Karin Jöns received a political sciences degree as well as a Slavic Studies degree from the University of Mannheimanand. In 1976, Jöns started to work as an independent journalist until 1980. Between 1981 and 1994, she performed several functions in the administration including the organization and management of the Bremen office in Brussels (1987-1994).
She joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in 1973. She served as Member of the European Parliament from 1994 to 2009.During that period she was member of the Group of the Party of European Socialists, member of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, Vice-Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Transcaucasian republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, member of the Committee on Social Affairs and Employment, member of the Delegation for relations with Transcaucasus, member of the Delegation for relations with the Transcaucasian republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, member of the Members from the European Parliament to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU), member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of south-east Europe, member of the Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, and for relations with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia, member of the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and member of the Delegation for relations with the United States.