Community Plant Variety Office

The Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) is an independent EU Agency that was established by Council Regulation (EC) No 2100/94 on 27 July 1994. The CPVO is responsible for the management of the Community Plant Variety Rights System. This system provides protection with an intellectual property right for new plant varieties on European Union level. The mission of the CPVO is to deliver and promote an efficient Intellectual Property Rights system that supports the creation of new plant varieties for the benefit of Society.

Profile / Duties

The CPVO wishes to recruit a highly motivated and well qualified staff member who will join the Plant Variety Expertise Unit (hereinafter referred to as the PVEU). The Unit focuses on the assessment of applications for Community Plant Variety Rights, new technological developments and their impact on technical examination (in particular, on the assessment of Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability requirements, so called DUS). It monitors and harmonise practices in its network of Examination Offices with the purpose to ensure high quality DUS testing in view of granting solid IP rights.

This function is aligned with the CPVO Strategic Plan 2022-2026 accessible here.

Profile

The CPVO wishes to recruit a highly motivated and well-qualified staff member, who under the authority of the Head of the Plant Variety Expertise Unit, will work as technical expert. 

The ideal candidate should demonstrate a strong understanding of DUS testing, genetics, and data analysis, combined with excellent project management and organizational skills. The successful candidate will have effective communication and teamwork abilities. S/he shall possess strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the capacity to adapt to evolving scientific and regulatory environments, while maintaining a high level of integrity and objectivity in their work.

In addition to their technical expertise, the ideal candidate should be proactive and innovative, able to identify and implement improvements in testing methodologies and processes. S/he should have the ability to clearly present complex scientific information to diverse audiences, both orally and in written form, and collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders. Strong problem-solving skills, coupled with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously, are crucial.

A commitment to continuous professional development and staying current with advancements in plant breeding and variety protection would further support their effectiveness in this role, ensuring s/he contribute significantly to the CPVO’s mission of supporting innovation and protecting intellectual property in the plant sector.

Duties

The responsibilities of the post include the following tasks and activities:

·        The technical administration and the management of applications for Community Plant variety rights for a specific range of species;

·        Organising, monitoring and co-ordinating the technical examinations of candidate varieties;

·        Liaising with the relevant examination offices and the applicants respectively;

·        Deputising for other Technical Experts;

·        Preparing decisions and acting as rapporteur to the Decision Committees;

·        Drafting technical working documents for internal and external discussions;

·        Representing the Office as a technical expert;

·        Providing technical evaluation and continuous monitoring of Research & Development (R&D) projects co-funded by the CPVO;

·        Drafting/proof-reading correspondence, reports, meeting documents, articles etc.;

·        Moderating internal/external events (e.g. meetings, webinars);

·        Coordinating projects such as international cooperation or digitalisation;

·        Providing technical assistance to the technical cooperation with the European Patent Office regarding the interface between plant variety rights and patents;

·        Other related activities relevant to the core mission of the CPVO.

Some tasks might require regular travelling.

General Conditions

Qualifications & experience required

To be considered eligible for selection, the applicant must meet by the closing date of this call, the following formal requirements:

·        Completed university studies of at least 3 years attested by a diploma[1] in the field of agriculture, horticulture, biotechnology, agronomy, plant science, plant breeding;

·        Be a national of a Member State of the European Union[2];

·        Have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union[3] and a satisfactory knowledge of another official EU language;

·        Entitlement to full rights as a citizen;

·        Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by national laws concerning military service;

• Be physically fit to perform duties linked to the post [4].

Qualifications

Professional Experience

Relevant professional experience  in plant breeding, plant variety testing, or research in plant science

Additional Requirements

Advantageous Selection Criteria 

·        Experience in the field of plant variety rights and/or DUS Testing and/or Plant Variety testing;

·        Knowledge and understanding of the protection and registration of Plant varieties;

·        Experience of working in a multicultural environment;

·        Experience in Research & Development in the field of plant varieties or in plant breeding and data analysis, in collaborative research projects, potentially working with international organizations or regulatory bodies, providing them with valuable insights into the application of scientific research in policy and regulatory contexts, particularly relevant for a role in the CPVO;

·        Experience with molecular techniques for plant variety identification, along with familiarity with European plant variety legislation and international PVR frameworks;

·        Master or PhD in the plant science-related field with specialized research focused on plant genetics, crop improvement, or DUS testing methodologies;

·        Experience or knowledge with the patenting process in relation to plant related inventions;

·        Experience or knowledge in the field of Intellectual Property rights;

·        Satisfactory knowledge[6] of another language[7] of the European Union in particular German or Dutch.

