EFSA Vacancy: Call for expressions of interest for membership of the Scientific Panels of EFSA - Montesquieu Institute

  SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE  MEMBERSHIP OF TWO SCIENTIFIC PANELS     "Panel on food additives and nutrient sources added to food" (ANS)  and   "Panel on food contact materials, enzymes, flavourings and processing  aids" (CEF)    Ref.: EFSA/E/2010/001      This call is addressed to scientists wishing to be considered for membership of either the  scientific  Panel on food additives and nutrient sources  added to food or the scientific  Panel on food contact materials, enzymes, flavourings and processing aids of the  European Food Safety Authority in order to identify Europe's best scientists for this task.    The European Food Safety Authority    EFSA is the cornerstone of the EU system of risk assessment for food and feed safety; its  scientific advice on existing and emerging risks underpins the policies and decisions of risk  managers in the European Institutions and EU Member States. The Authority's most critical  commitment is to provide transparent and independent scientific advice and clear  communication grounded in the most up-to-date scientific methodologies and data available.   EFSA brings together Europe's best available experts in risk assessment in the field of food  and feed safety, who act in an independent capacity for an autonomous, self-governed  organisation to provide the European Institutions and the Member States with scientific  advice of the highest standard.  1/6 

The Authority is committed to the core standards of scientific excellence, openness,  transparency, independence and responsiveness. By working independently, openly and  transparently EFSA delivers the best possible scientific advice and therefore contributes to  strengthening the European food and feed safety system.    For more information regarding EFSA, please refer to its Founding Regulation:  http://eur lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:2002R0178:20090807:EN:PDF   The role of EFSA's Scientific Panels and Scientific Committee   The Scientific Panels are responsible for providing the scientific opinions of the Authority  and other advice as appropriate, each within their own spheres of competence.   The Scientific Panels are composed of normally 21 independent scientific experts.   Members of the Scientific Committee and Panels are appointed for a three-year term of  office that may be renewed twice and are expected to attend and contribute actively to all  meetings of the Panel where opinions, statements or guidance documents are adopted. It is  estimated that the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panels meet depending on the  workload between six and ten times per year in two-day meetings usually in Parma, Italy.   Panel members are also expected to participate, as appropriate, in working groups. Meetings  and most documents are in English. Applicants should take into account that meetings in  general involve preparatory work.    EFSA will, in accordance with its financial rules, bear the travel costs, daily and  accommodation allowance of the experts.  Special indemnity of 300 will be paid for each  full day of meeting attendance.        Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to food (ANS)  The ANS Panel deals with questions related to the safety in the use of:  ·   food additives (new applications for authorisation as well as re-evaluation of all food  additives, which were permitted before 20.01.2009), and   ·   nutrient sources added to food (e.g. sources of vitamins and minerals) and other  substances added for nutritional purposes to food,  ·   other deliberately added substances, including substances added for purposes other  than technological ones, e.g. with functional properties, but excluding flavourings  and enzymes   Most of the Panel's work is carried out in the context of authorisation procedures. The Panel  carries out risk assessments in order to produce scientific opinions and advice for risk  managers. In addition, the Panel develops scientific guidance to the industry for preparing  new applications.    Visit the ANS key topics section on the EFSA website for more details.    Required expertise: Safety assessment of chemical substances and/or botanicals, Safety  assessment of food additives, Safety assessment of nutrient sources, Chemistry:  organic, analytical, synthetic inorganic   (especially for chemical identification and  specifications of chemical substances), Exposure assessment and quantitative risk  assessment, Human nutrition, dietary approaches, reference intakes, Toxicology  (preferably applied to risk assessment of chemicals), Mechanisms of action,  toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics, Pathology and physiology, Carcinogenicity,  Genotoxicity and mutagenicity, Allergenicity and Immunotoxicity, Developmental and  2/6 

reproduction toxicity, Food technology (manufacturing processes and use of food  additives and/or processing aids), Conduct of toxicological testing on laboratory  animals, Alternative toxicological testing.      Panel on Food Contact Materials, Flavourings, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEF)  The Panel on Food Contact Materials, Flavourings, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEF)  provides independent advice and delivers opinions on scientific questions relating to the  safety in use of   ·   materials in contact with food  ·   food enzymes  ·   flavourings   ·   processing aids   and with questions related to the safety of food processes.  The Panel evaluates chemicals and processes for the purpose of authorisations. The Panel  also provides urgent scientific advice in case of substances found in food and related to its  remit.  Visit the CEF key topics section on the EFSA website for more details.    Required expertise: Risk assessment within the area of the Panel as described above  comprising one or more of the following topics: toxicology (preferably applied to risk  assessment of chemicals), mechanisms of action, toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics,  pathology and physiology, carcinogenicity, genotoxicity and mutagenicity, Allergenicity  and Immunotoxicity, Developmental and reproduction toxicity, Alternative  toxicological testing, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Food consumption and exposure  assessment, Food technology and Microbiology within the area of the Panel as  described above.      For more information regarding the selection of Members of the Scientific Committee and  Panels please refer to the "Decision of the Executive Director concerning the selection of  members of the Scientific Committee, Scientific Panels and external experts"   http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/home/doc/selectionofexperts_decision_signed.pdf    For more information on Scientific Panels:  www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_ScientificPanels.htm     For more information on the establishment and operations of Scientific Panels ant their  Working Groups, please refer to the "Decision of the Management Board concerning the  establishment and operations of the Scientific Committee, Scientific Panels and of their  Working Groups.  http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/keydocs/docs/paneloperation.pdf       Selection Procedure    Candidates are asked in the application form to make a choice between the two Scientific  Panels in order of preference, if they intend to apply for membership of the ANS and CEF  Panels and/or to be included in the general reserve list of the scientific panels and Scientific  Committee.  3/6 

