The EU institutions, bodies and agencies offer different staff categories and contract types, depending on the nature and duration of the duties performed.

The main categories include:

• Permanent officials (AD, AST, AST/SC) 
• Contract staff 
• Temporary agents 
• Seconded National Experts (SNEs) 
• Interim staff 
• Trainees  

EPSO only organises the selection procedures for permanent and contract staff.

Selection procedures for other staff categories are generally managed directly by the EU institutions, bodies and agencies themselves.

 Find out more about:

• staff categories recruited via EPSO 
• staff categories recruited directly by the EU institutions, bodies and agencies
• trainees

The main differences between permanent officials, temporary agents and contract staff concern:

• the type and duration of the contract, 
• the selection procedure, 
• and the nature of the duties performed. 

Permanent officials

Permanent staff are members of the EU civil service appointed for an indefinite duration. They constitute the core working force and are recruited through open competitions organised by EPSO. There are three categories for permanent EU officials: Administrators (AD), Assistants (AST) and Secretaries/Clerks (AST/SC).

Temporary agents

Temporary agents are recruited for fixed-term or temporary positions, often to perform specialised tasks or managerial functions. Selection procedures are usually organised directly by the recruiting EU institution, body or agency.

Contract staff

Contract staff are recruited under fixed-term contracts to carry out administrative, technical, operational or support tasks, or to provide additional capacity in specialised fields. They are recruited in four function groups (FG I–IV), depending on the responsibilities and qualifications required. The selection procedures for contract staff are organised by EPSO.

The eligibility requirements, contract conditions and career opportunities vary depending on the staff category and the position concerned.

Contract staff are recruited in different function groups (FG I–IV), which determine the type of work, level of responsibility, and minimum qualifications required.

• Function Group I (FG I): manual and administrative support tasks 
• Function Group II (FG II): clerical and secretarial tasks, office management and other equivalent tasks
• Function Group III (FG III): executive tasks, drafting, accountancy and other equivalent technical tasks
• Function Group IV (FG IV): administrative, advisory, linguistic and equivalent technical tasks.

The function group you may be eligible for depends on your education and professional experience, as specified in the Call for Expressions of Interest.

The specific duties will depend on the profile you are interested in. See Annex I to the Call for Expressions of Interest for detailed examples of duties per profile.

Contract staff are employed for a limited period, with an initial contract of 6-12 months.

In some EU bodies, it may be possible for the contract to be renewed for an indefinite duration.

The working conditions for EU staff are set out in the EU Staff Regulations.

Working conditions may vary depending on the EU institution or body. For specific rules or additional information, candidates are advised to consult the relevant Human Resources services.

See more information on Salary and allowances.

Assistants (AST) generally work in administrative, technical, or executive support roles within EU institutions. Their work may include areas such as financial and budgetary management, human resources, communication, policy support, IT, document management, research, or scientific and laboratory work. They play an important role in the internal functioning of the institutions.

Assistants cover grades from AST 1 to AST 11, reflecting different levels of responsibility and experience:

• AST 1: entry level, requiring at least secondary education and relevant professional experience or a relevant vocational qualification 
• AST 3: typically requires secondary education, a relevant vocational qualification, and/or several years of relevant professional experience 
• Higher AST grades involve progressively greater responsibility and experience requirements

Assistant-Secretaries (AST/SC), also referred to as Secretaries/Clerks, generally work in office management and administrative support roles within EU institutions. Their tasks may include preparing files, supporting the coordination and organisation of departmental activities, handling documents, and providing general administrative support to teams, managers, and services.

Assistant-Secretaries cover grades from AST/SC 1 to AST/SC 6, reflecting different levels of responsibility and experience:

• New staff usually enter at grades AST/SC 1 or AST/SC 2
• AST/SC 1: entry level, requiring secondary education and either relevant professional experience or a relevant vocational qualification 
• AST/SC 2: sometimes used for more experienced candidates 
• Higher AST/SC grades involve increasing levels of responsibility and experience

The general role of administrators (AD) is to support decision-makers in fulfilling the mission of their institution or body. They typically work in areas such as policy formulation, operational implementation, coordination and management of resources and programmes.

Their tasks may vary depending on the institution and the specific position and are always described in detail in the Notice of Competition or vacancy notice.

Administrators cover grades from AD 5 to AD 16, reflecting different levels of responsibility and seniority:

• AD 5: entry level for university graduates, generally with no professional experience required 
• AD 6–AD 7: specialist roles requiring several years of relevant professional experience 
• AD 9–AD 12: middle management positions requiring proven management experience 
• AD 13–AD 16: senior management roles with high-level strategic and leadership responsibilities