I think this is a great post! I love how you framed these ideas differently in the main text and the appendicesāit makes them very clear. I wish this were more widely circulated, and that people who disagree would explain why in the comments. This topic deserves much more discussion!
Vincent Nigeršø
Karma: 110
Hello :) Iāve seen the websiteās down. Is this org still up and running?
Hi! Thanks for this thread <3
What are your views on insider vs outsider strategy for someone who wants to have an impact on biosecurity/āpandemic preparedness, prevention, and response (PPR) policies at the European Union level? - More specifically, how would you compare potential impact between landing a pivotal position in the EU where you could influence policy implementation directly versus for instance creating a think tank focused on advocating for a specific intervention (such as far-UVC)?
I know the short answer is probably āit dependsā (of oneās skill set, desires, luck, need for financial security, etc.), but Iām looking for insights on the insider versus outsider strategy discussion, as Iām wary that I might myself prioritize the former because of a lack of agency, thus missing on the possibility of doing work on more highly neglected/āhighly promising things.
Iāve talked to people who have opposite views on this matter, and I find it very important for me (and anyone maybe) to form a personal opinion. I love the work done at Blueprint Biosecurity for instance, and I know many EAs who do very cool advocacy/āresearch work without relying on professional opportunities offered by already-in-place institutions. I admire them, and Iād be proud to showcase the same kind of commitment, but I really want to understand what path would lead me to a most impactful career, and iām looking for advice on how to go about thinking about this.
Or maybe both strategies are not mutually exclusive? Maybe we need everyone doing cool stuff everywhere? Yeah, sure, but still, if you have strong opinions, please share (and not only regarding biosec) :)
Thatās probably because it was too quick of a āquick takeā. Thanks for flagging it! Iāve updated the post.
VinĀcent Nigerās Quick takes
EU opportunities for early-career EAs: quick overview from someone who applied broadly
I applied to several EU entry programmes to test the waters, and I wanted to share what worked, what didnāt, and what Iām still uncertain about, hoping to get some insights.
Quick note: Iām a nurse, currently finishing a Master of Public Health, and trying to contribute as best I can to reducing biological risks. My specialisation is in Governance and Leadership in European Public Health, which explains my interest in EU career paths. I donāt necessarily think the EU is the best option for everyone. I just happen to be exploring it seriously at the moment and wanted to share what Iāve learned in case itās useful to others.
āØļø What I applied to & how it went
Blue Book traineeship ā got it (starting October at HERA.04, Emergency Office of DG HERA)
European Committee of the Regions traineeship ā rejected in pre-selection
European Economic & Social Committee traineeship ā same
Eurofound traineeship ā no response
EMA traineeship (2 applications: Training Content and Vaccine Outreach) ā no response
Center for Democracy & Technology internship ā no response
Schuman traineeship (Parliament) ā no response
EFSA traineeship ā interview but no feedback (I indicated HERA preference, so not surprised)
If anyone needed a reminder: rejection is normal and to be expected, not a sign of your inadequacy. It only takes one āyes.ā
š Key EA Forum posts that informed and inspired me
āEAs interested in EU policy: Consider applying for the European Commissionās Blue Book Traineeshipā
āWhat I learned from a week in the EU policy bubbleā ā excellent perspective on the EU policymaking environment
š Where to find EU traineeships
All together here:
š https://āāeu-careers.europa.eu/āāen/āājob-opportunities/āātraineeships?institution=AllIncludes Blue Book, Schuman, and agency-specific roles (EMA, EFSA, ECDC...).
Traineeships are just traineeships: donāt underestimate what you can aim for, especially if you already have some experience or a strong application.
š Other promising entry routes
JPD (Junior Professionals Delegation): EU delegations worldwide: great if you want diplomatic field experience.
JPP (Junior Professionals Programme) ā perfect next step after a Blue Book traineeship or another contract position at the EU, for those with less than three years of experience postābachelor.
š¼ How EU hiring actually works
To understand EPSO, CAST, competitions, etc., check the free webinar āOverview Of EU Career Opportunities In Brussels and Beyondā on this page.
