Several entry points exist for joining the European Commission's department for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, depending on your profile, type of employment, and location.
Brussels headquarters - staff and trainees
Regular staff at our Brussels headquarters are not recruited directly by ECHO. They are rather selected through the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) with all other candidates for the EU institutions.
Besides permanent positions, EPSO also hires contract and temporary agents, as well as interim staff on a temporary basis for specialised tasks. Detailed information on recruitment conditions, eligibility, and open competitions are available on the EPSO website.
In addition, the Commission recruits university graduates for 5-months long paid traineeships with possible deployment at the department's headquarters. Further information on eligibility, conditions, and application process are available at the Commission's Traineeship Office.
Field offices - humanitarian experts
For specific tasks related to the execution of humanitarian aid projects, the Commission recruits humanitarian experts for a minimum duration of 12 months outside of the EU.
Candidates with humanitarian background are encouraged to regularly visit our list of vacant positions for humanitarian experts and to register their information on the Commision's reserve list of humanitarian experts.
EU Aid Volunteers
From 1 January, the Commission’s Education and Culture department (DG EAC) is in charge of the EU Aid Volunteers.
This initiative will soon become ‘Volunteering in humanitarian aid field’ as part of the new European Solidarity Corps. To stay tuned, please visit the European Youth portal and grants page.