The European Central Bank has launched  the Graduate Programme 2022.

Please share these opportunities with your students by forwarding the email to relevant departments/professors, alumni networks, posting the vacancies on job portals or printing them out and showcasing them in display windows.

Your team

We are looking for up to 15 highly talented recent graduates with a postgraduate degree, eventually a PhD, for the ECB's Graduate Programme. 

You will have different ages, backgrounds and interests and will find intellectual challenges, varied opportunities and a people-centred working culture that gives you a voice and the chance to make an impact – for Europe.

We will give you challenging one-year assignments in two different business areas, matched to your fields of expertise, your interests – which you can indicate during the application process – and our organisational needs. This gives you the opportunity to apply your knowledge in new ways. 

Your successful completion of the programme will be assessed by the Graduate Programme Committee on the basis of performance reviews and your project paper. Together with management during the second year of the Graduate Programme, you will choose a topic for the paper, which you will prepare and submit before the end of the second year. 

The ECB is an inclusive employer and we strive to reflect the diversity of the population we serve. We encourage you to apply irrespective of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or other characteristics.

Your role

The Graduate Programme offers you excellent development opportunities, valuable experience and an insight into the ECB's tasks and working methods. It could be your starting point for an exciting career at the ECB.

We will assign you an experienced colleague as a mentor to provide you with support, advice and guidance on participating successfully in the programme. You will also get a tailor-made training programme that includes a number of in-house and external training opportunities.

You will be part of a multicultural team that strives for continuous innovation to make a positive impact on the lives of European citizens.

Qualifications, experience and skills

Essential:  

• a master's degree or PhD completed between 1 February 2020 and 31 January 2022 (alternatively, if you are due to complete a PhD in 2022, your master's degree can have been obtained before 1 February 2020) – candidates with a PhD, or who will obtain a PhD in 2022, will have an advantage;
• qualifications in a field of interest to the ECB, e.g. economics, finance, statistics, accounting,
• financial/commercial/EU law, data science, political science, European studies, international relations, business administration, journalism and communications, environmental sciences, other social sciences, psychology, information technology, civil engineering, engineering, mathematics, languages, human resources, natural sciences or facility management;
• a clear interest in and understanding of European affairs, central banking, banking supervision and matters of relevance to ECB business areas;
• an advanced (C1) command of English and an intermediate (B1) command of at least one other official language of the EU, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Desired: 

• Experience in the field of data science and/or programming and/or media/social media (e.g. data management, statistical and econometric analysis, big data tools, data visualisation, artificial intelligence and machine learning, media monitoring and analysis, web and social media analytics, data processing or general application and system programming).

• You engage collaboratively with others. You pursue team goals and learn willingly from other people's diverse perspectives. You signal any need for change by explaining it and proposing alternative solutions. You analyse complex information effectively and can evaluate different views to arrive at solutions. You know and anticipate stakeholder needs.

• You are motivated to contribute to the ECB's mission, to serve the citizens of the EU as a member of a public institution and to work with colleagues from all over Europe. You are motivated to be a part of our team and to use your skills and competencies to achieve the objectives of this position. You are aware of your strengths and areas of development and know what motivates you to perform at your highest level.

Closing date: 21.02.2022

Who can apply?  EU nationals.

Salary  E/F (1) (minimum full time monthly net salary €4,229 and benefits, see further information section)

Working Modalities

This is a two-year fixed-term contract which we aim to start from 1 September 2022 and to last until 31 August 2024. It may be extended for one additional year upon successful completion of the programme. While on the Graduate Programme you can apply for vacancies that are advertised both internally and externally. Upon successful completion of the programme and subject to business needs, participants are eligible to be directly appointed to positions at the ECB.

Further information

You can find additional information on the Graduate Programme on our website.

Temporary appointments may be extended or made permanent subject to organisational needs and budgetary constraints. This may result in a staff member with a non-convertible fixed-term contract being offered a convertible contract in accordance with the ECB's Conditions of Employment.

Application and selection process

The recruitment process for this position will include a pre-recorded video interview at the pre-selection stage and – if you are invited to participate further in the selection procedure – a written exercise and a panel interview. The overall process is expected to run between March and July 2022.

If you are not selected for this position but are still considered suitable, you will be placed on a reserve list (see step 4 of how we hire), from which you might be considered for similar positions within the ECB.

Find out how to apply for a position at the European Central Bank. Read more about joining us.