The European Central Bank (ECB) is currently accepting applications for its Traineeship Programme in Banking Supervision, specifically seeking candidates for the Generalist Profile. This opportunity allows recent graduates to contribute to a safe and sound European banking system as part of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM).

General Information

• Type of contract Traineeship
• 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 15.12.2025

The team is responsible for supervising the euro area’s largest banks through Joint Supervisory Teams and overseeing the supervision of all other banks by national authorities . Their work encompasses:

• Day-to-Day Supervision: Conducting day-to-day monitoring and focused on-site inspections across diverse fields such as credit risk, cyber risk, and climate risk .
• Regulatory Decisions: Granting and withdrawing banking authorisations, assessing the suitability of management bodies, and imposing sanctions for breaches of prudential requirements .
• Innovation: Developing supervisory processes and IT systems, including the application of artificial intelligence .

The department is eager to draw on fresh perspectives and is currently looking to fill 100 traineeship positions across various fields through four parallel campaigns .

Key Responsibilities

Selected trainees will gain unique hands-on experience by carrying out day-to-day supervisory activities alongside international experts. Responsibilities may include:

• Participating in meetings regarding risks with supervised banks and banking supervisors.
• Assessing the impact of macroeconomic and microeconomic developments on banks’ risk profiles.
• Analyzing bank reports to identify undesirable developments.
• Assessing compliance with regulatory requirements and supervisory expectations.
• Collecting and scrutinizing data to produce charts, presentations, and reports.
• Contributing to projects implementing supervisory practices and standards.

Candidate Profile

Essential Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree (or at least 180 ECTS credits) in Economics, Finance, Statistics, Business Administration, Law, Political Science, International Relations, or a related field.
• Broad academic knowledge in banking, finance, financial regulation, or risk analysis.
• Language Skills: Advanced (C1) command of English and an Intermediate (B1) command of at least one other EU official language.

Desired Skills:

• In-depth knowledge or work experience in banking supervision or the implications of digital transformation for the financial sector.
• Project management skills.

Further information

They will be offering traineeships with an initial duration of six months, with a possible extension of up to 12 months in the same or another business area in ECB Banking Supervision.

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

The ECB is an inclusive employer and we strive to reflect the diversity of the population we serve. To achieve a more representative spread of nationalities for these traineeships, we may adjust their initial filtering of applications to bring them more in line with the relative size of the EU population.

They encourage you to apply irrespective of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or other characteristics.

Application and selection process

The recruitment process for this position will include a pre-recorded video interview in the pre-selection phase and – if you are invited to participate in the subsequent selection phase – an online interview.

For the ongoing traineeship recruitment in ECB Banking Supervision, they have published four different traineeship campaigns, covering four profiles. We advise you to only apply for the one you consider yourself best suited.

Please include in your application form your proficiency in the skills mentioned above.

Further information on how to apply is available on their 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.