The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is hiring an experienced HR Partner to join its Human Resources team in Heidelberg, Germany. The full-time, hybrid role is a 2-year fixed-term contract at Grade 6, with a monthly salary from €4,713.20 after tax plus benefits and allowances. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the full vacancy: applications close at 23:59 CET on 18 October 2026.
About EMBL and Its Vision
EMBL is an intergovernmental organisation and an Associated member of Coordinated organisations. Its vision is to create a more inclusive research and work culture that leverages diversity, in its broadest sense, to enhance its role as a leader in the life sciences in Europe and globally.
Supporting Scientists From the Heidelberg HR Team
By joining the Human Resources team in Heidelberg, you support scientists around the world whose mission is to improve biodiversity in the face of climate change and make discoveries leading to improved human health.
Why EMBL Is Hiring an HR Partner Now
As part of the team's evolution, EMBL is looking for an experienced HR Partner to amplify its cultural and business partnering activities and footprint into the future. The opportunity suits someone who wants to handle a wide variety of HR matters and queries at both a strategic and operational level and who is excited to help shape and implement effective people strategies and activities within the organisation.
Position Details at a Glance
🏢 Organisation: EMBL, European Molecular Biology Laboratory
💼 Position: HR Partner
📍 Location: Heidelberg, Germany
🏠 Remote type: Hybrid
🕘 Time type: Full time
📄 Contract length: 2 years fixed term
📊 Grade: Grade 6
💶 Salary: from €4,713.20 per month after tax
🔖 Job requisition ID: JR4537
The Big Picture of the Role
With an excellent understanding of the organisation, its strategy and the people challenges it faces, you will help your designated areas create a culture and people approach and identify people priorities to address future workforce needs.
Through HR guidance, analysis of people metrics and trends, and work with management to improve work relationships and productivity, you will impact all stages of the employee life cycle in a diverse and international organisation. No one day is the same, and there is always something different happening.
What Will You Be Responsible For?
📘 Providing HR support on HR policies and practices that ensure fairness and expediency, and partnering with the organisation to deliver value-added services by shaping the design and supporting the delivery of People Plans, focused on what the organisation needs tactically to sustainably improve for the future.
🤝 Influencing and developing strong relationships with all stakeholders to proactively advise and coach managers on how the people agenda may be "worked" to deliver success, achieving high levels of trust, respect and professionalism.
🔍 Challenging people managers to get to the root of people and business issues and supporting them in the effective staffing of their teams, ensuring inclusivity in how the organisation develops and promotes people.
💡 Bringing people expertise to develop solutions that help the organisation deliver its strategy, staying one step ahead in understanding, data and insight (externally and internally) to role model HR skills and professionalism.
🚀 Driving a culture of high performance where talent is recognised, stretched and poor performance managed.
🧩 Collaborating across the HR function to develop integrated solutions and ensure execution of major people-centred projects and processes with a "one team" approach that boosts employee morale and satisfaction.
🔄 Acting as a change agent to oversee new processes, help drive end-user adoption of HR technology, tools and solutions, and drive other change management across the organisation.
Qualifications and Education
🎓 You are degree educated.
📜 You have a professional qualification in Human Resource Management, or you have completed an apprenticeship in Human Resources Management, Public/Business Administration or a related field.
Core Experience and Skills You Bring
📈 Ideally, strong business partnering experience and project management, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data and metrics to drive decision-making and measure programme effectiveness.
🌱 Experience in driving employee development and contributing to a positive learning culture, with facilitation and communication skills and the ability to engage and inspire diverse audiences for change and transformation.
⚖️ Good knowledge of the principles of employment legislation (in any national system or in intergovernmental organisations), its application and compliance, plus current issues and thinking in HR best practice.
🗣️ Demonstrated experience in navigating conflict and facilitating conversations, with previous exposure to developing and implementing HR initiatives for diverse, dispersed and dynamic teams.
🧠 The ability to contribute creative resolutions to a diverse range of complex problems while keeping the best interest of the organisation in mind.
The Personality EMBL Is Looking For
🙌 A proactive team player, comfortable engaging with a wide range of audiences with a flexible, customer-focused and outcome-orientated approach, able to excel in high-pressure situations.
🌟 An authentic, collaborative and commercially minded professional with a healthy amount of ambition and determination.
⚡ Someone who brings energy, compassion and enthusiasm to the team, comfortable influencing change and dealing with people at all organisational levels, with results-focus and best practice top of mind.
🎯 Motivated to make a difference with a proactive approach.
📚 A curious quick learner who constantly looks for ways to improve, a critical thinker, a systems and process extraordinaire, and a thoughtful and consistent communicator who can actively listen, network and benchmark good practice.
