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
H (bracket 1 - step 1) full time monthly net salary: €8,318 plus benefits, for further information see
what we offer.
Working time
Full time
Place of work
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Closing date
23.06.2026
Your team
You will be part of the New Banknotes Section in our Directorate Banknotes. The Directorate has around 70 staff who coordinate and monitor banknote activities within the Eurosystem and with third parties. These activities include designing, developing, producing, issuing, distributing and circulating euro banknotes, as well as supporting anti-counterfeiting measures. The Directorate’s current focus is on ensuring that cash remains accessible and accepted and on developing innovative and safe euro banknotes while reducing their environmental impact across the entire cash cycle.
In your role as Team Lead Banknote Research and Development (R&D), you will coordinate a team of approximately five members of staff responsible for the development and testing of new security features and processes, as well as for supporting the development of concept banknotes and future series of banknotes. The team coordinates and runs a wide range of R&D projects in partnership with a number of stakeholders (universities, research centres, etc.) and the national central banks of the Eurosystem. You will plan and steer the R&D portfolio and budget, maintain close dialogue with stakeholders and identify innovative technologies that can support the development of new banknotes.
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 Team Lead Banknote R&D you will:
- coordinate the activities of the R&D team in line with the Directorate’s strategy;
- stay abreast of technological advancements and industry trends to incorporate innovative solutions into banknote development;
- plan and oversee the R&D budget, in close cooperation with the Directorate’s Budget Team;
- collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including technical experts, to identify functional banknote requirements;
- coordinate and present dossiers of a strategic or operational nature, technical reports, presentations and briefings for a variety of audiences, including the ECB’s decision-making bodies.
The position offers you an excellent opportunity to work on a public and widely distributed high-tech product. You will help maintain trust in euro banknotes by ensuring that they are developed using the latest technologies and are both secure and convenient to use. You will be part of a multicultural team that strives for continuous innovation to make a positive impact on the lives of European citizens.
We actively support professional development for our staff. Besides learning opportunities such as training and mentoring, we encourage and support horizontal mobility after some years in the same position.
Qualifications, experience and skills
Essential:
- a master’s degree or equivalent in physics, chemistry, engineering, technology, mathematics or another relevant field (see How you can join us for details on degree equivalences);
- in addition to the above, a minimum of six years’ relevant professional experience (excluding internships and traineeships) in papermaking or printing, and in project management within a scientific environment, including a minimum of three year’s experience coordinating a team of technical staff;
- a sound understanding of banknote-related activities, particularly in technological innovation;
- a proven track record in coordinating technical projects, driving innovation and managing change;
- strong communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with different types of stakeholder;
- 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:
- proven experience in the development of security features, design and origination, or banknote processing;
- experience drafting presentations, memos and reports for a wide audience, ranging from scientists to decision-making bodies.
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 skilled at encouraging people to develop their abilities and are able to build up high-performing teams.
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 highly motivated to guide teams in their daily work and support their professional development.
Working modalities
We would be happy to discuss a part-time arrangement for this role.
Further information
For additional information on this specific vacancy, you can speak to the hiring manager, Patricia Roa Tejero, on +49 (0)69 1344 5141 between 12:00 and 13:00 on Monday, 15 June.
Application and selection process
The recruitment process for this position will be conducted in part remotely. It will include a written exercise, a presentation and interviews.
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.
