Senior Research and Development Expert - New Banknotes

Banknotes
Banknotes
9701

General Information

Type of contract Fixed-term contract, which may be extended subject to individual performance and organisational needs

Who can apply? EU nationals

Salary F/G (bracket 2 - step 1) full time monthly net salary: €6,032 plus benefits, for further information see what we offer.

Role specialisation Banknote Research and Development

Working time Full time

Place of work Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Closing date 16.05.2024

Your team

You will be part of the New Banknotes Section in the Directorate Banknotes. The Directorate has around 70 staff responsible for coordinating and monitoring banknote activities within the Eurosystem and with third parties. Such activities include designing, developing, producing, issuing, distributing, circulating and anti-counterfeiting euro banknotes. The Directorate is currently focused on ensuring that cash is accessible and accepted, and developing innovative and safe euro banknotes while reducing their environmental impact across the entire cash cycle. 

In your role as Senior Research and Development Expert you will be part of the Section that develops and updates the product requirements for future banknotes. It does this by maintaining a close dialogue with the different stakeholders and by identifying innovative technologies that can support the development of banknotes which are both secure and convenient to use. The Section coordinates and runs a wide range of research and development projects in partnership with stakeholders and National Central Banks.

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 Research and Development Expert, you will:

  • contribute to developing and updating the product requirements for future banknotes; 
  • propose and manage projects aimed at developing innovative technologies that address product requirements, up to the stage of validation under industrial conditions;
  • prepare and support the launch and management of a project aimed at producing and issuing a third series of euro banknotes;
  • prepare reports, presentations and technical and legal documentation for a wide range of audience, including scientists and the ECB’s decision-making bodies.

The position offers you excellent opportunities to work on a public, high-tech and widely distributed 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.

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 seven years’ professional experience in paper making or printing, of which three years should be in planning and managing research and development projects;
  • 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 design and origination, the production or the processing of banknotes; 
  • drafting skills related to the preparation of presentations, memos and reports for a wide audience ranging from scientists to members of the ECB’s Executive Board.


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.

Further information

The contract offered will be fixed-term, the appointment being until January 2026.

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, Philippe Geoffroy, on +49 (0)171 333 6471 between 9:00 and 17:00 on 8 May.

Application and selection process

The recruitment process for this position 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 joining us.