Who can apply? EU nationals eligible for our traineeship programme
Grant The trainee grant is €1,170 per month plus an accommodation allowance (see further information section)
Working time Full time
Place of work Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Closing date 04.09.2025
Your team
You will be part of the Production Section in the Directorate Banknotes. Our Directorate has around 70 staff working to ensure the integrity of euro banknotes as an efficient means of payment and to protect them against counterfeiting. In particular, we coordinate all the ECB’s activities relating to the development, production and circulation of banknotes, both across the Eurosystem and with third parties. The Production Section is responsible for directing and monitoring euro banknote production, including accrediting manufacturers; ensuring compliance with health, safety, environmental, security and quality standards; approving production references in printing works and paper mills; and providing technical support in the development of new banknote series.
We are currently working on many banknote-related sustainability topics, including the environmental footprint of cash, the use of sustainable cotton in paper production and waste monitoring. We are also focusing our efforts on waste reduction by reviewing and improving production technologies and specifications and by simplifying and streamlining quality measures and production policies.
In your role as a trainee in the Production Section, you will be part of a team of around fifteen members of staff. You will work mainly with the five to six members of staff responsible for all quality and environmental, health and safety (EHS) aspects of banknote production. You will also work closely with other sections in the Directorate Banknotes, national central banks and banknote manufacturers.
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 trainee in the Production Section, you will:
- support the work of the quality team and the EHS team within the Production Section;
- contribute to an environmental impact assessment of euro banknotes using the Product Environmental Footprint methodology developed by the European Commission;
- help look into ways of reducing the environmental impact of waste disposal in the cash cycle and help devise strategies to encourage environmentally friendly waste disposal;
- process and present EHS data provided by the accredited manufacturers and engage with stakeholders on EHS topics;
- contribute to the continuous development of banknote production quality control requirements;
- support the development and implementation of testing procedures for specific banknote parameters and the assessment of the performance of quality control tools used in banknote production;
- contribute to improving data quality monitoring in banknote production, including statistical analysis of data on production process capabilities, to propose optimised banknote production specifications;
- participate in other ad hoc activities related to banknote production.
This position offers you excellent opportunities to work closely with banknote production experts on quality and EHS topics. 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 higher in a relevant field, such as environmental science, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, chemistry, biology, physics, metrology or printing engineering, with a focus on environmental sustainability, health and safety, and/or quality management;
- a sound theoretical background in environmental sustainability, health and safety, and/or quality management;
- excellent data management, analytical and quantitative skills, with advanced knowledge of and experience in using Excel to manage and assess data;
- 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.
Desired:
- experience in or knowledge of environmental impact assessments, EHS systems, waste treatment, industrial manufacturing processes, statistical methods for quality control, or project management and quality assurance principles.
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 traineeship of six months, with a possible extension to up to 12 months in total.
For reasons of confidentiality, work carried out during the traineeship may not be used in any publication, thesis, external research, etc. without specific prior written permission.
Other details on the conditions applicable to traineeships at the ECB can be found on our website.
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.
