EMSA

Call for Applications: EMSA/TRA/2026/01 - Traineeship Notice 2026 - 2027

Post: EMSA/TRA/2026/01 - Traineeship Notice 2026 - 2027
Directorate/Unit: Traineeship to be used by various units
Type of post: Traineeship
Grade:
Location: Lisbon
Closing date for applications: 31 March 2026

The selection of candidates will follow the EMSA Staff Recruitment Procedure. Candidates must apply for this post via the EMSA website http://www.emsa.europa.eu - vacancies. Please note that to make an EMSA on-line application you will need to create your EMSA profile using a valid e-mail address and a password.

1. Background

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.

2. Tasks of the agency

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.

3. Traineeship to be used by various units

From the publication of this call, EMSA envisages to select 15 trainees. The starting date of the traineeship is 1 September 2026 until 31 August 2027.

More information about the selection procedure as well as the rights and duties of the trainees can be found in the Decision N˚2016/036 of the Executive Director relating to the rules governing the traineeship scheme of EMSA.

4. Positions available

1. Unit EO: Executive Office, Communication

Profile EO1: 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 of events and seminars in EMSA using a professional-quality camera provided and Adobe Photoshop.
  • Prepare visuals and short video clips for social media using Adobe suite and Canva. Assist in the preparation of web pages and online projects.
  • Using the Adobe suite, primarily InDesign and Illustrator, carry out graphic design work on a range of brochures, catalogues, reports, and other outputs.

Specific Area of University Degree: Communication, graphic design, business administration.

Technical Skills: Adobe suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator), Canva. Knowledge of how to use a professional quality camera for photos and videos would be advantageous. 

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 EO2: The trainee will assist in public information tasks, communication aspects of events, and planning and monitoring communication work. 

Key Responsibilities:

  • Assist with EMSA’s public enquiry service.
  • Assist with events in EMSA, both in communication of events and in providing support to the EMSA events team in the handling of events (providing support with preparing documentation, registration of attendees, etc).
  • Assist in the planning of communication work.

Specific Area of University Degree: Communication, graphic design, business administration.

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.

2. Unit 1.1: Sustainability

The trainee will support in the areas related to pollution prevention and pollution response.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Assist in the drafting of the annual implementation report of the Sulphur Directive.
  • Support in managing the helpdesk support in relation to the implementation of the ETS Directive and FuelEU Regulation.
  • Support the coordination of relevant IMO Correspondence Groups in relation to the GHG discussions (analysis of submissions, consolidation of input and drafting the report for the MEPC sessions).
  • Support the development of databases related to marine pollution response resources.
  • Assist in projects using maritime datasets, supporting data management activities.
  • Support the review of studies related to alternative fuels, concerning responses to their accidental releases into the marine environment.
  • Assist in the updating of the MAR-CIS information application and on other projects related to the hazards linked to the transportation of chemicals.
  • Supporting other projects aiming at the development of the pollution response services.

Specific Area of University Degree: Scientific studies, oceanography, nautical studies, environmental studies, chemistry.

Technical Skills:  Knowledge and experience of ICT tools relevant to the performance of the tasks and duties described: Microsoft Office. Excellent knowledge of Excel and other data management and analysis tools (e.g. Power BI).

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 and support project officers in the unit.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Assist the Project officers in the preparation of visits and inspections base on the STCW Convention and Directive (EU) 2022/993 on the minimum level of training of seafarers.
  • Assist the Project officers in the management of statistics and the STCW-IS - Assist the project officers in the horizontal analysis of the findings of visits and inspections.
  • Assist the project officers in the preparation of meetings and in the organisation of reports.

Specific Area of University Degree: Maritime Studies, statistics.

Technical Skills: Good knowledge of any software that facilitates the analysis of data and the drafting of statistical reports.

Soft Skills: Good team player. Analytical skills, attention to detail, good organisational skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner.

4. Unit 1.3: Capacity Building

Profile 1.3.1. EMSA Academy: The trainee will play an important role in supporting the EMSA Academy in the creation and development of specialized graphic and multimedia content within the e-laboratory. The primary objective of this role is to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the Academy's educational materials.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Content Creation: Assist in the preparation of visually compelling and pedagogically effective content, including graphics, animations, and multimedia elements, to support the Academy's educational programs.
  • Video Production: Participate in all stages of video production, including:

- Pre-production: Assist in planning, scripting, and storyboarding video products.

- Shooting: Support the filming of video content, either in a studio or on location.

- Post-production: Assist in editing, visual effects, and sound design to ensure the final product is of high quality.

  • Live Broadcasting: Assist in the live broadcasting of video products from the e-laboratory, ensuring that all technical aspects run smoothly and efficiently.
  • Audio and Video Podcasting: Assist in the live or recorded podcasting of audio and video products from the e-laboratory.
  • Innovation and Improvement: Contribute to the development of new ideas and approaches to enhance the Academy's multimedia content and stay abreast with the latest technologies and trends.

