, project management. Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good organisational skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

4. Unit 1.3: Capacity Building, EMSA Academy

Profile 1 (Multimedia): The trainee will support the EMSA Academy in creating and developing specialized graphic and multimedia content within the e-laboratory. Key Responsibilities:

• Assist in preparing visually compelling and pedagogically effective content.
• Participate in all stages of video production.
• Assist in live broadcasting and podcasting of video products.
• Contribute to developing new ideas and approaches to enhance multimedia content.

Specific Area of University Degree: Communication, Journalism, Media Communication, Film and Media Production, Graphic Design and Multimedia, Motion Graphic. Technical Skills: Graphic design, video production, multimedia content creation. Soft Skills: Creativity, good organisational skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner, good interpersonal skills, attention to detail and teamwork.

Profile 2 (Learning Management System): The trainee will support the day-to-day management, maintenance, and support of EMSA’s Moodle-based Learning Management System (LMS). Key Responsibilities:

• Provide first-line support to users.
• Assist in course and content management.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues.
• Generate reports on course activity and system performance.
• Contribute to developing new ideas to enhance course content and Moodle performance.

Specific Area of University Degree: Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, Web Design, Instructional Design & Technology, Education Technology. Technical Skills: LMS management, technical support, data analysis. Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good organisational skills, good interpersonal skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

5. Unit 2.1: Safety & Security

Profile 1 (Accident Investigation): The trainee will be involved in the European Marine Casualty Information Platform (EMCIP) business management. Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct functional tests on new releases.
• Provide helpdesk support to member states' authorities.
• Analyse accident data and generate analytics.
• Report tickets in Jira and follow up on support requests.

Specific Area of University Degree: ICT background, engineering, business administration. Technical Skills: Data analysis, helpdesk support, Jira. Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good organisational skills, good interpersonal skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

Profile 2 (Marsec): The trainee will focus on cybersecurity and developing an information-sharing tool for maritime cybersecurity. Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct research on maritime cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities.
• Analyse existing information-sharing frameworks and tools.
• Assist in developing an information-sharing tool for maritime cybersecurity.
• Prepare technical documentation and user guides.

Specific Area of University Degree: Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science. Technical Skills: Cybersecurity principles, software development, information sharing platforms. Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good organisational skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

6. Unit 3.1: Integrated Maritime Services

Profile 1 (Integrated Maritime Services Business): The trainee will support the daily management of maritime applications under IMS for Member States. Key Responsibilities:

• Support business validation, bug identification, and reporting.
• Provide first-line support and classify tickets.
• Prepare ticket answers and follow up on ticket resolution.
• Support quality monitoring of all SSN-IMS services.
• Review project documentation and support testing of new releases.

Specific Area of University Degree: Maritime Management, Transport, Ship Technology, Naval Architecture, Ship Operation Engineering, Maritime Telecommunication, Maritime Informatics, Navigation. Technical Skills: Maritime applications, data management, technical support. Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good interpersonal skills, good organisational and prioritisation skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

Profile 2 (Integrated Maritime Services Tec): The trainee will support the second-line investigation of issues escalated by the first line. Key Responsibilities:

• Investigate issues and execute necessary analysis.
• Identify responsible IMS components and open defects.
• Follow up on ticket resolution status.
• Support quality monitoring of all IMS services.
• Support testing and validation of new releases.

Specific Area of University Degree: Computer Science. Technical Skills: Web-based applications, databases, SQL. Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good organisational skills and prioritisation skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

7. Unit 3.2: Maritime Digital Solutions, Maritime Support Services

The trainee will support the daily operations of the MSS under the supervision of the MSSOs on duty. Key Responsibilities:

• Generate data quality reports on SSN data.
• Extract data and generate reports linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
• Report on maritime accidents and monitor newswires.
• Perform other tasks related to MSS duties.

Specific Area of University Degree: Nautical sciences, law enforcement, ICT. Technical Skills: Data analysis, reporting. Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good organisational and prioritisation skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

8. Unit 3.3: Horizontal Digital Services, Service Desk

The trainee will provide first-line IT support to users within the organization. Key Responsibilities:

• Respond to and log IT support requests.
• Assist users with troubleshooting software, hardware, and network issues.
• Support the installation and configuration of IT equipment.
• Provide guidance on IT policies and security best practices.
• Escalate technical issues to senior IT staff when necessary.
• Maintain an updated knowledge base by documenting solutions.
• Assist in IT asset management and participate in IT projects.

