General Information
Type of contract Fixed-term contract which may be converted into a permanent contract after three years subject to individual performance and organisational needs
Who can apply? EU nationals
Salary F/G (bracket 2 - step 1) full time monthly net salary: €6,517 plus benefits, for further information see what we offer.
Working time Full time
Place of work Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Closing date 02.12.2026
Your team
You will be part of the Directorate General Research. Our Directorate General has around 60 staff, split across two divisions: Financial Research and Monetary Policy Research. Our people conduct research on monetary policy transmission and implementation, financial institutions and markets, financial stability, regulation and supervision, monetary economics, international finance and economics, macroeconomics, labour economics, macro-econometrics and the economics of climate change.
In your role as a Senior Economist, you will conduct state-of-the-art research aimed at publication in top finance and economics journals, provide research-based policy advice to senior management in the Directorate General, other ECB business areas and senior policymakers, share your latest research findings in internal and external research seminars, conferences and policy fora, and publish your work in academic journals.
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 Senior Economist you will:
- conduct high-quality research and publish in top finance and economics journals;
- provide research-based policy advice and analysis on key central bank policy issues;
- contribute to the development of analytical frameworks and tools to support policy analysis;
- establish and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external counterparts (e.g. through active participation in international research conferences and research networks).
For this role we are seeking candidates who demonstrate the potential for growth, and we will support the selected candidate in their development of the required skills.
We actively support professional development for our staff. Besides learning opportunities such as training and mentoring, we encourage horizontal mobility after some years in the same position.
The position offers you excellent opportunities to develop your research agenda in a unique, international setting that combines research excellence with policy impact. You will have the chance to work in a stimulating environment where you can apply your research to analysis supporting policy decisions. We provide access to research assistance, excellent computing facilities and a rich set of confidential and proprietary datasets, as well as the opportunity to interact with academic consultants. You will be able to attend external conferences and seminars in your area of expertise. 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 PhD or equivalent in economics, finance or another relevant field, or close to completing a PhD in one of these fields (see How you can join us for details on degree equivalences);
- research papers suitable for publication in high-quality, peer-reviewed academic journals in the areas of financial or monetary policy research (if you received your PhD several years ago, a publication record in line with your seniority, comprising papers published in high-quality, peer-reviewed academic journals);
- extensive knowledge of state-of-the-art empirical and/or quantitative methods;
- excellent writing and presentation skills;
- 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.
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 part of our team and to develop and use your skills and competencies to achieve the aims of this position.
Working modalities
We offer internationally competitive salaries and allowances. Taxes on salaries, allowances and benefits are paid to the European Union instead of the national tax authorities. This position is allocated to salary band F/G, bracket 2 (see What we offer, including the net salary table).
We would be happy to discuss a part-time arrangement for this role.
Further information
The contract will be convertible into permanent contract after three years subject to individual performance and organisational needs.
Application and selection process
When submitting your application, you will be asked to provide us with a copy of one of your research papers and contact details for two referees.
The recruitment process for these positions will include a short online interview in the pre-selection phase, which will take place between 11 and 16 December 2026. If you are invited to participate in the subsequent selection phase, you will be asked to present and answer questions on your research paper in seminar format and to attend further interviews. These seminars and interviews will take place in Frankfurt between 11 and 19 January 2027.
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.