You will be part of the External Developments Division within the Directorate General International and European Relations. The Division comprises approximately 20 staff members and is responsible for monitoring and forecasting for major economies outside the euro area, including the United States, China and the United Kingdom. It also examines global macroeconomic developments from both a cyclical and structural perspective, evaluating the effects of factors such as tariffs, trade policy uncertainty and geopolitical shocks. Additionally, the Division performs simulation and scenario analyses of the euro area’s external environment and oversees the international environment part of the ECB/Eurosystem staff macroeconomic projections.

As a trainee, you will join a thematic team and work alongside experienced staff members. Your role will involve supporting the team as it prepares its input for Governing Council meetings and conducting empirical analyses of policy-relevant issues, either from a cross-country perspective or with a focus on specific major economies.

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.

As a trainee you will:

The traineeship offers you an excellent opportunity to work closely with an experienced and highly motivated team of economists and managers in the field of international macroeconomics, with a focus on analytics, research support and model development.

The traineeship is aimed at students or recent graduates with solid quantitative skills and an interest in policy-related applied research. You will have the chance to improve your programming and data-analysis skills and gain insights into analyses and policy preparations within a central bank, while also gaining exposure to new ideas and experiences that will serve you well in your future career.

You will work in a multicultural team that strives for continuous innovation to make a positive impact on the lives of European citizens.

Essential:

Desired:

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.

Initial traineeship of six months, with a possible extension to up to 12 months in total. Flexible starting dates from February 2026 onwards.

Other details on the conditions applicable to traineeships at the ECB can be found on our website.

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.