Policy Officer for Chemicals

European Environmental Bureau

Length of contract
1 year

Start date
1 July 2026

About the Organisation

European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is the largest network of environmental citizens’ organisations in Europe. We bring together over 190 member organisations in more than 40 countries, representing some 30 million individual members and supporters. We advocate for progressive policies to create a better future where people and nature thrive together.

About the role

We are seeking a Policy Officer for Chemicals to play a key role in advancing chemicals policy by bridging scientific knowledge with policy asks. You will provide expert knowledge to the team's campaigns, represent the EEB as observer at expert committees and working groups (at the European Chemicals Agency), and contribute to the EEB's networking and advocacy activities. You will support the EEB's goal to advance the EU's Restrictions Roadmap, including the proposal to restrict hazardous chemicals like PFAS by translating scientific and expert knowledge into policy requests.

Depending on your background, you may also support the identification of hazardous chemicals (SVHC and CLH processes). The job also includes advocacy towards different stakeholders, including member states and EU institutions, as well as relations with the media. This is an exciting role as part of our Chemicals team. The Policy officer for chemicals reports to the Policy manager for chemicals.

Responsibilities

Expert, Scientific Advisory:

• Representing the EEB at technical and scientific committees, including the European Chemicals Agency
• Agency Risk Assessment Committee, Socioeconomic Assessment Committee, and other expert working groups, such as at the OECD.
• Coordinating technical and policy input to public consultations on the regulation of chemicals with EEB members and NGO networks, as well as with academia and other stakeholders.
• Providing technical input to the regulation of chemicals under REACH and CLP, as well as to EEB reports and position papers.
• Contribute to relevant external (European Commission, ECHA) meetings and expert groups on chemicals policy.
• Draft policy positions, reports, letters, and advocacy materials in collaboration with EEB members and partners on chemicals policy.
• Respond to media requests, support EEB comms activities.
• Coalition building: coordinating and participating in NGO networks.
• EEB horizontal teamwork and EEB-organisational engagement
• This role offers room to grow, professionally and personally.
• You'll have opportunities to deepen your expertise, take on different responsibilities, and help strengthen the EEB members' network. You'll work closely with and report to the Policy Manager for chemicals and collaborate closely with other colleagues of the Chemicals Policy team, the EEB Policy Unit, and, of course, the whole EEB team.

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Skills & Experiences:

• At least two years of relevant work experience
• Ability to communicate complex issues in an understandable language
• Excellent organisational skills with a sharp eye for detail.
• Fluent in spoken and written English.
• Being comfortable in teamwork with policy and comms colleagues.

Assets:

• Experience working for non-profits.
• Knowledge of the functioning of EU Institutions.
• Experience with coordination, organisation and networking
• Good command of written and spoken French (with Dutch or other EU languages being an asset).

Values:

• You care about the environment and subscribe to the EEB’s values

Required Qualifications

• A strong health and environmental scientific background, and holds at least a master's degree (ideally a PhD), relevant to the subject.

Compensation & Benefits

• An organisation committed to its values of democracy, fairness, respect, integrity and sustainability, and a purpose-driven, supportive and friendly team with 70+ people working for a better future in which people and nature thrive together.
• An attractive workspace in the heart of the EU quarter and a healthy organisational culture, including, for instance, staff away days and (optional) social gatherings.
• Possibility to work from home 4 days a week and from another EU country for up to six weeks per year.
• Flexible working hours with a transparent floating time system.
• Various monetary benefits, including a holiday bonus, a generous pension scheme, lunch vouchers, teleworking indemnity, transport allowance, and travel insurance.
• Quality trainings (group and individual), peer learning and skills shares.
• Next to 20 days of legal leave, we offer 5 days of extra-legal leave during the winter break closure, 5 days of extra-legal leave anytime in the year and 2 days of extra-legal leave for office-wide long weekends in spring and autumn, that is, a total of 32 paid leave days. (plus other forms of paid leave under certain conditions, such as leave for compelling reasons, and additional leave offered when having worked with the EEB for 4+ years).

Conditions of employment

• As our contracts fall under Belgian law, the candidate must commit to being officially registered in Belgium and working from our office in Brussels (with structural teleworking).
• The EEB welcomes applicants from outside the EU, and we consider it a privilege to have non-EU nationals amongst our staff members and to benefit from their perspectives and skills.
• If you are not an EU citizen, please let us know if you have a work permit for Belgium.
• Please note that it is not always possible for us to initiate and succeed with work permit applications for non-EU nationals due to legal restrictions, additional costs, and practical issues for a medium-sized non-profit organisation. If you do not hold a work permit for Belgium, please feel free to reach out to request further information before you apply.
• If you hold a work permit, please mention if you hold a valid Single Permit (A card) or a permanent residence permit (B card, long-term resident).

Working locations

• Brussels, Belgium

How to apply

• We are looking forward to receiving:
  • a short letter of motivation
  • Your CV (without pictures)
  • a completed questionnaire
• We value clarity, motivation and authenticity more than formal letters and too much detail.
• Only applications comprising these three elements will be considered.
• Please send your complete application to [email protected].
• Please clearly mark "Policy Officer for Chemicals" in the subject of your email.
• Please read our recruitment privacy statement before applying
• Please answer the following question in max 300 words:
  • Which challenges and opportunities do you foresee for NGO participation in scientific/expert committees?
• Please do not have AI tools write your answers. If we detect arguments or text blocks which have been generated by an AI tool, your application may be rejected. We are interested in genuine perspectives and original ideas.

Interviews

• Shortlisted candidates may be asked to provide two references later.
• Due to limited staff resources and the number of applications anticipated, only candidates selected for interviews will receive a reply.
• The interviews' first round is tentative on 8th June 2026 

Policies

The EEB strives to be a fair, inclusive, safe place and a welcoming and learning organisation. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates. Your experience matters. Please consult our Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Policy. Please do not use pictures in your CV. Do leave out any information that may contribute to unconscious bias, such as reference to your nationality, date, or place of birth. We respect our employees’ lives outside of work, support colleagues in care roles, and take work-life balance and wellbeing seriously.

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