Economist Graduate Programme 2026

General Information

Type of contract – Two‑year fixed‑term contract starting on 1 September. It may be extended for one additional year upon successful completion of the programme.

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 up to four highly talented recent graduates with postgraduate degrees, preferably PhDs, for the ECB’s Graduate Programme in Economics.

During the two‑year assignment you will spend a six‑month period in the Directorate General Research and will work on projects that support the ECB’s policy work.

Your successful completion of the programme will be assessed by the Graduate Programme Committee on the basis of performance reviews and the project paper you will prepare and submit before the end of the second year.

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.

Assignments can be in the following business areas: Economics, Monetary Policy, International & European Relations, Macroprudential Policy & Financial Stability, and Research. In these areas you will conduct high‑quality analysis, support policy decisions, represent the ECB in external fora, and maintain productive relationships with stakeholders.

You will be assigned a mentor who will provide support, advice, and guidance throughout the programme. A tailor‑made training programme will also be provided, including 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 and a PhD in Economics or a related field completed between 1 February 2024 and 6 January 2026; alternatively you may be due to complete your PhD by the end of 2026.
• An advanced (C1) command of English and an intermediate (B1) command of at least one other official EU language, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Desired:

• Sound knowledge of macroeconomics, international economics, monetary economics and/or international finance, including banking, financial markets and financial intermediation.
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office applications, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Advanced knowledge of time series or panel econometrics.
• Strong programming skills, especially experience with MATLAB, STATA, Python and R.

Additional Profile Attributes

You engage collaboratively with others, pursue team goals, and learn from diverse perspectives. You analyze complex information effectively and can evaluate different views to arrive at solutions, while anticipating stakeholder needs.

You are motivated to contribute to the ECB’s mission, serve EU citizens as part of a public institution, and collaborate across Europe.

EEO Statement

The ECB is an inclusive employer and strives 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.

Working Modalities

This is a two‑year fixed‑term contract starting from 1 September 2026 and lasting until 31 August 2028. 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 and subject to business needs, participants are eligible to be directly appointed to positions as Economists.

Further Information

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

Application and Selection Process

The recruitment process will be conducted remotely and will include a written exercise, a presentation, and an interview.

If you are not selected for this position but are still considered suitable, you will be placed on a reserve list from which you might be considered for similar positions within the ECB.

Seniority Level

Internship

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

Finance and Sales

Industries

Banking, Financial Services, IT Services, and IT Consulting

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