Stakeholder Management and Coaching
With a commitment to exceptional customer service, you communicate and collaborate effectively across functions and build strong partnerships with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds. Internal stakeholder management and coaching skills have helped you partner with colleagues to solve problems, seize opportunities and advance the mission across an organisation, while engaging through difference and valuing multiple perspectives.
────────────────────────────────────────
🌍 All opportunities in Germany →
────────────────────────────────────────
Nice-to-Have Extras
🖥️ Prior experience using Workday.
🏛️ Knowledge of HR processes and procedures in international organisations.
🔬 Exposure to and work experience in a multicultural environment, ideally in a science organisation.
🗺️ Good knowledge of another European language, such as French, German, Italian or Spanish.
Not Sure You Meet Every Requirement?
EMBL encourages you to apply even if you are not sure you meet all the requirements. The organisation believes candidates with all kinds of backgrounds can have a lot to offer and says it looks forward to hearing from you.
Salary, Grade and Contract Length
The position is at Grade 6, with a monthly salary from €4,713.20 after tax, plus generous benefits and financial allowances based on individual circumstances. The figure excludes 12.99% personal pension and insurance contributions. The position is initially planned as a two-year appointment, with the possibility of renewal subject to a review of the circumstances at the time, up to a maximum of nine years in total.
Benefits of Working at EMBL
💶 Financial incentives: salary free of income tax, monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances.
🔀 Flexible working arrangements.
🩺 Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family, including all prescriptions and generous dental and optical cover.
🏖️ Generous time off: 30 days of annual leave per year, in addition to public holidays.
📦 Relocation package, including an installation grant (if applicable).
🚌 Campus life: free shuttle bus (Heidelberg), library, subsidised on-site cafeteria, casual dress code, and extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely).
🧸 Family benefits: kindergarten (Heidelberg), 10 days of child sick leave, generous paid maternity/parental leave, and monthly family and child allowances.
✈️ Benefits for international newcomers: visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year, and a monthly non-resident allowance.
Can International Applicants Apply?
Yes. EMBL recruits internationally, and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. The organisation encourages applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and any other diverse backgrounds.
Diversity, Inclusion and Fair Assessment
EMBL describes itself as curiosity-driven, community-oriented and international. As an inclusive, equal opportunity employer, it believes diversity enables more effective collaboration and innovative approaches, and it is committed to an inclusive and flexible culture where everyone can realise their full potential.
The organisation encourages applications from people who can complement the existing team, believing success is built on teams whose backgrounds and personal experiences reflect the diversity of the populations its science serves. It actively encourages applications from all genders and cultures, ethnic groups and all demographics to avoid perpetuating biases and oversights at this transformational point in its people strategy. EMBL is also a signatory of DORA and applies DORA principles to its recruitment and performance assessment processes.
How to Apply
📝 Prepare a cover letter and a CV.
💻 Submit both through EMBL's online application system.
🕛 Applications close at 23:59 CET on the closing date.
📬 EMBL aims to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date.
Find more roles like this in our jobs listings on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary for the EMBL HR Partner position?
The role is at Grade 6 with a monthly salary from €4,713.20 after tax, plus generous benefits and financial allowances based on individual circumstances. This figure excludes 12.99% personal pension and insurance contributions.
How long is the contract?
The contract is a 2-year fixed term. It can be renewed subject to a review of the circumstances at the time, up to a maximum of nine years in total.
Is the HR Partner role remote?
The position is listed as hybrid and full time, based in Heidelberg, Germany.
Which qualifications are required?
You should be degree educated and hold a professional qualification in Human Resource Management, or have completed an apprenticeship in Human Resources Management, Public/Business Administration or a related field.
Do I need to know Workday or speak another European language?
No, these are not required. Prior Workday experience and good knowledge of another European language, such as French, German, Italian or Spanish, are listed as nice-to-have extras.
Can non-EU candidates apply?
Yes. EMBL recruits internationally and offers successful candidates visa exemptions. Benefits for international newcomers include a monthly non-resident allowance and support to travel home every second year.
How many days of annual leave does EMBL offer?
EMBL offers 30 days of annual leave per year, in addition to public holidays.
What documents do I need to apply?
You need a cover letter and a CV, submitted through EMBL's online system. Applications close at 23:59 CET on 18 October 2026, and EMBL aims to respond within two weeks after the closing date.
Deadline
⏳ 18 October 2026
Links
🔗 Apply: https://embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/job/HR-Partner_JR4537/apply
📄 Job posting: https://embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/EMBL/job/HR-Partner_JR4537
🎁 Employee benefits: http://www.embl.org/jobs/work-at-embl/benefits/
🌐 International applicants: http://www.embl.org/jobs/work-at-embl/international-applicants/
📑 DORA principles at EMBL: http://www.embl.org/about/research-assessment/
