Drug policy research officer

The position we are recruiting for is situated within the Policy and Society sector, within the Policy, Crime and Markets (PCM) unit. 

Under the overall guidance of the Head of unit and direct supervision of the Head of sector, the jobholder will develop, enhance and promote the scientific competencies of the EUDA, particularly in relation to the work of the Policy and Society sector. 

The objective is to contribute to the agency’s work on drug policy analysis, policy design and evaluation, as well as related areas such as social policy and criminal justice systems. This is achieved by assisting in the analysis of drug policy data, with a focus on emerging trends in drug policy, and by helping to develop tools for the formulation and evaluation of drug policies, while also contributing to the analysis of related policy areas.

Main duties

The successful applicant will be requested to perform the following main tasks and responsibilities:

Main tasks 

The successful applicant will be requested to perform the following main tasks and responsibilities:

• Contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the work programme of the sector and the unit.
• Contribute to the methodological, administrative and practical tasks necessary for the development, implementation and quality control of data collection on drug policy.
• Assist in the collection, organisation and analysis of data related to drug policy trends.
• Conduct literature analysis.
• Collaborate with scientific analysts to prepare reports, presentations and publications based on research findings.
• Contribute to the development and execution of research studies on drug policy, including designing protocols and methodologies.
• Assist in the development of tools to support drug policy formulation and evaluation.
• Support the integration of a gender perspective and other social equity themes in data collection and analysis.
• Explore and integrate innovative approaches and technology solutions to support policy analysis, design and evaluation.
• Support contract management processes, including drafting specifications, negotiating and ensuring compliance with contractual obligations.
• Assist with the organisation of online and in-person meetings and events on the topics within the sector’s remit.
• Represent the EUDA at appropriate technical, administrative and scientific meetings, in agreement with Head of Sector/Head of Unit. 

The jobholder may be required to contribute to other areas of work, according to the needs and priorities of the EUDA.

In order to perform the duties of the post and ensure effective communication with the actors and stakeholders involved, the main working language required for the job is English.

Eligibility requirements

• Be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union, Norway or Türkiye;
• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the laws concerning military service, if applicable;
• Produce the appropriate character references as to the suitability for the performance of the required duties;
• Be physically fit to perform the duties of the post.
• Have a level of post-secondary education attested by a diploma, or a level of secondary education attested by a diploma giving access to post-secondary education, and appropriate professional experience of at least three years.
• Have at least six years of relevant professional experience starting with the first position occupied after the completion of the diploma or certificate required for admission to this selection procedure, as mentioned above.
• Possess a thorough knowledge (mother tongue or minimum level C1) of one of the official languages of the European Union and, a proven satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2) of another of these languages to the extent necessary for the performance of the required duties.

Essential requirements

1. A higher degree relevant to the duties of this post (e.g. criminology, epidemiology, law, political science, psychology, public health, social policy, social sciences), with a good understanding of methodological and research issues.
2. At least three years of experience in the area of drug or substance use research, policy analysis, or policy evaluation, social policy or a closely related area.
3. Proven experience in data collection, validation, analysis, and interpretation.
4. Ability to use standard software packages to transform data into graphics, tables and reports. 
5. Proven ability to draft high-quality technical reports, policy and scientific publications.