It requires a conscious effort to not let implicit stereotyping not affect our decisions, especially when it comes to hiring.
Recruitment
Do not solely rely on an open call to identify candidates for an open position.
Contact people directly and encourage them to apply (women are generally less likely to self-nominate).
Solicit a list of candidates from the outgoing lead.
Brainstorm a list.
Consider and encourage qualified junior candidates (who are less likely to self-nominate). See impostor syndrome to know why.
Make sure that the job description, responsibilities and the qualification criteria are clearly spelled out in the call. Some tips on what to consider when listing qualification criteria can be found at http://facultyhiring.uoregon.edu/position-announcements.
Be aware of gendered language in the call for applications (e.g. http://www.business.com/recruiting/the-hidden-ways-gender-bias-can-sabotage-recruitment, http://techladymafia.com/post/44634795893/dont-know-it-but-women-see-gender-bias-in-your).
Selection
Assemble a diverse committee to review applications.
Before reading the application material, make sure everybody evaluating the applicants agrees on the interpretation and weighting of the qualification criteria that were established as part of the call for applications.
Be aware of unconscious bias (recommended reading: training video by google https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLjFTHTgEVU; http://facultyhiring.uoregon.edu/special-concerns/).
Minimize conflicts of interest, and make all selectors aware of each person’s conflicts.
Score applicants based on the qualification criteria individually before discussing applications with other committee members.
Documentation
In the specific case of the EC :
Cc' the Chair of ECDC when issuing a call for Work Package Lead applications.
Share the list of applicants with the ECDC. If there is no search committee, also consider sharing the list with the other Science Working Group leads.
Inform the ECDC about the person ultimately selected as Work Package Lead.