The Head of Unit is responsible for leading and managing a team of Inquiries Officers within the Directorate of Inquiries The post-holder ensures the effective handling of inquiries in line with the Ombudsman’s mandate, maintaining high standards of legal analysis, drafting, and procedural quality. The role contributes to the strategic objectives of the Office and supports the Director of Inquiries in delivering timely, impactful, and well-reasoned decisions.

Candidates are informed that they are not allowed to contact personally members of the Selection Committee and that doing so constitutes grounds for disqualification from the procedure.

The inquiries officer in the Ombudsman's Office must necessarily have a very good command of English. The documents concerning the call for expression of interest are therefore only available in English.

Candidates are informed that they are not allowed to contact personally members of the Selection Committee and that doing so constitutes grounds for disqualification from the procedure.

The inquiries officer in the Ombudsman's Office must necessarily have a very good command of English. The documents concerning the call for expression of interest are therefore only available in English.

Candidates are informed that they are not allowed to contact personally members of the Selection Committee and that doing so constitutes grounds for disqualification from the procedure.

Visit the EU Careers website where you can search the database of available job opportunities for permanent and temporary positions, including contract agent posts, traineeships and secondments in EU Institutions and Agencies.

Rules

Every year, the European Ombudsman offers paid one-year traineeships to university or higher education graduates with a keen interest in the European Union project and, in particular, in how the EU institutions and their administration relate to citizens. 

Normally, notices specifying the profiles sought and the requirements for each profile are published in February and the traineeships start on 1 September each year. Trainees may be posted either in Strasbourg or in Brussels according to the needs of the Office. 

Since 2023, the Ombudsman implements a positive action programme for trainees with a recognised disability. 

Trainees in the Ombudsman's Office must necessarily have a very good command of the English language. Applications must therefore be submitted in English. For the same reasons, the documents concerning traineeship applications are only available in English.

• Decision of the European Ombudsman concerning traineeships

We invite you to apply for a traineeship specifically addressed to persons with disabilities starting on 1 September 2026. We offer one paid traineeship for a period of one year.

Deadline for applications : 31 March 2026 at 13:00 Brussels time

We invite you to apply for a traineeship starting on 1 September 2026. We offer paid traineeships of one year, subject to a positive assessment of the trainee’s performance.

Deadline for applications : 13 March 2026 at 13:00 Brussels time

We invite you to apply for a traineeship starting on 1 September 2026. We offer paid traineeships of one year, subject to a positive assessment of the trainee’s performance.

Deadline for applications : 13 March 2026 at 13:00 Brussels time

• Traineeships in the European Parliament.
• Traineeships in the European Commission.