Specific Area of University Degree: Communication, Media Communication, Film and Media Production, Graphic Design and Multimedia, Motion Graphic.

Technical Skills: Video Editing, Video Shooting, Photography, Adobe Suite. Previous experience with Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) or similar applications will be an asset.

Soft Skills: Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, excellent communication and customer service skills, ability to train and assist non-technical users effectively, ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team.

Profile 1.3.2. EMSA Academy: The trainee will support the day-to-day management, maintenance, and support of EMSA’s Moodle-based Learning Management System (LMS). The role involves assisting in system administration, troubleshooting, user support, and ensuring optimal performance of the platform. The incumbent will collaborate with Course Coordinators and end-users to enhance the learning experience of the EMSA Academy beneficiaries. 

Key Responsibilities:

  • Provide first-line support (helpdesk) to users, and respond to helpdesk queries related to login issues, course access and the like.
  • Assist in course and content management and creation, setting up courses, quizzes, interactive content, assignments, and multimedia integration.
  • Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues, identifying and resolving issues related to course configuration, learning material and user enrolments.
  • Generate reports on course activity and system performance, monitor logs and completion data, provide insights to improve MaKCs usability and effectiveness.

Specific Area of University Degree: Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, Web Design, Instructional Design & Technology, Education Technology.

Technical Skills: Proficiency in MS Office suite and with most common Internet browsers (Edge, Firefox, Chrome). Previous experience in programming with HTML and CSS and  Learning Content Management will be an asset. 

Soft Skills: Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, excellent communication and customer service skills, ability to train and assist non-technical users effectively, ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team. 

5. Unit 2.1: Safety & Security

Profile 2.1.1 Ship Safety: The trainee will assist and support project officers in the unit.

Key responsibilities:

  • Application of risk-safety assessment methodologies to ship safety.
  • The trainee shall apply methods such as RBAT, STPA, STAMP, CAST, FMEA, FMECA to selected ship’s systems, accidents and incidents.
  • Supporting the preparation of technical material, presentations and internal documents for meetings, workshops or coordination activities in the area of safety engineering.

Specific Area of University Degree: Master’s degree in engineering (e.g. mechanical, naval architecture, systems or safety engineering) with strong curriculum in systems or safety engineering.

Soft Skills: Good organisational and communication skills, social intelligence, technology curious and teamwork.

Profile 2.1.2 Accident Investigation: The trainee will be involved in the European Marine Casualty Information Platform (EMCIP) business management. EMCIP is the EU platform to report and analyse marine casualties and incidents to improve ship safety by 
enhancing the background of accidents at sea and sharing lessons learned.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Conducting functional tests on new releases, providing helpdesks to member states' authorities, analysing accident data, participating in trainings to member states’ authorities and generating analytics via business intelligence tools.
  • Reporting tickets in Jira, follow up on the requests for support from the user community and prepare the operational documentation. 

Specific Area of University Degree: ICT background, engineering, business administration.

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

The trainee will support the development and maintenance of several IMS functionalities. The traineeship will involve a period of familiarisation with the legal and operational context as well as how the relationship with users is implemented at EMSA e.g. from gathering business requirements from users to bringing those Integrated Maritime Services (IMS) requirements in operation in the SafeSeaNet Ecosystem GUI (SEG). 

Key Responsibilities:

  • Assisting in the preparation of material to support the user experience.
  • Assisting in the test and validation campaigns of several IMS services.
  • Supporting in the preparation of reports.
  • Second line helpdesk support to the Maritime Support Services (future EMAC) regarding SEG application. 

Specific Area of University Degree: Any related to maritime or engineering or science.

Technical Skills: Maritime knowledge, Power BI & Excel.

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.

7. Unit 3.2: Maritime Digital Solutions

Maritime Support Services (MSS). The trainee will support the daily operations of the MSS under the supervision of the Maritime Support Services Officers on duty.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Generate data quality reports on the SSN data provided by MS (e.g., port checks or Hazmat checks).
  • Data extraction and reports (e.g. Russian invasion of Ukraine, weekly reports, sanctions monitoring, etc.).
  • Monitoring newswires & reporting on maritime accidents or events of EU interest.
  • Other tasks related to the MSS duties (e.g., Helpdesk activities, etc.).

Specific Area of University Degree: Preferably ICT degree or nautical sciences, other degrees would be considered.

Technical Skills: Relevant drafting skills, computer skills (mainly MS Office), Power BI, querying databases or equivalent, and Geographical information systems (ARCGIS). 

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

The Service Desk Trainee will provide first-line IT support to users  within the organization, assisting with technical issues, troubleshooting hardware and software problems, and ensuring  smooth IT operations. This role is ideal for individuals looking to gain hands-on experience in IT support within a public sector environment.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Respond to and log IT support requests via phone, email, or ticketing  system.
  • Assist users with troubleshooting software, hardware, and network issues.
  • Support the installation and configuration of IT equipment, including  computers, printers, and mobile devices.
  • Provide guidance on IT policies, security best practices, and system usage.
  • Escalate technical issues to senior IT staff when necessary.
  • Maintain an updated knowledge base by documenting solutions and  common issues.
  • Assist in IT asset management, inventory tracking, and procurement  processes.
  • Participate in IT projects, upgrades, and deployments as required.
  • Deliver excellent customer service and ensure timely resolution of user.