Contractual Conditions

Conditions of employment

The successful candidate will be offered a contract in grade AD5 under Article 2f of the Conditions of Employment of Other servants of the European Communities, subject to a nine-month probation period. The duration of the contract will be four years and may be renewed not more than once for a fixed period. Any further eventual renewal will be for an indefinite contract. Contract renewals are based on the performance, needs of the service and under the rules of the Staff Regulations.

The place of employment is Angers (France), where the CPVO is based. For reasons related to the CPVO’s operational requirements, the chosen candidate will be expected to be available at short notice.

The job holder shall work in a multicultural environment where social dialogue between management and staff is regarded as vital. The CPVO is fully computerised and working time is flexible according to the current rules in place.

The normal working week is 40 hours. The jobholder is expected to start as soon as possible.

 Work-life balance

 We offer flexible working arrangements: CPVO allows its staff to work within a perimeter of 350 km and 4 hours of car from Angers, while respecting the provisions applicable to its working conditions.

Teleworking from abroad is also possible, with a maximum of 10 days established per year, aiming at helping our staff manage their personal and professional commitments effectively.

For more information about our working conditions and why join the CPVO candidates can consult our career page (here).

Remuneration 

Successful applicants who are offered a contract of employment will, on their entry into service, be placed in step 1 or step 2 of the AD 5 grade, according to the length of their professional experience. The basic net monthly salaries for Temporary Agents in grade AD 5, as of 1 January 2024, are:

·        Step 1: € 5 198,38 (without expatriation allowance) and € 6 260,32 (with expatriation allowance)

·        Step 2: € 5 394,59 (without expatriation allowance) and € 6 501,15 (with expatriation allowance)

In addition to the basic salary, staff members may be entitled to various allowances, in particular expatriation allowance, household allowance, dependent child allowance and education allowance. The applicable step and gross basic salary could be higher depending on the length of experience of the chosen candidate. Salaries are subject to tax at source but are exempt from national taxation. Deductions are also made for medical insurance, pension and unemployment insurance. Please note that the correction coefficient weighting for France is currently equal to 117.

Independence & declarations of interest

The job holder will be required to enter into a commitment to act independently in the public interest and to make complete declarations of any direct or indirect interests that might be considered prejudicial to his/her independence. Candidates must confirm their willingness to do so in their application.

Equal opportunities

CPVO is an equal opportunities employer and accepts applications without distinction on the grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation, marital status or family situation. All applicants to selection procedures will be given an equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. The staff members are recruited on the broadest possible geographical basis from among nationals of all Member States of the European Union.

Recruitment procedure

Selection procedure

The selection procedure includes the following steps:

·        Only duly completed applications (i.e. CV and Motivation Letter) submitted via our IT Recruitment tool within the deadline (France time) will be taken into consideration;

·        Each duly completed application will be examined with a view to establishing that the candidate meets all eligibility criteria;

·        Eligible applications will be evaluated by the appointed Selection Board based on the selection criteria defined in this vacancy notice. Depending on the number of applications received, the Selection Board may apply stricter requirements within the selection criteria noted above;

·        The best-admissible candidates will be short-listed for interview and other tests[8] may be organised, including a written test and/or a computer-based tests to test general skills; Depending on the position and posts available, the Selection Board may decide to invite more or less candidates to interviews.

·        Interviews and written tests will be in English and most likely held online, via MS Teams;

·        During the interviews, the Selection Board will examine the candidates' profiles and assess their relevancy for the post in question;

Before the day of interviews candidates will be requested to present documents detailing citizenship, studies and professional experience, in particular:

·        a copy of their identity card, passport or other official document specifying citizenship;

·        a copy of their diploma certifying the required level of academic qualifications;

·        documentary evidence of professional experience, clearly indicating starting and finishing dates.

Copies of these documents will be retained by the CPVO.

If at any stage of the procedure, it were established that information in the application has been knowingly falsified, the candidate shall be disqualified from the selection process.

Outcome of the selection process:

·        The Selection Board will place the most suitable eligible candidates[9] on a draft reserve list. This draft will be submitted to the Appointing Authority (AIPN) for approval. The adopted reserve list will be valid for 24 months. The validity of this list may be extended.

·        Each candidate will be informed by email whether or not s/he has been placed on the reserve list.

·        Prior to being offered a post, candidates on a reserve list may be required to undergo further evaluation by the CPVO (e.g. a second interview with the President and /or senior management of the CPVO).

·        Inclusion on a reserve list does not imply any entitlement to employment in the CPVO.

·        The AIPN (the President of the CPVO) will appoint the selected jobholder from the reserve list, taking into account the establishment of a gender balanced, geographically diverse organisation.

