General Information
Who can apply?
EU nationals
Salary
E/F (bracket 1 - step 1) full time monthly net salary: €4,982 plus benefits, for further information see
what we offer.
Role specialisation
Digital Security
Working time
Full time
Place of work
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Closing date
31.03.2026
Your team
We are looking to fill one position and create a reserve list of candidates for future positions within the Digital Security Services Division in the Directorate General Information Systems. Comprising over 40 IT security professionals, the Division provides security governance, assurance, engineering and operational services to protect the European Central Bank (ECB) against cyber threats.
The current vacancy is in the Security Operations Centre team, where you will work on technologies to support the collection, processing, automation and analysis of security log files from a broad range of source systems.
Additionally, we intend to establish a reserve list for positions within the Digital Security Services Division to fill current and future vacancies. The first anticipated opening will belong to the Security Testing team and involve coordinating and supervising security testing activities, ensuring that tests are properly planned, executed, and documented in an organised and efficient manner.
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 a Digital Security Specialist in the Security Operations Centre team, you will:
- contribute to the day-to-day operations of the security function, focusing on monitoring, detection and response activities;
- support, maintain and improve technologies for the collection, automation and analysis of security log files from diverse source systems;
- enhance security monitoring, alert and incident response capabilities, driving efficiency through automation.
As a Digital Security Specialist in the Security Testing team, you would:
- coordinate and oversee security testing activities in collaboration with in-house experts and external service providers;
- guide the planning, execution and reporting of security tests to ensure quality and consistency;
- apply your knowledge of architecture, risk management, penetration testing and red-teaming to strengthen security testing at the ECB.
For these roles we are seeking candidates who demonstrate the potential for growth, and we will support the selected candidates in their development of the required skills.
These positions offer you excellent opportunities to apply state-of-the-art concepts and methods to protect the information assets of a leading central bank. 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, information systems or another relevant field (see How you can join us for details on degree equivalences);
- in addition to the above, a minimum of two years’ technical experience in the field of digital security;
- strong analytical skills, a collaborative mindset and the ability to communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders;
- practical experience in the field of cybersecurity;
- 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 security operations and testing, including automation, incident response and vulnerability assessments;
- strong coordination and communication skills, including in interactions with internal and external stakeholders;
- proficiency in scripting (Python, PowerShell) and managing public cloud platforms.
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 part-time arrangements for these roles.
Further information
The contracts offered will be fixed-term, the appointment being for three years as of the starting date of the selected person.
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 these specific vacancies, you can contact the hiring manager, Carsten Köhler, by email at carsten.koehler@ecb.europa.eu.
Application and selection process
The recruitment process for these positions will be conducted remotely. It 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 (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.
Read more about how you can join us.