Specific Area of University Degree: Service management or Information Technology related.

Technical Skills: Basic knowledge of Windows, Microsoft Office, and common IT systems.

Soft Skills: Strong problem-solving and communication skills. Eagerness to learn and develop technical skills. Ability to work in a team and follow instructions. Customer-service oriented with a positive attitude. 

9. Unit 4.0: Corporate Services

The trainee will support tasks for both Units of the Department.

Key Responsibilities:

Human Resources and Internal Support

  • Support to the Unit in the migration to Sysper, the European Commission Human Resources system.
  • Encoding data in the Human Resources Data Base and in the necessary tools provided for the migration of the data.
  • Assist in the roll out of the new system to EMSA users (testing, review of documentation, preparation of manuals and instructions etc.). 

Legal, Finance and Facilities

  • Support to the Unit in encoding data in its financial systems and in the transition to a new accounting system (testing, review of documentation, preparation of manuals and instructions etc.).
  • Review of data in contracts and the Financial and Contractual management Systems against EMSA’s internal rules.
  • Preparation of statistics and assistance in the preparation of financial files.

Specific Area of University Degree: Finance, ICT, Public Administration, or any other related to the tasks to be performed.

Technical Skills: Experience and ability to encode data in DBs. Experience in handling large amount of data. Knowledge of Excel.

Soft Skills: Very good organisational and communication skills, eye for detail, good analytical skills, the ability to work in a team and adapt to diverse environments and a variety of missions/crisis management/logistic management may also be highly valued.

10. Unit 4.1: Human Resources & Internal Support

The trainee will support the mission team in administrative tasks.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Assisting in the planning and organisation of missions in line with the Mission Guide and applicable rules.
  • Supporting communication with staff members regarding mission arrangements (travel, accommodation, documentation, etc.).
  • Preparing mission files, verifying supporting documents, and ensuring compliance with internal procedures.
  • Calculating mission costs, processing reimbursements, and maintaining related records.
  • Monitoring mission timelines and providing support before, during, and after missions.
  • Contributing to the preparation of reports, statistics, and follow-up actions related to missions.
  • Assisting the Unit with general tasks (preparation of files, supporting documentation, data entry, archiving, etc). 

Specific Area of University Degree: Public Administration, Tourism, Transport Management, Finance, HR, Social Sciences.

Technical Skills: Knowledge of Excel.

Soft Skills: Very good organisational and communication skills, the ability to work in a team and adapt to diverse environments and a variety of missions/crisis management/logistic management may also be highly valued.

11. Unit 4.2: Legal, Finance and Facilities

The trainee will assist the legal section in the Unit.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Prepare legal and procurement-related documentation.
  • Assist in developing and/or revising the internal legal framework.
  • Verify procurement files and assist in e-procurement procedures.
  • Maintain the contract archive and prepare training presentations and other training materials.
  • Updates of the Court cases. 

Specific Area of University Degree: Master of Laws in European/Administrative/Business Law. 

Technical Skills: Proficiency in Word, good knowledge of PowerPoint, knowledge of AI technologies & tools. 

Soft Skills: Good analytical skills, attention to detail, good organisational skills, the ability to communicate in a clear and effective manner and teamwork.

5. Eligibility and Selection Criteria

A. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

A.1 Nationality and education

  • Candidates must be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union or of Iceland or Norway;
  • Candidates must have completed the first cycle of a higher education course (university education) and obtained a full degree or its equivalent by the closing date for applications.

It should be noted that due to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on the 31/01/2020, candidates from the United Kingdom who do not hold the nationality of another European Union Member State, are not eligible.

Only qualifications that have been awarded in EU Member States or that are subject to the equivalence certificates issued by the authorities in the EU Member States will be taken into consideration. Please note, that degrees awarded by the United Kingdom up to 31/12/2020 are considered as valid.

A.2 Language skills

  • The main working language in the field of maritime safety is English. Candidates must therefore have a very good command of oral and written English (at least B2 level).

B. SELECTION CRITERIA

B.1. Essential

  • Candidates must comply with the requirements of the position in the chosen units.

6. General conditions

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.

It should be noted that due to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on the 31/01/2020, candidates from the United Kingdom who do not hold the nationality of another European Union Member State, are not eligible for the traineeship.

7. Traineeship grant

The trainees will be awarded a monthly grant of € 1421.26 and a travel allowance as indicated in the above-mentioned decision, if applicable.

8. Submission of applications

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 as first and second option as preference for the traineeship. All candidates will receive an acknowledgement of receipt for their application.

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/2026/01 – SURNAME/S Name/s. 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 before 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 31 March 2026 at 12h00 (Lisbon time).

9. The selection process

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.