IT Application Development Specialists – DG Information Systems

General Information
Who can apply?
EU nationals

Salary
E/F (bracket 1 - step 1) full time monthly net salary: €4,869 plus benefits, for further information see what we offer .

Working time
Full time

Place of work
Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Closing date

Your team
We are looking for IT Specialists to join the Directorate General Information Systems. Our Directorate General consists of approximately 350 professionals delivering secure, scalable and data-driven IT solutions that support central banking, banking supervision and shared services across the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). Our work spans the full technology lifecycle, from system design and software development to cloud operations, data management and AI-driven innovation.

We are currently advancing the digital transformation and simplification of central banking and European banking supervision through innovative projects that enhance efficiency, collaboration, data quality and analytical capabilities across the central banking and supervisory landscape.

In your role as an IT Specialist, you will join one of our multidisciplinary teams of technology experts, depending on your interests and profile. You will be responsible for designing, building and operating modern, cloud-based infrastructures; automating deployment and monitoring processes; and developing innovative data and AI solutions that strengthen supervisory capabilities. You will work closely with colleagues from different ECB business areas, the Directorate General Information Systems and the national competent authorities and national central banks to ensure our platforms remain both reliable and secure and at the forefront of technological innovation within the European financial system.

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
As an IT Specialist in the Directorate General Information Systems, you will be at the forefront of designing, developing and delivering innovative IT services in direct support of the ECB's mission. If you have expertise in DevOps and cloud engineering, software engineering, AI and machine learning or data engineering, and you are looking for a new opportunity, your application is exactly what we have in mind.

Specifically, you will:

• design, develop and enhance IT services within the Directorate General Information Systems;
• develop and implement automated tests, builds and deployments and continuous integration pipelines to improve quality assurance and streamline delivery;
• collaborate with product owners and business stakeholders to refine user stories and prioritise tasks according to business value;
• actively participate in Agile ceremonies (sprint planning, daily stand-ups, reviews and retrospectives) or similar events based on other product management methodologies;
• work with architecture, security, governance, cloud computing and data protection experts to ensure compliance and quality;
• contribute to product team activities, sharing insights and presenting results to stakeholders when required.

For this role we are seeking candidates who demonstrate the potential for growth, and we will support the selected candidate(s) in their development of the required skills.

We value a track record of diverse relevant experience gained through internal or external mobility or positions held prior to working at the ECB.

The position offers you excellent opportunities to grow your skills in cloud and AI technologies, engage in projects of European relevance and have a tangible impact on how supervision is conducted across the euro area. 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 bachelor's degree or equivalent in computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, economics, finance, statistics or another relevant field (see How you can join us for details on degree equivalences);
• in addition to the above, at least two years of professional experience (including traineeships) in supporting and integrating activities within complex IT systems, such as Agile software development (particularly Scrum) and/or other product development/management methodologies;
• excellent analytical, drafting and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex topics to diverse audiences;
• 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.

Moreover, you must be skilled in at least one of the following technical disciplines:

• DevOps and cloud engineering: knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Oracle), CI/CD tools, infrastructure as code (e.g. Terraform) and system operations (OS fundamentals, networking, monitoring);
• Software engineering: proficiency in programming (e.g. Python, Java, JavaScript) and experience building complex applications using modern frameworks and development practices;
• AI and machine learning: experience with model development, deployment and evaluation (especially natural language processing) and fluency in machine learning libraries such as scikit-learn, TensorFlow or PyTorch;
• Data engineering: familiarity with big data tools (e.g. Spark, Kafka), data lake/warehouse architectures and data quality, lineage and metadata management practices.

Desired:

• proactive and inquisitive mindset, with the ability to suggest improvements within a product team;
• experience working with financial or economic datasets.

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 aware of your strengths and areas for development and know what motivates you to perform at your highest level.

Working modalities
We would be happy to discuss a part-time arrangement for this role.

Further information
The formal title for this position will be IT Application Development Specialists.

Some of the contracts will be convertible into permanent contracts after three years subject to individual performance and organisational needs. 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 Conditions of Employment.

For additional information on this specific vacancy, you can speak to the hiring manager, Antonio Morlupi, on between 12:00 and 13:00 from 10-14 November.

Application and selection process
The recruitment process for this position will be conducted remotely. It will include a pre-recorded video interview in the pre-selection phase and – if you are invited to participate in the subsequent selection phase – an online written exercise, a presentation, a technical interview and a panel interview.

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 ECB.