Before applying, you must read carefully the Guide for candidates attached to this competition notice. The Guide is an integral part of the competition notice and will help you to understand the rules governing selection procedures and how to go about applying.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. DUTIES AND ELIGIBILITY
B. PROCEDURE
C. APPLICATIONS
ANNEXES: GUIDE FOR CANDIDATES IN COMPETITIONS ORGANISED BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
TALENT EVALUATOR
A. DUTIES AND ELIGIBILITY
The European Parliament has decided to organise, on the basis of Article 29(1) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union, an open competition (AD 5) for the recruitment of officials to the Directorate-General for Translation (DG TRAD).
The profile sought is that of intercultural and language professional for the following languages:
This competition notice covers five languages. You may only apply for one of them. You must choose the language when you complete the online application. After you have validated your electronic application file you will no longer be able to change that choice.
Recruitment will be at grade AD 5, first step, the basic salary for which is EUR 5 130.98 per month. This salary is subject to Community tax and to the other deductions provided for by the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union. It is exempt from national tax. The step at which the successful candidates are recruited may be adjusted in accordance with their professional experience. Moreover, in certain circumstances allowances will be paid in addition to the basic salary.
The European Parliament is an equal opportunities employer and accepts applications without discrimination on any ground such as gender, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or family situation.
The Directorate-General for Translation (DG TRAD) provides the European Parliament with translation services for its written or electronic communication in all official languages of the European Union.
DG TRAD’s mission is:
DG TRAD’s vision is about building bridges between different languages and cultures and promoting sustainable multilingualism as an essential component of the European democratic ideal.
Based in Luxembourg, intercultural and language professionals facilitate communication, in their mother tongue, between the European Parliament and the general public. They are required to use clear language in all aspects of their work, while taking into consideration the cultural context of the country or countries in question. They translate and localise content for reading, listening or viewing purposes, revise the work of colleagues and provide non-legislative drafting support and editing services to authors. They are also required to adapt content in their mother tongue. Good teamwork and interpersonal skills are essential, as intercultural and language professionals work closely with colleagues from other units in DG TRAD and also have occasional contact with the requesting services.
The tasks of intercultural and language professionals are:
The subjects concerned are often complex and generally deal with political, legal, economic, financial, scientific or technical issues in the European Union’s areas of activity.
To perform these tasks you will need to make intensive use of specific IT and related tools. The work will also involve linguistic and intercultural mediation in connection with the translation of audiovisual content and subtitling.
The job of an intercultural and language professional requires a high degree of adaptability and an ability to deal with a wide range of often complex problems, respond rapidly to changing circumstances and communicate effectively. You must be capable of working intensively on a regular basis, both on your own and as part of a team, in a multicultural working environment. You should also be keen to continue your professional training throughout your career.
On the closing date for applications, you must meet the general and specific eligibility criteria:
(a) General criteria
In accordance with Article 28 of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union, you must:
– be a national of one of the European Union’s Member States,
– enjoy full rights as a citizen;
– have fulfilled any obligations imposed on you by the laws on military service;
– be able to produce the appropriate character references as to your suitability for the performance of the duties involved.
(b) Specific criteria
(i) Qualifications required
When the normal period of university education is three years or more, you must have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma officially recognised in one of the Member States of the European Union.
Diplomas, whether issued in a Member State or in a non-EU country, must be recognised by an official body of an EU Member State, such as the ministry of education. The selection board will take account of the differences between education systems.
You may refer to Annex I to the Guide for candidates in competitions organised by the European Parliament.
(ii) Knowledge of languages
You must have a command of at least three official languages of the European Union. In this competition notice, reference is made to languages in the following manner:
The language options for this competition have been laid down in the interests of the service. By virtue of the duties involved, the post of intercultural and language professional calls for specific abilities as set out in section A.2 of this competition notice.
Accordingly, in order for the persons recruited to perform their duties and ensure the smooth functioning of DG TRAD, they must be able to work and communicate effectively in three languages.
French and English are the two languages most frequently used in communication within DG TRAD and with the other directorates-general and political bodies of the European Parliament. Accordingly, in order for the persons recruited to perform their duties and ensure the smooth functioning of the service, they must be able to work and communicate effectively in at least one of these two languages.
In addition, English and French are the main source languages of documents for translation: English accounts for approximately 80% of original documents for translation, French 10% and other languages 10%.
(iii) Professional experience required
No professional experience is required. Nevertheless, any professional experience you have acquired exclusively of working into your language 1 in the area covered by this competition (see the list of tasks of intercultural and language professionals in the ‘Job description’ section) would be an advantage.
B. PROCEDURE
The competition consists of two stages:
1. Pre-selection:
a. multiple-choice questions,
b. talent evaluator.
2. Tests
(a) Multiple-choice questions (MCQ)
You will be invited to take the pre-selection test in the form of a set of computer-based MCQ if you have submitted your application file:
- in accordance with the arrangements stipulated in section C, and
- by the deadline stipulated in section C.
The MCQ test will be in language 2 (English or French). If your language 1 is French, the test will be in English.
