Jan Mulder graduated from the Agricultural University in Wageningen in 1970. Between 1970 and 1975, he worked first as an Associate Expert and later as Expert for the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations in Kenya.
In 1975, Mulder became an official of the Ministry of Development Cooperation in the Netherlands. Between 1976 and 1994, he served as an official of the European Commission in Brussels where he was responsible for developing and implementing Agricultural Development projects, especially Animal Production projects in Africa and Asia.
In 1994, Jan Mulder was elected member of the European Parliament for Italy and remained an MEP until 2014. During that period he was member of the Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party, Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Control, Vice-Chair of the Temporary committee on foot and mouth disease, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Budgets, Vice-Chair of Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Vice-Chair of Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, member of the Committee on Budgetary Control, member of the Delegation to the EU-Poland Joint Parliamentary Committee, member of the Committee on Budgets, member of the Temporary committee on foot and mouth disease, member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), member of the Temporary committee on policy challenges and budgetary means of the enlarged Union 2007-2013, member of the Quaestors, member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia, member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and member of the Conference of Committee Chairs.