Senior Banknote Anti-Counterfeiting Specialist

General Information

Type of contract Fixed-term contract which may be converted into a permanent contract after three years subject to individual performance and organisational needs

Who can apply? EU nationals

Salary E/F (bracket 2 - step 1) full time monthly net salary: €5,135 plus benefits, for further information see what we offer.

Role specialisation Banknote Counterfeit Analysis

Working time Full time

Place of work Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Closing date 07.03.2024

Your team You will be part of the Anti-Counterfeiting and Banknote Sorting Section in the Directorate Banknotes. Our Directorate has around 70 staff working to ensure that euro banknotes are an efficient means of payment and that their integrity is sustained against counterfeiting threats. We develop and coordinate policies and activities within the Eurosystem and with third parties with regard to the development, production, issuance and subsequent handling of banknotes. We continuously develop and manage banknote specifications and the related security, quality, environmental, and health and safety management systems.

The Anti-Counterfeiting and Banknote Sorting Section analyses counterfeits, to assess counterfeit resilience and support law enforcement among other things. The section is also responsible for the development and maintenance of rules and regulations for the sorting and automated processing of banknotes by national central banks and third parties in the euro area.

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 Banknote Anti-counterfeiting Specialist you will:

- conduct technical analysis of seized counterfeits and assess the counterfeit resilience of security features; - develop and manage upgrades to the Counterfeit Monitoring System database together with IT colleagues, to ensure it functions smoothly for its user community (the national central banks of EU Member States, the European Commission, Europol); - conduct training and information sessions for technical and non-technical audiences, mainly within the EU, but occasionally also worldwide; - draft reports, presentations and other technical documentation for a wide range of audiences, including Eurosystem groups and the international anti-counterfeiting community; - investigate developments in forensic science to identify potential new techniques which could be used to analyse counterfeits.

We value a track record of diverse relevant experience gained through internal or external mobility and/or positions held prior to working at the ECB.

The position offers you excellent opportunities to help directly protect the integrity of the euro. Your work will contribute to maintaining trust in euro banknotes. 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 equivalent in STEM 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 of which at least three must be in the field of printing technologies; - a track record in using relevant IT tools, such as databases, image-editing software, MATLAB or equivalent software; - 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:

- a master’s degree in STEM and/or additional relevant experience in the fields mentioned above; - professional experience in counterfeit banknote analysis; - a sound understanding of forensic science; - knowledge of papermaking or printing and in particular of banknote printing; - experience in defining user requirements for complex IT applications; - proficiency in drafting documents and presenting to an international audience.

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 be part of our team and to develop and use your skills and competencies to achieve the aims of this position.

You are aware of your strengths and areas for development and know what motivates you to perform at your highest level.

Further information Due to the nature of the position, you might be asked to perform some banknote-related tasks in person at specific times (e.g. handling physical samples stored at the ECB), which could impose restrictions on your teleworking and annual leave arrangements, among other things.

For additional information on this specific vacancy, you can speak to the hiring manager, Jean-Michel Grimal, on +49 (0)69 1344 8247 between 12:00 and 13:00 during the application period.

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.

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