Call for EEA Scientific Committee experts 2006

The European Environment Agency

The main objective of the European Environment Agency (EEA) is to support sustainable development and to help achieve significant and measurable improvement in Europe's environment through the provision of timely, targeted, relevant and reliable information to policy-making agents and the public.

The EEA both gathers and disseminates data and information through the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet). Eionet is a collaborative network of the EEA and its 32 member countries, connecting National Focal Points (NFPs) in the EU and collaborating countries, European Topic Centres (ETCs), National Reference Centres (NRCs) and Commission's experts.

The work of the EEA includes collecting and analysing shared environmental data from the European Commission services, EEA member countries, international organisations, conventions and agreements, producing policy relevant advice and making this information widely available.

The role of the EEA Scientific Committee

The Scientific Committee (SC) assists the EEA Management Board and the Executive Director in providing scientific advice and delivering professional opinion on any scientific matter in the areas of work undertaken by the EEA.

The EEA Scientific Committee was set up by Article 10 of Council Regulation (EEC) No.1210/90* on the establishment of the European Environment Agency and the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet). The major tasks of the SC cover delivering opinions on the Agency's annual and multi-annual work programmes, on the recruitment of scientific staff, and on any scientific matter concerning the EEA's activities.

The below fields are recognized to be currently needed in the expertise of the scientific committee, subject of the present call:
(1) Resource and waste management
(2) Hazards and risk assessment on floods, droughts, volcanic eruption and industrial risks
(3) Ocean and coastal science, including marine biology
(4) Modeller, especially with respect to methodologies and spatial analysis
(5) Life science, including health sciences, sustainable agriculture, biology

Composition of the EEA Scientific Committee

The EEA Scientific Committee is composed of independent scientists from EEA member countries, covering all environmental fields relevant for the Agency's areas of activity. The SC members are identified through an open selection process.
The Chairperson and the two Vice-Chairpersons of the Scientific Committee are elected from amongst its own members.

The number of members in the Scientific Committee shall not exceed 20 experts.
It is welcomed that the experts on the committee have thorough knowledge in one or more environmental fields of competences in addition to their primary area of expertise, thus collectively covering the widest possible range of disciplines.

Attending meetings

Experts should be prepared to attend meetings of the Scientific Committee on a regular basis - at least three times per year. Meetings of the Scientific Committee shall normally be held at the EEA premises in Copenhagen.

The members of the Scientific Committee are not to be remunerated but will be entitled to an indemnity for each full day meeting. Members will also receive travel and subsistence allowance in accordance with the Agency's policy for the reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses.
The chairman and rapporteurs are entitled to an indemnity to defray costs related to the coordination of draft opinions.

Eligibility

Applicants for Scientific Committee members in the above areas must have:
­- a university degree in a relevant scientific area, preferably at postgraduate level,
­- at least 10 years' professional experience at a level to which the qualifications give admission,
­- be a national of one of the member countries of the EEA (Member States of the European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Bulgaria, Romania, Switzerland and Turkey).

Selection criteria

Preference will be given to applicants who posses:
­- experience in carrying out scientific assessments and/or providing scientific advice in the required areas of competence and expertise,
­- experience in peer reviewing scientific work and publications, preferably related to the fields of interest of the EEA,
­- ability to analyse complex information and dossiers and to prepare draft scientific opinions and reports,
­- ability in quality assurance process,
­- proven scientific excellence in the area covered by the applicant,
­- professional experience in a multidisciplinary environment, preferably in an international context.
­- Good knowledge of English would be an asset. An ability to use modern, electronic means of document exchange and communications would be an advantage, given the Agency's intention to make best use of these techniques.

Independence and declarations of interest

The members of the Scientific Committee will be appointed on a personal basis. Applicants will be required to declare that they will undertake to act independently and outside any influence in the work of the Scientific Committee.
Upon their nomination, the new members of the committee will be asked to sign a declaration of commitment to the activities of the scientific committee of the European Environment Agency. In addition, all the members are requested to sign an annual declaration of interest, stating information on their direct or indirect interests of relevance to the mission of the Agency.

Selection process, appointment and term

Applications meeting the eligibility requirements will be submitted to a comparative evaluation carried out by the EEA on the basis of the selection criteria given above.
The Executive Director can call on a panel to assess the professional experience of applicants.
Applicants meeting the requirements for membership but who are not designated may be invited to be placed on a reserve list in case vacancies occur.
The office is for a four years term, renewable once for a maximum of four years.

Equal opportunity

The EEA applies the EU policy of equality between men and women and well-balanced geographical representation in the Scientific Committee across the EEA member countries.

Application procedure

Interested candidates should send a letter of interest together with detailed curriculum vitae, containing a list of the applicant's scientific publications, preferably in English.

The EEA encourages the submission of applications by e-mail. 
Applications by post will also be accepted, provided that the candidates clearly mark on the envelope the area of expertise, for which they wish to be considered.

Applications should be sent by e-mail to the following mail addresses:

Area 1. Resource and waste management 
sc.call06-area1@eea.europa.eu

Area 2. Hazards and risk assessment on floods, droughts, volcanic eruption and industrial risks 
sc.call06-area2@eea.europa.eu

Area 3. Ocean and coastal science, including marine biology
sc.call06-area3@eea.europa.eu

Area 4. Modeller, especially with respect to methodologies and spatial analysis
sc.call06-area4@eea.europa.eu

Area 5. Life science, including health sciences, sustainable agriculture, biology
 sc.call06-area5@eea.europa.eu

or by post to the following address:

Personnel management group
Scientific Committee call 2006 - area (please indicate number 1-5 accordingly)
European Environment Agency
Kongens Nytorv 6
1050 Copenhagen K
Denmark

The candidates are kindly requested to direct any questions on the current call to the following e-mail address:
sc.call06-questions@eea.europa.eu

Supporting documents may be requested at a later stage.

All applications will be treated as confidential.

Closing date

Applications should be sent by e-mail (23.59 Central European Time) or by post (date of postmark serves as proof) to the above-indicated addresses not later than 20 July 2006.

The EEA reserves the right to disregard any expressions of interest sent after that date.

The Official Journal can be accessed at the following link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOIndex.do?ihmlang=en

* Amended by Council Regulation 933/1999 of 29 April 1999, and by Council Regulation 1641/2003 of 22 July 2003