Administrative Officer (Absence Cover)

Position Summary / Context

The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is a world-leading international life sciences research organization with its main laboratory situated in Heidelberg, Germany and five laboratories at other sites in Europe. In Italy, EMBL employs approximately 100 people involved in fundamental research and service activities in the area of epigenetics and neurobiology. EMBL shares the Monterotondo Campus with the Italian National Research Council (CNR) Institute for Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC).

We are seeking an Administrative Officer to join our team on a one-year temporary contract to cover an absence. Working as part of a collaborative team of three Administrative Officers, the successful candidate will report to the Head of Unit and the Head of Administration, providing reliable and

effective administrative support across a varied range of activities.

Your role

Support to the Head of Unit:

• Provide high-level administrative and organizational support to the Head of Unit, managing a complex diary and coordinating schedules with internal and external stakeholders.

• Plan and coordinate meetings and appointments, ensuring that relevant information, documentation and briefing materials are prepared and available in advance.

• Organize travel and process related travel expenses and reimbursements.

• Manage correspondence and follow up on actions and requests, ensuring that matters are handled according to their priority and with the appropriate level of confidentiality.

• Support committees and internal meetings, including preparing documentation, coordinating logistics and taking minutes when required.

Finance and General Administration:

• Support the Unit's day-to-day financial administration, including reconciliation of the credit cards.

• Prepare and maintain financial and administrative documentation, forms, records and correspondence.

• Contribute to other administrative and finance-related activities as required.

Unit Administration:

• Coordinate travel arrangements and travel reimbursements for staff, including monitoring appropriate cost allocation and processing local travel invoices.

• Organize meetings, seminars, courses and conferences, both online and in person. This may include scheduling, travel and accommodation arrangements, registration, preparation of materials, coordination of audiovisual requirements, minute taking and social activities.

• Coordinate administrative arrangements for scientific visitors, seminar speakers, PhD student visits.

• Support Human Resources with the organization and logistics of staff recruitment and selection activities.

• Work closely with the other Administrative Officers, providing support and back-up for areas such as liaison and procurement activities when required.

• Take on additional administrative responsibilities during colleagues' absences to ensure continuity of the Unit's activities.

The role offers considerable variety, and priorities may change depending on the needs of the Unit. You will therefore need to be comfortable balancing planned activities with requests that require a timely response.

You have

• Advanced English and a good working knowledge of Italian, with the ability to communicate confidently and professionally in both languages.

• Relevant professional experience in administration, ideally gained in an international or multicultural working environment with colleagues and stakeholders from a wide range of cultural and professional backgrounds.

• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with a demonstrated ability to priorities, manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.

• The ability to work with a high degree of autonomy, taking initiative and proactively following tasks through to completion.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and a collaborative approach to working as part of a small team.

• Confidence using standard office applications, including word processing, spreadsheets and database or records-management systems.

• A careful and accurate approach to administrative and financial processes and documentation.

• Sound judgement and discretion, with demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately.

• A flexible, service-oriented and solutions-focused approach, with the ability to adapt to changing priorities.
  

You may also have

• Experience organizing online and in-person meetings, events, seminars or conferences.

• Previous experience providing administrative or personal-assistant support to senior management.

• Experience with basic financial administration, such as reconciliations, travel expenses, payments or purchasing processes.

• Experience supporting recruitment, procurement or other institutional administrative processes.

• Previous experience working in a scientific, research or academic environment.
  

Contract length: 1-year fixed term

Salary: Grade4 or 5. Monthly salary starting from EUR 2.859,00 after tax, plus generous benefits and financial allowances based on individual circumstances. Excluding 12.99% personal pension and insurance contributions.

Why join us

EMBL is curiosity-driven, community-oriented and international. As an inclusive, equal opportunity employer, we believe that diversity enables us to collaborate more effectively and be innovative in our approaches. We are, therefore, committed to creating an inclusive and flexible culture - one where everyone can realise their full potential and make a positive contribution to our organisation.

We encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing team – we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and personal experiences reflect the diversity of the populations that our science serves. We actively encourage applications from all genders and cultures, ethnic groups and all demographics to help us avoid perpetuating biases and oversights at this transformational point in our people strategy.

Enjoy lots of benefits:

• Financial incentives: Salary free of income tax, Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances

• Flexible working arrangements

• Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)

• Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition to public holidays

• Relocation package including installation grant (if applicable)

• Campus life: Free shuttle bus (Heidelberg), library, subsidised on-site cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)

• Family benefits: Kindergarten (Heidelberg), 10 days of child sick leave, generous paid maternity/parental leave and monthly family & child allowances

• Benefits for international newcomers: Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance.

• For detailed information please visit our employee benefits page here

What else you need to know

• International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Visit our International Applicants page, to find out more.

• EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we apply DORA principles to our recruitment and performance assessment processes here.

• Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and scientific excellence. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and/or any other diverse backgrounds.

• How to apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system. Applications will close at 23:59 CET on the date shown below. We aim to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date.

Closing Date

14/10/2026

Make a difference

Whether you're a scientist, IT specialist, accountant or administrator, you'll help us tackle the challenges of improving human health & biodiversity in the face of climate change on a global scale.

Generous employee benefits

Please visit this page to find out more about the benefits at EMBL.

Need a visa?

No problem. Our special status enables us to hire talented individuals from across the globe. So far we have 76 nationalities. We would love to make it 77!

Find out how we support international applicants.

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What to expect from our recruitment process

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