The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) is an international organisation which monitors compliance with the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement) in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, enabling those States to participate in the Internal Market of the European Union.
ESA's work helps remove barriers to trade and open up new opportunities to over 450 million Europeans, creating jobs and growth and adding to the international competitiveness of the States.
ESA currently employs staff members of 22 different nationalities from across the EEA. Based in Brussels, ESA is collocated within the EFTA House with its sister organisations the EFTA Secretariat and the EEA and Norway Grants (FMO).
ESA is led by a College of three members, appointed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. It is divided into the following departments: Administration, Internal Market Affairs Directorate, Competition and State Aid Directorate and Legal and Executive Affairs Department.
Economist Junior Professional 2026/27
The EFTA Surveillance Authority’s (ESA) Junior Professionals Programme is a unique opportunity for recent graduates to launch their careers in an international environment. Over 11 months you will live and work in Brussels, and gain hands-on experience in international affairs by supporting ESA’s mission of monitoring and enforcing the EEA Agreement.
Through structured mentoring and guidance from leading experts, you will develop and sharpen your skills while contributing to an organisation that helps ensure a fair and well-functioning Internal Market across the EEA, benefiting citizens and businesses in over 450 million Europeans. The programme offers a unique chance to learn, collaborate, and grow in a dynamic, multi-disciplinary international team.
CSA is a multi-disciplinary team comprising both economists and lawyers and enforces the competition and state aid rules of the EEA Agreement. CSA’s Chief Economist Team consists of five economists with backgrounds covering competition policy enforcement, public authority, regulation and consulting. The main task of the CET is to ensure a high standard of economic reasoning and financial analysis in CSA’s cases in the area of State Aid control and antitrust.
Role Description
As a Junior Professional, your main tasks include:
- Assisting in applying competition and financial economics to ESA’s competition, state aid and eCom casework
- Learning to handle cases and liaise with relevant stakeholders
- Conducting qualitative and quantitative economic analyses and contributing to regular case-handling duties
- Preparing and drafting economic input for reports, briefings and decisions
- Communicating technical economic concepts in a clear and accessible way to non-economists
Essential Skills
- Applicants must be nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway. EU and EFTA nationals who can demonstrate close links with Liechtenstein may also be considered
- Applicants should have completed or expect to complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree in economics, finance, business or a related field prior to 1 September 2026
- Interest in the EEA, its institutions, and the cooperation between EEA EFTA States and the EU
- Excellent command of written and spoken English, the working language of ESA
- Strong analytical and quantitative skills
- Knowledge or interest in applied microeconomics, competition or regulatory economics is advantageous
- Engaged, proactive and well-organised, able to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team
- Ability to work in a dynamic and multi-disciplinary international environment
Other information
What we offer
The Junior Professionals Programme at ESA is a paid position. Junior Professionals receive:
- A monthly allowance of 2,005.18 EUR
- A furnished, private studio in Brussels
- Utility and internet costs covered, and a mobile phone provided
- Health, life, invalidity, and travel insurance
- Reimbursement of travel costs upon taking up and leaving the Programme
- An allowance for language training costs
Tax conditions are favourable.
For more insight into the Programme, click here.
In the interests of ensuring that the Junior Professional positions are open to as wide a group of individuals as possible, current and former Junior Professionals of the EFTA Secretariat/Financial Mechanism Office (FMO) will not be eligible to apply for ESA Junior Professional positions. Current and former Trainees of the EFTA Court will, however, be eligible to apply in light of the short-term nature of traineeships in the Court as compared with those in the Secretariat/FMO.
Application procedure:
For any questions regarding the Junior Professionals Programme, please contact the HR team at esa_hr@eftasurv.int.
Application Timeline
- Deadline for applications: 15 February 2026 (midnight CET)
- Tests and remote interviews: mid-February to end of March 2026
- Notification to successful and unsuccessful applicants: by mid-April 2026
- Onboarding: from mid-April 2026
- Start date: 1 September 2026