Who Is Behind “Jobs in EU institutions”?
Hi, I am Ben*!
I’m an EU institutions veteran as well as the founder of this website and the popular Facebook page “Jobs in EU institutions”.
During my time working in the EU institutional environment, I saw first-hand how challenging it was for candidates and even EU institutions staff to interpret the rules governing their careers. Colleagues and candidates repeatedly asked the same questions: How do you get hired without waiting years on an EPSO reserve list? What is the practical difference between an official and a temporary agent? What will your actual take-home pay look like after allowances and taxes for a contract agent FGIV vacancy?
“Jobs in EU institutions” here and on Facebook is my contribution to answer the above and other questions and to de-mistify the EU institutions system.
Demystifying Careers, Salaries, and Working Conditions Across 79 EU Institutions
Navigating recruitment pathways, statutory salary grids, and employment conditions across the European Union should not require deciphering dense administrative legal texts. EU institutions’ vacancy notices are frequently legalistic, technical, and difficult for outsiders to understand.
“Jobs in EU institutions” bridges this information gap. This website and its sister Facebook page provide transparent, accurate, and actionable insider guidance on EU salaries, contract types, allowances, and employment realities in plain English.
Whether you are looking at EU institutions job vacancies, contemplating to take the plunge (and spend money) to prepare for an EPSO ‘concours’ or just assessing whether an EU agency or other institution would be a good fit for you, “Jobs in EU institutions” will help you navigate the ‘EU system’.
What You Can Find on This Website
Each guide translates complex administrative provisions into practical & immediately useable information:
- EU Salaries & Pay Scales: Transparent breakdowns of basic salary steps, tax deductions, and take-home pay for Administrators (AD 5), Administrators (AD 7), Contract Agents FG IV, and Contract Agents FG III.
- Allowances & Family Entitlements: Practical explainers covering the Expatriation Allowance, Installation Allowance, Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA), Household Allowance, and Education Allowances.
- Contract Types & Career Mobility: Detailed comparative guidance on permanent officials, Temporary Agents (TA), Contract Agents (CA), Seconded National Experts (SNE Salary Calculator), and opportunities across decentralized EU agencies.
- Social Security & Statutory Protection: In-depth guides on the Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme (JSIS), invalidity cover, EU staff pensions, and unemployment benefits.
- Recruitment Pathways: Transparent breakdowns of EPSO competitions, CAST permanent selection procedures, agency-specific recruitment, and medical clearance requirements.
Have a Question About EU Careers?
Because this website and the Facebook page serve thousands of readers each month, individual replies are very difficult for me. More importantly, career queries are resolved far more effectively through active peer exchange.
Here are the three ways to get help:
1. Follow the Facebook Page for Daily Updates
For regular news, vacancy notices, and practical career tips that complement the detailed guides on this website, follow our page:
👉 Follow the ‘Jobs in EU Institutions’ Facebook Page
Why follow the page? Selection procedures, EPSO news, and open vacancies change constantly. The Facebook page provides frequent, short-form updates directly in your feed so you do not have to wait for longer reference articles to be published.
2. Join Our Facebook Group for Asking Questions
Connect directly with our community of candidates, Contract Agents, Temporary Agents, and established EU officials:
👉 Join the ‘Q&A on Jobs in EU Institutions’ Facebook Group
Why ask in the group? The main reason is that there are at least several EU institutions’ insiders, so you will get a thorough reply not only from me but from other EU institutions’ current and former staff.
Support Independent EU Analysis
This website is not affiliated with any EU institution, independently researched, and freely accessible.
If any of the guides and other articles have been useful to you –
☕ Support me – Ben – and Buy Me a Coffee
Your support goes directly to me responding to your questions and drafting new guides, as well as the website upkeep costs.
Citations in media
I’m happy to report that the ‘Jobs in EU institutions’ is appreciated by a number of respectable media outlets. To date, these are the most note-worthy citations:
 | “Belgian workers are fighting for more money — high-paid EU staff, too” by Politico.eu |
 | “Mit 362.000 Euro Jahresgehalt liegt Scholz an der europäischen Spitze” by Focus.de |
 | “List of salaries of heads of state and government” by Wikipedia.org |
 | “How to land a job in EU institutions” by The Brussels Times |
* Ben is a nom de plume to protect my privacy. However, besides this everything else on all platforms is as authentic and precise as possible.