KBC Zagreb Careers, Salaries & Jobs

University Hospital Centre Zagreb (Klinički bolnički centar Zagreb, KBC Zagreb) describes itself as the largest health institution in Croatia by the number and range of services it provides.

The Ministry of Health has given it the status of Central National Hospital, and it is the base for 103 of the Ministry's referral centres.

It is the largest clinical teaching base of the University of Zagreb School of Medicine and of the University of Applied Health Sciences. Its English information page lists 28 departments, from internal medicine, surgery, cardiac surgery and paediatrics to oncology and radiotherapy, neurosurgery, nuclear medicine and dental medicine. The main site is at Kišpatićeva 12, with further locations across Zagreb, and the Rebro site is being renovated in phases.

KBC Zagreb advertises posts in open tenders (natječaji) on its website and with the Croatian Employment Service. The October 2026 tender, for example, sought specialists in oncology and radiology, 20 bachelor nurses, physiotherapists and laboratory staff, with most posts permanent after a probation period.

The tenders do not state a nationality requirement, but every clinical post asks for a licence for independent work (odobrenje za samostalan rad). For anyone trained outside the EU, that means recognition by the Croatian Medical Chamber or the Croatian Nursing Council, B2 Croatian, and a stay and work permit applied for by the employer.

Leadership

• Fran Borovečki, Director (ravnatelj Kliničkog bolničkog centra Zagreb)
• David Ozretić, Assistant Director for Medical Affairs (pomoćnik ravnatelja za medicinske poslove)
• Ana Ljubas, Assistant Director for Nursing and Head Nurse (pomoćnica ravnatelja za sestrinstvo, glavna sestra KBC-a Zagreb)

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• Cardiac surgery and cardiovascular diseases

  Separate departments of cardiac surgery and of cardiovascular diseases.

• Oncology and radiotherapy

  A department of oncology and radiotherapy; KBC Zagreb also offers treatment with autologous CAR-T cells.

• Neurosurgery and neurology

  Both are departments listed on the hospital's information page.

• Paediatrics

  A department of paediatrics, with a human milk bank among the hospital's services.

• Haematopoietic stem cells and cord blood

  KBC Zagreb hosts the Croatian bone marrow donor registry and a public cord blood bank.

• Assisted reproduction

  Medically assisted reproduction is listed among the hospital's services.

• Emergency medicine

  A department of emergency medicine, open 24 hours.

• Translational and clinical research

  A centre for translational and clinical research.

• KBC Zagreb does not describe an international recruitment programme, relocation help or language support on its website. Its job pages (Natječaji za posao, and Razgovori i testiranja for interviews and tests) are in Croatian.
• Posts are advertised in tenders published on the hospital website and with the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ). Applications for the October 2026 tender went by post to the hospital at Ulica Mije Kišpatića 12, within 8 days of publication, with a CV and copies of the diploma, specialist exam certificate, licence for independent work and a certificate that no criminal proceedings are pending.
• The October 2026 tender does not state a citizenship requirement. It does require a licence for independent work for doctors, nurses and other clinical staff, which in practice means you must already be registered with the relevant Croatian chamber.
• For a non-EU professional, the realistic order is: recognition by the HLK or HKMS (with any adaptation period or aptitude test), B2 Croatian, chamber registration and licence, then a job offer, after which the employer applies for your stay and work permit. The HLK says licences for foreign doctors are issued for the period allowed by the rules on employing foreigners.
• KBC Zagreb also runs separate tenders for specialty training posts (specijalizacije) and for health workers doing their internship (pripravnički staž), with a published decision on how specialty applicants are tested.

• A decision recognising your foreign professional qualification: from the Croatian Medical Chamber (HLK) for doctors or the Croatian Nursing Council (HKMS) for nurses, with any compensation measure they set.

• For doctors trained outside the EU, Ministry of Health recognition of the internship and the general part of the professional exam, and separately of any specialist title.

• Croatian at B2 or above from an authorised institution, which both chambers ask for before registration.

• Entry in the chamber's register and a licence for independent work (odobrenje za samostalan rad), which KBC Zagreb's tenders require for clinical posts.

• A stay and work permit (dozvola za boravak i rad) applied for by the employer, which for a regulated profession must include your recognition decision.

1. 1

   Get your qualification recognised

   Apply to the HLK (doctors) or HKMS (nurses) under the general system. The chamber checks accreditation of your programme, compares it with Croatian training and may set an adaptation period or aptitude test.
2. 2

   Reach B2 Croatian

   Both chambers require a B2 certificate from an authorised institution before registration. The tenders, interviews and clinical work at KBC Zagreb are in Croatian.
3. 3

   Register and obtain your licence

   With the recognition decision, register with your chamber and obtain the licence for independent work that KBC Zagreb's clinical tenders require.
4. 4

   Find a tender

   Check Natječaji za posao at kbc-zagreb.hr. Each tender lists the posts, conditions, documents and whether the contract is permanent or fixed-term.
5. 5

   Apply by post within the deadline

   Send a separate application for each post, with your CV and copies of the listed documents, to KBC Zagreb, Ulica Mije Kišpatića 12, Zagreb, marked with the post number and title. The October 2026 tender allowed 8 days from publication.
6. 6

   Interview, testing and the permit

   Invitations to interviews and tests are posted on the hospital website. Once selected, a non-EU applicant needs the employer to apply for a stay and work permit before starting.