If you are passionate about EU health policy and want first-hand experience in both a leading public affairs agency and a biopharmaceutical company, this paid 12-month traineeship is a rare opportunity. You will join Acumen Public Affairs and be seconded to a leading pharmaceutical company's European Policy and Government Affairs team in Brussels, experiencing both consultancy and in-house EU public affairs.
About the Role
Acumen Public Affairs is recruiting a trainee who will join the Acumen team and be seconded to a leading pharmaceutical company for a 12-month traineeship within their European Policy and Government Affairs team in Brussels. You will work day-to-day within the pharmaceutical company's team, supporting policy monitoring, analysis, and stakeholder engagement across European health and pharmaceutical policy, while maintaining regular connectivity with Acumen through trainings, mentoring, and performance follow-up.
Key Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the pharmaceutical company and Acumen managers, you will support:
🔍 Monitoring of EU health, pharmaceutical, and life sciences policy developments
📊 Policy research and analysis on EU legislative and regulatory files
📝 Drafting of briefings, summaries, and internal notes
🤝 Preparation of stakeholder meetings and events
🗺️ Mapping of policy stakeholders and institutional processes
🗂️ Coordination and organisational support for public affairs activities
📋 General support to the European Policy and Government Affairs team
Essential Requirements
🛂 EU national or work permit holder, as the traineeship is in Brussels, Belgium
🗣️ A perfect command of English; additional EU language skills are an asset
🧠 Strong analytical and planning skills, and a demonstrable interest in EU health policy
✍️ Advanced research and writing skills, including summarising issues quickly and accurately
🤝 The ability to work in a team and independently to deadlines, with flexibility and enthusiasm in a fast-paced international environment
💻 Proficiency with IT and new media tools
Desirable
🏛️ Previous experience in EU policy, public affairs, or the health or pharmaceutical sectors, especially in DG SANTE or working for MEPs in the Parliament's ENVI, SANT, or ITRE committees
🎓 A Master's degree in EU affairs, public policy, law, political science, public health, economics, pharmaceutical science, or similar, and an understanding of EU legislative processes
What They Offer
💶 A twelve-month paid traineeship
🩺 Hands-on experience in EU pharmaceutical and health policy, with exposure to both in-house and consultancy public affairs environments
🎓 Training on the job and dedicated trainings with industry experts, plus continuous feedback and mentorship
🚀 Opportunities to broaden your network and fast-track your career, starting September 2026
How to Apply
Send your resume (saved as firstname_surname_CV) and cover letter (saved as firstname_surname_CL) in PDF format, with the subject line "Secondment – Health trainee application". Applications without either document will not be considered, and matching candidates will be contacted for an interview.
Deadline
31 July 2026
Links
🔗 Apply by email: recruitment@acumenpa.com
🔗 Full vacancy: https://acumenpa.com/careers/health-public-affairs-trainee-secondment-to-pharmaceutical-company-2/
