General Information
Type of contract
PhD traineeship
Who can apply?
EU nationals eligible for our traineeship programme
Grant
The trainee grant is €2,120 per month plus an accommodation allowance (see further information section)
Working time
Full time
Place of work
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Closing date
15.03.2024
Your team
You will join the Strategic Communication Section in the Directorate General Communications (DG/C).
In your role as a PhD trainee, you will be part of the Analytics and Research team which is made up of five members of staff. We monitor the impact of the ECB’s communication activities, such as interviews, speeches, publications and events; as well as the ECB’s digital and social media channels. We use several different data sources (e.g. textual data and survey data) and techniques (e.g. natural language processing and machine learning).
We also contribute to the planning and evaluation of the ECB’s communication activities, and we help to shape the communication strategies of the President, the Executive Board members and the Supervisory Board members.
We are responsible for analysing the ECB’s communication landscape, e.g. via audience mapping and issue detection in traditional media and social media.
We carry out research to inform the work and strategy of DG/C and the ECB. For instance, we conduct research on people’s knowledge of the ECB and their attitudes towards it.
We are also responsible for developing and adapting our data infrastructure and keeping tools up to date and fit for our needs.
We work closely with colleagues from different areas in DG/C to devise strategies and improve the ECB’s communication products.
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 PhD trainee in the Strategic Communication Section, you will:
- conduct empirical analysis using state-of-the-art economic and econometric models, and work alongside experts to enhance analytical, econometric and forecasting tools. You may also have the opportunity to submit resulting papers for publication in the ECB’s Working Paper Series and academic journals;
- conduct analysis and research to generate insights using survey data, textual data, data from the ECB’s website and social media platforms, and other relevant microdata related to the ECB’s communication activities, media coverage and public opinion;
- present results and insights to management and other stakeholders, providing recommendations for strategic decision-making;
- help to compile regular analytical reports;
- explore, test and develop new tools and technologies, and maintain our databases.
The position offers you excellent opportunities to gain hands-on experience in analysis and research in the growing field of central bank communication, harnessing a wide and rich set of data. 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
- a master’s degree and at least two years of PhD studies in economics, political science, finance, statistics, data science, engineering or a related field by the closing date of the application;
- a good understanding of the ECB, its main tasks and programmes, and the basics of monetary policy;
- programming experience with quantitative software such as Stata, R, or Python;
- sound data processing, data visualisation and quantitative analysis skills;
- a good knowledge of the MS Office package;
- 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 are curious and eager to learn, and want to further develop your ability to analyse complex information. You are keen to collaborate with others, pursue team goals and learn from other people’s diverse perspectives. You strive to know and anticipate stakeholder needs, and will signal any need for change and propose alternative solutions.
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 keen to be part of our team and to use your skills and competencies to achieve the aims of this position.
Further information
Initial PhD traineeship of six months, with a possible extension to up to 12 months in total. The preferred start date for this position is 15 June 2024. However, some degree of flexibility is possible.
For additional information on this specific vacancy, you can speak to Siria Angino, on +49 (0)172 4632477 between 10:00 and 11:00 on Friday, 1 March, or between 14:00 and 15:00 on Tuesday, 12 March.
Application and selection process
The recruitment process for this position will include an online interview.
Further information on
how to apply is available on our website.
If you are not selected for this position but are still considered suitable, you will be placed on a reserve list for 12 months from the closing date for applications, from which you might be considered for other traineeship positions within the ECB.