The requirements    Qualifications and experience    A. Eligibility criteria    i.   A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at  least four (4) years attested by a diploma in one of the following fields:  Toxicology, Chemistry, Biochemistry Microbiology, Nutrition, Food  technology, Pharmacy or Biology, or related areas;  ii.   In addition to the above, at least ten (10) years of professional experience  relevant to the remit of the Panel(s) gained after obtaining the requested  diploma;   iii.   Excellent knowledge of the English language;   iv.   Candidates must complete the Declaration of Interests included in the  application in an extensive, accurate and complete manner. Please note that  failure to fill in this part of the form in a complete manner will result in the  rejection of the application;   v.   Candidates must be nationals of a Member State of the European Union,  European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries or Union Candidate  countries. Experts from third countries may also apply but will be considered  only when the required level of expertise cannot be found among nationals of  the countries indicated in the previous sentence.  B. Selection criteria    ·   Experience in carrying out scientific risk assessment and/or providing scientific  advice in fields related to food and feed safety in general and, in particular in  the areas of competence and expertise of the Scientific Committee or the  Scientific Panel preferred.    ·   Proven scientific excellence in one, or preferably several fields linked to the  area covered by the Scientific Committee or the Scientific Panel preferred.    ·   Experience in peer reviewing scientific work and publications, preferably in  fields related to the area covered by the Scientific Committee or the Scientific  Panel preferred.    ·   The ability to analyse complex information and dossiers, often from a wide  range of scientific disciplines and sources and to prepare draft scientific  opinions and reports.  ·   Professional experience in a multidisciplinary environment, preferably in an  international context.  ·   Experience in project management related to scientific matters.   ·   Proven communication skills, based on teaching experience, public  presentations, active participation in meetings, publications.  4/6 

  Applications meeting the eligibility requirements will be admitted to a comparative  evaluation carried out by EFSA on the basis of the selection criteria given above. EFSA  reserves the right to consult third parties on the professional experience of applicants in the  context of their application. Members of the Scientific Panels will be appointed by the  Management Board acting upon a proposal from the Executive Director.     Applicants meeting the requirement for membership but who are not appointed may be  included in the reserve list. Applicants may, with their prior consent, be assigned to a  Scientific Panel even if they did not specifically apply for that Panel. They may be also  invited to contribute to the activities of a Scientific Panel as external experts of a Scientific  Committee's or Panel's Working Group.    When a specific need is identified, members of the Scientific Panels may be replaced or,  according to the circumstances, their number may be increased. Replacement or new  members will be selected from the reserve list and proposed by the Executive Director to the  Management Board, following consultation with the Chair of the Panel.     All eligible candidates will be invited to join EFSA's expert database.    For more information regarding EFSA's expert database:   http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/AboutEfsa/WhoWeAre/efsa_locale1178620753812_1178712806106.htm       Independence and declarations of commitment and interest    The members of the Scientific Panels are appointed on a personal basis. Applicants are  required to include a declaration that, when considered for membership, they will undertake  to act independently of any outside influence and a declaration of interests which may be  deemed to be prejudicial to their independence (see eligibility criterion iv). Applicants are  responsible for the content of the declaration submitted which will be assessed by EFSA  according to the Policy on Declarations of Interests.      For more information regarding Declarations of Interests:     EFSA policy on declarations of interests   http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/keydocs/docs/doipolicy.pdf     Guidance document on declarations of interest   http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/keydocs/docs/doiguidance.pdf     Procedure for identifying and handling potential conflicts of interest   http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/keydocs/docs/doiconflicts.pdf         Equal opportunities  EFSA takes great care to apply the principles of equal treatment in its procedures.    5/6 

Submission of applications    Candidates are requested to submit their application together with Declaration of Interests  electronically through the EFSA's website:  www.efsa.europa.eu      Applications delivered via email will not be accepted.   Candidates are kindly invited to fill in their application form in English in order to facilitate  the selection procedure.     All candidates applying to this call for expressions of interest will be informed by mail about  the outcome of the selection process.     The personal information EFSA requests from candidates will be processed in line with  Regulation (EC) N° 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December  2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the  Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data.  The purpose of  processing of the personal data candidates submit is to manage applications in view of a  possible pre-selection and selection at EFSA.      Closing date for sending applications    Applications must be submitted no later than 15 September 2010 at midnight (Local time,  GMT +1). For those sent by registered mail, the postmark date will serve as a proof.     Please note that, due to the large number of applications we receive, when reaching the  deadline for submission of applications, the system may have problems to process the  large amounts of data. We therefore advise the applicants to send in their application  well ahead of the closing date.        Note:  In the event of inconsistency or discrepancy between the English version and any of the  other linguistic versions of this publication, the English language version shall prevail.    6/6 

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