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SNEs are national experts seconded to Fusion for Energy (F4E) by a national, regional or local public authority. SNEs can also be seconded from an international civil service as well as from private sector and the non-profit making or voluntary sector. More details on the provisions applicable to SNEs can be found in the Decision of the F4E Governing Board.
Seconded National Experts (SNEs) have a dual role: they bring their experience of the tasks they are used to dealing with to F4E, and take back to their employer the knowledge of F4E and Fusion which they acquire during their period of secondment.
As an SNE you will work alongside F4E staff members, helping to achieve the F4E corporate objectives defined by the Director for the benefit of F4E. On secondment, you will work under the instructions of a F4E staff member, according to a detailed job description and governed by rules that help avoid the risk of any conflicts of interest. More information is available in the Decision on the Secondment of Experts to F4E.
Except where the Director grants a derogation, an SNE must be a national of a Member of the Joint Undertaking or a country with which the Council has decided to open accession negotiations. You must have at least 3 years of relevant work experience at an appropriate level and your employer will need to supply F4E with a statement of the nature of your employment over the previous year. The SNE must produce evidence of a thorough knowledge of English, the main working language of F4E and a satisfactory knowledge of another Community language to the extent necessary for the performance of his duties. F4E takes geographical and gender balance into account when considering Seconded National Experts.
Your secondment is formalised by a bilateral agreement between F4E and the civil service or organisation from which you are being seconded. In practice, this involves an exchange of letters between the F4E Director and the Office of the Permanent Representative to the European Union of the Member State concerned or your employer.
Your secondment can be for a minimum of six months and up to a maximum of four years in principle. You can return for a second period of secondment once an interval of at least 3 years has passed.
As an SNE, you should continue to be paid by your employer but F4E pays you compensation for the extra costs of living and working abroad. This consists of a daily subsistence allowance and you may also be eligible for a monthly allowance depending on the distance from your place of origin.
You remain covered by the social security provisions of your employer, but you will also be covered by F4E’s accident insurance scheme during the time you are seconded to F4E.
F4E may reimburse all or part of the net remuneration of an SNE during the period of secondment to his employer under an agreement to be concluded in advance and recorded in an exchange of letters.
For more information, including details of your rights, working conditions and working hours, click here.