Very briefly, hereās a shortlist of acronyms and keywords to know when exploring EU recruitment:
EPSO: European Personnel Selection Officeāorganises competitions for Permanent Staff positions (keep an eye out for the upcoming AD5 competition, to be announced after the summer)
CAST: Contract Agents Selection Toolārolling open calls for profiles, more decentralised
Temporary staff: shorter, sometimes higher-paid roles
š Whoās working externally on EU policy?
EA-aligned organisations active in EU policy (not in order of importance or impact):
Center for Democracy & Technology: tech and digital policy advocacy (also where I applied and got rejected)
Centre for European Policy Studies: leading think tank and forum for debate on EU affairs
Eurogroup for Animals: leading EU-level animal welfare lobby
Talos: offers a fellowship aimed at launching European policy careers focused on AI
And many more: Impactful Policy Careers, The Future Society, Pour Demain, Center for Future Generetions, etc.
For more on EUxAI, see this and this.
š¤ Why Iām pursuing this (despite doubts)
Is it the best path to impact? Iām honestly not sure. I still have a bunch of open questions:
How much can one individual influence anything in the EU machinery?
Would advocacy work from outside (e.g. think tanks, interest groups) be more effective?
These roles are highly selective, so maybe the counterfactual impact is low?
Still, I think that if someone manages to āhackā the recruitment process by showing perfect alignment with the selection criteria, gets in, and then pushes for underexplored topics (like shrimp welfare or far-UVC disinfection), the impact could be very real. And if you donāt have better immediate opportunities for higher impact, working at the EU is probably a strong credential and a great chance to better understand how policies are shaped and what influences them.
š Iād love your feedback
If youāve worked in or around EU institutions, or explored EA-aligned routes, Iād greatly appreciate your thoughts on:
Working inside vs outside the EU
Other effective paths to influence EU policy
Ways to navigate EPSO, CAST, AD5 competition, etc.
Any promising programmes or organisations I missed
I hope this is useful to someone. If youād like to get in touch and chat more about this or anything else, Iām up for a virtual coffee break.
Hi everyone,
I have an interview soon for a 12-month paid traineeship at EFSA, and I may also be selected for a Blue Book traineeship at the European Commission. I would love to hear from effective altruists who have explored or worked with EFSA, or who can compare these two programmes in terms of learning, impact, and long-term career capital for someone with a nursing and public health background focused mainly on biosecurity but with an interest in animal welfare. If you are willing to share insights or have a short call, please comment below or send me a DM. Thank you!
Thank you for your comment Marius, this is super useful!
Does the Global Health SeĀcuĀrity InĀdex Drive Policy Change? Help Me Find Out
SharĀing inĀsights from my masĀterās work on the Global Health SeĀcuĀrity InĀdex: seekĀing feedĀback and reĀsearch directions
Thank you, JƩrƩmy, for this excellent piece of work! It inspires me to delve further into simulation models for wargaming exercises. I believe these drills offer numerous benefits, particularly for maintaining pandemic risk awareness among stakeholders, including those who may be skeptical about scenarios involving non-naturally occurring threats. Do you think such exercises could still be impactful without relying on the highest-risk, most detailed dual-use simulation models?
Thank you, James, for this excellent map and thoughtful breakdown of biosecurity interventions. Itās very helpful for someone like me who is still orienting in this space.
Iām currently working as a Blue Book trainee at the European Commissionās Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) on the stockpiling of medical countermeasures. My current goal is to build expertise in strategic stockpiling (qualification and quantification of MCMs to stockpile, governance) and link that to reducing global catastrophic biological risks.
Iād love to ask the community for guidance on what concrete steps I should take now to become proficient in this domain:
Which technical skills are most useful? Who should I talk to upskill in those?
Which research communities, projects, or partnerships are doing high-leverage work on stockpiles (especially in an EU or global context) that I could engage with?
What knowledge gaps exist that a part-time PhD could usefully address?
Any suggestions or connections would be much appreciated. Thanks again for opening up this map and for the broader communityās insights.
Vincent