Please note that:

·        The internal proceedings of the Selection Board are confidential and any contact with its members is strictly forbidden. Soliciting on behalf of a candidate can lead to immediate disqualification.

·        For applications to be valid, they must be made through the CPVO electronic recruitment portal, which can be found on the CPVO web site: https://cpvo.gestmax.eu/800/1/technical-expert-plant-variety-expertise-unit/en_US

·        Applicants are requested not to attach any supporting documents at this stage, e.g. copies of ID cards, diplomas, evidence of previous professional experience, etc. Only candidates invited to an interview will be asked to present copies of these documents for verification. Applications will not be returned to candidates but will be kept on file by the CPVO in line with its data protection guidelines.

·        Incomplete applications will automatically be excluded from the selection procedure.

·        The time span between the closing date for the submission of applications and the end of the process to short list candidates for the interview may take several weeks.

·        We contact candidates via email and will use the email address provided during the registration of the candidate’s Gestmax profile. Therefore, candidates should regularly check their email including the spam folder, as CPVO cannot be held accountable for emails that may end up in that folder.

Closing date for applications: 25 November 2024, 23:59 (CET)

Starting date: as soon as possible

Review-Appeal-Complaints

Applicants who consider that they have grounds for complaint concerning a particular decision may, at any point in the selection procedure, request further details regarding said decision from the Chair of the Selection Board, instigate and appeal procedure or file a complaint with the European Ombudsman. Since the Staff Regulations apply to selection procedures, please note that all proceedings are confidential. If at any stage of this selection procedure applicants consider that their interests have been prejudiced by a particular decision, they may take the following action:

Requests for further information or for review

Send an email to hr-cpvo@cpvo.europa.eu or registered mail requesting further information or a review and stating your case to:

For the attention of the Chair of the Selection Board

CPVO/2024/TA/02

CPVO/OCVV

3 Boulevard du Maréchal Foch

CS 10121

F-49101 Angers CEDEX 2

within a month of being notified the decision regarding the selection procedure. The Selection Board will send a reply as soon as possible and not later than within a month.

Appeal procedures

Lodge a complaint under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union, by email to hr-cpvo@cpvo.europa.eu or registered mail to the following address:

For the attention of the Chair of the Selection Board

CPVO/2024/TA/02

CPVO/OCVV

3 Boulevard du Maréchal Foch

CS 10121

F-49101 Angers CEDEX 2

The time limit for initiating this type of procedure (see Staff Regulations as last amended by Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1023/2013 (OJ L 287 of 29 October 2013 p.15 – http.//www.europa.eu /eur-lex) starts to run from the time applicants are notified of the act allegedly prejudicing their interests.

Please note that the Appointing Authority does not have the power to amend the decisions of a Selection Board. The Court has consistently held that the wide discretion enjoyed by the Selection Board is not subject to review by the Court unless the rules which govern the proceedings of the Selection Board have clearly been infringed. 

Complaints to the European Ombudsman

Like all citizens of the European Union, applicants can make a complaint to the:

European Ombudsman

1 avenue du Président-Robert-Schuman – BP 403

67001 STRASBOURG CEDEX

France

under Article 228 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and in accordance with the conditions laid down in Decision 94/262/ECSC, EC, Euratom of the European Parliament of 9 March 1994 on the regulations and general conditions governing the performance of the Ombudman’s duties (OJ L 113 of 4 May 1994, p. 15) and amended by its decisions of 14 March 2002 (OJ L 92 of 9 April 2002, p. 13) and 18 June 2008 (OJ L 189 of 17 July 2008, p. 25).

Please note that complaints made to the Ombudsman have no suspensive effect to the period laid down in Articles 90(2) and 91 of the Staff Regulations for lodging complaints or for submitting appeals to the Civil Service Tribunal under Article 270 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Please note also that, under Article 2(4) of the general conditions governing the performance of the Ombudsman’s duties, any complaint lodged with the Ombudsman must be preceded by the appropriate administrative approaches to the institutions and bodies concerned.

Protection of personal data

The Community Plant Variety Office (as the body responsible for organising the selection procedure) will ensure that applicants’ personal data are processed  in line with Regulation (EU) N° 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, officers and agencies and on the free movement of such data (repealing Regulation (EC) N° 45/2001 and Decision N° 1247/2002/EC). This applies in particular to the confidentiality and security of such data. For further information on Data Protection at the CPVO, please refer to the dedicated page on the website (Data protection | CPVO (europa.eu)), or contact dpc@cpvo.europa.eu. 

Further information

For any request of information, please contact the CPVO HR Team via email: hr-cpvo@cpvo.europa.eu