The MCQ test will consist of a maximum of 40 questions intended to assess your ability to identify information relating to the values of the European Union and the role of the European Parliament. You will be sent sample questions in good time prior to the date of the test.
This test will last a maximum of 80 minutes and will be held online.
(b) Talent evaluator
You must complete the talent evaluator form attached to the competition notice and include it with your online application. The talent evaluator must be included in your application form by the deadline for submission of applications (section C).
If you are among the best candidates in the MCQ test (the selection board will admit the 150 highest-scoring candidates; any candidates tied for the last qualifying place will also be admitted), the selection board will assess your answers in the talent evaluator and admit the 60 best candidates per language of the competition to the written tests. The selection board may decide to weight the evaluation criteria. The marks obtained for each of the criteria will be added up to identify the candidates whose profiles match most closely the duties to be performed.
The selection board will base its assessment solely on the answers given in the talent evaluator to admit the 60 best candidates for each language of the competition to the written tests. Following that assessment, the selection board will verify that the candidates meet the specific eligibility criteria (section A.3) and that their answers are substantiated by the supporting documents submitted with their application file.
If the number of registered candidates for any language of the competition does not exceed the maximum number of candidates to be invited to the written tests, the selection board may decide not to proceed with the pre-selection stage for the language concerned and to invite all candidates meeting the general and specific eligibility criteria (section A.3) to the written tests.
Translation and clear-language drafting tests
(a) Translation of a text connected with the legislative activities of the European Parliament from language 2 into language 1.
Maximum time allowed: 90 minutes for a text of approximately 450 to 500 words
Marking: 0 to 40 points (pass mark: 20)
The (b) and (c) tests of candidates who do not achieve the pass mark in this test will not be marked.
(b) Translation of a speech or a notice intended for citizens from language 3 into language 1.
Maximum time allowed: 90 minutes for a text of approximately 450 to 500 words
Marking: 0 to 40 points (pass mark: 20)
The (c) test of candidates who do not achieve the pass mark in this test will not be marked.
(c) Drafting test: drafting of a clear-language text intended for citizens, in language 1, on the basis of a complex document in language 2. The objective of this test is to assess your knowledge of language 2 and your ability to identify essential ideas and summarise them in clear language in language 1.
Maximum time allowed: 60 minutes
Marking: 0 to 40 points (pass mark: 20)
These tests will be held online.
The 24 candidates, for each language of the competition, who obtain the highest number of points in the written tests will be invited to the oral tests, provided they have achieved the pass mark in each of the tests. The selection board will invite any candidates tied for the final qualifying place for each language.
Oral tests
(d) Interview with the selection board in languages 1 and 2 to assess your suitability to perform the duties outlined in the ‘Job description’ in a European institution, taking account of all the information contained in your application file. The selection board may decide to test your knowledge of other official languages as specified in your application.
Maximum duration: 45 minutes
Marking: 0 to 40 points (pass mark: 20)
The (e) test of candidates who do not achieve the pass mark in test (d) will not be marked.
(e) Group discussion or role-play exercise in language 2 to enable the selection board to assess your adaptability, negotiating and decision-making skills and performance in a group.
The selection board will decide how long the group discussion test should last on the basis of the composition of the groups.
The maximum duration of the role-play exercise will be 25 minutes.
Marking: 0 to 20 points (pass mark: 10)
These tests may be held remotely.
You will receive instructions concerning the written and oral tests in good time. The tests will take place at a specific time on a specific date. If you do not reply to an invitation, cannot be contacted by email or fail to show up for a test, you risk being disqualified. You must follow the instructions to the letter. Any failure to follow the instructions or any action not consistent with the instructions will lead to your immediate disqualification.
The selection board will draw up, for each language of the competition, a list of suitable candidates containing the names of the eligible candidates with the highest overall scores in the tests as laid down in section A.1 ‘General remarks’. These overall scores are the total of the number of points the candidates obtained for all the written and oral tests, provided they achieved the pass mark in each of the tests. The list may include any candidates tied for the final place on the list for each language. The names of the successful candidates will be included on the list in alphabetical order.
The list will remain valid until 31 December 2025. Its validity may be extended by decision of the appointing authority. If it is extended, the candidates whose names have been included on the list will be informed in good time.
The successful candidates will be informed individually of their results, and the list of suitable candidates will be posted on the official website of the European Parliament.
If you are offered a job, you will be required to produce the originals of all requisite documents, including diplomas and employment certificates, for verification.
Inclusion on a list of suitable candidates does not constitute either a right to, or a guarantee of, recruitment.
C. APPLICATIONS
How to apply:
You must apply via the Apply4EP platform: https://apply4ep.gestmax.eu/search/index/lang/en_US
You must read carefully the Guide for candidates in competitions organised by the European Parliament before completing the application form and provide the relevant supporting documents.
Deadline for applications
The deadline for applications is
17.00 Luxembourg time on 25 July 2022
An acknowledgement of receipt will automatically be sent to you as soon as your application form has been validated.
Please DO NOT TELEPHONE the European Parliament to ask about this competition.
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