Specific Area of University Degree: A technical or scientific degree. Technical Skills:  Knowledge of Windows, Microsoft Office, and common IT systems. Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good interpersonal skills, good organisational and prioritisation skills, a service orientated attitude, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

9. Unit 4.0: Corporate Services

The trainee will support the migration project to EU corporate tools for HR, financial, and contractual management. Key Responsibilities:

• Review data in EMSA HR, financial, and contractual management systems.
• Encode data in new EU systems.
• Produce manuals, videos, and instructions for users.

Specific Area of University Degree: HR, Finance, ICT, Public Administration. Technical Skills: Data management, technical documentation. Soft Skills: Creativity, good organisational skills, good analytical skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner, good interpersonal skills, attention to detail and teamwork.

10. Unit 4.1: Human Resources & Internal Support, Recruitment & Mission Cell

The trainee will assist the recruitment team in administrative tasks and support the mission cell. Key Responsibilities:

• Assist in preparing files and supporting documentation.
• Screen applications and communicate with candidates.
• Assist in organizing missions and calculating mission costs.

Specific Area of University Degree: HR, Career management, Social Sciences, Work Psychology, Tourism Management, Public Administration. Technical Skills: Administrative support, data management. Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good interpersonal skills, good organisational and prioritisation skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

11. Unit 4.2: Legal, Finance and Facilities

The trainee will assist the legal section in preparing legal and procurement-related documentation. Key Responsibilities:

• Prepare legal and procurement-related documentation.
• Assist in developing and revising the internal legal framework.
• Verify procurement files and assist in e-procurement procedures.
• Maintain the contract archive and prepare training materials.

Specific Area of University Degree: Master of Laws in European/Administrative/Business Law. Technical Skills: Legal documentation, procurement procedures. Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good organisational skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

Please note that sickness insurance is compulsory. Candidates must provide a certificate proving health insurance cover: private/public insurance or the European Health Insurance Card . The cover must be valid for the whole period of the traineeship.

The trainees will be awarded a monthly grant of 1359.74€ and a travel allowance as indicated in the above-mentioned decision, if applicable.

Candidates must submit their application electronically solely via the EMSA website within the deadline. Applications by any other means (hard copy or ordinary e-mail) or submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.

When completing their application, candidates must indicate two units and profiles as first and second option as preference for the traineeship. All candidates will receive an acknowledgement of receipt for their application from.

In addition to this, and once the acknowledgement of receipt has been received, candidates need to send a copy of all the University Diploma/s or relevant official certificate/s declared in the application (self-certifications are not accepted) by e-mail to the following address: traineeship@emsa.europa.eu with the following subject: EMSA/TRA/2025/02 – SURNAME/S Name/s by the deadline for applications.

Only complete applications will be taken into consideration. No application will be considered if a University Diploma/s or relevant official certificate/s has not been sent to the Traineeship mailbox: traineeship@emsa.europa.eu by the deadline for applications.

Females applicants are encouraged to apply, EMSA seeks to attain at least 60% of female trainees in our Traineeship Programme.

The closing date for application for the traineeship program is 26 May 2025 at 12h00 (Lisbon Time). All applications received after that time will not be taken into consideration.

For each traineeship intake, a Selection Committee (SC) is created. The work of the SC is confidential, and applicants must refrain from contacting the members of the SC. The SC will set up a list of eligible candidates and send the list to the different EMSA entities for selection.

Once candidates have been selected by the relevant EMSA entities, the trainees' nomination is confirmed by the Executive Director.

There is no appeal procedure. Upon receipt of the application, the SC will examine all the applications based on the criteria established for the intake, as published on the Agency's website.

Candidates can be contacted over the phone or by videocall by the recruiting Units to check availability and to discuss mutual expectations prior to the final selection decision.

Candidates can also be invited for an interview or to take part in a written test. All candidates will be informed of the outcome of their application.

If an application is unsuccessful, candidates may re-apply for another traineeship period. It is, however, necessary to submit a new application together with all the supporting documents within the new deadline.

At any stage of the application process, applicants may withdraw their application by informing the Agency by mail to the address stated on the website.

EMSA respects the privacy of its trainees and processes applicants’ personal data in line with Regulation (EC) 2018/1725 of 23 October 2018.  Personal information requested in the context of the traineeship is processed in line with the Data Protection Privacy Statement on the processing of personal data in the context of Selection of Trainees at EMSA as available on the EMSA website.