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/pandemic 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 'it depends' (of one's skill set, desires, luck, need for financial security, etc.), but I'm looking for insights on the insider versus outsider strategy discussion, as I'm 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/highly promising things.
I've 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/research work without relying on professional opportunities offered by already-in-place institutions. I admire them, and I'd 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 i'm 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) :)
Thank you Joris! And sorry for forgetting to mention Impactful Policy Careers. I'll add it to my quick take now.
Yes please, I'd be glad to get in touch with more EAs doing the next round of Blue Book! My cal.com is above, and my LinkedIn here.
I applied to several EU entry programmes to test the waters, and I wanted to share what worked, what didn’t, and what I'm still uncertain about, hoping to get some insights.
Quick note: I'm 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 don’t 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 I’ve learned in case it’s useful to others.
If anyone needed a reminder: rejection is normal and to be expected, not a sign of your inadequacy. It only takes one “yes.”
All together here:
đź”— https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/job-opportunities/traineeships?institution=All
Includes Blue Book, Schuman, and agency-specific roles (EMA, EFSA, ECDC...).
Traineeships are just traineeships: don’t underestimate what you can aim for, especially if you already have some experience or a strong application.
To understand EPSO, CAST, competitions, etc., check the free webinar 'Overview Of EU Career Opportunities In Brussels and Beyond' on this page.
Very briefly, here’s a shortlist of acronyms and keywords to know when exploring EU recruitment:
EA-aligned organisations active in EU policy (not in order of importance or impact):
For more on EUxAI, see this and this.
Is it the best path to impact? I’m honestly not sure. I still have a bunch of open questions:
Still, I think that if someone manages to “hack” 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 don’t 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.
If you’ve worked in or around EU institutions, or explored EA-aligned routes, I'd greatly appreciate your thoughts on:
Any promising programmes or organisations I missed
I hope this is useful to someone. If you'd like to get in touch and chat more about this or anything else, I'm 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, Jérémy, 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?
Hello :) I've seen the website's down. Is this org still up and running?