European Internal Audit Trainee Programme

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

03.12.2026

Your team

You will participate in a unique one-year programme that offers insight into how internal audit provides assurance and advisory services for business and/or IT functions, processes and systems. The programme is sponsored by the ECB and the member institutions of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and European banking supervision. Your time on the programme will be split between (i) the ECB, and (ii) either a national central bank (NCB) in the European Union or a national competent authority (NCA) responsible for European banking supervision.

You will work under the guidance of experienced auditors to assess and improve your host institution’s control environment, as well as the efficiency and effectiveness of its business and/or IT processes. You will also take part in a dedicated development programme that will help you develop the technical and soft skills needed to become a successful auditor.

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 auditor you will:

• analyse and document business and/or IT processes (e.g. flowcharts, written control assessments and narrative descriptions) in the fields of central banking, banking supervision, and supporting business functions (e.g. human resources, IT and administration);

• evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency and risks of these processes, and recommend improvements;

• apply various analytical techniques to achieve specific testing objectives;

• prepare technical documents, draft working papers and contribute to reports covering the individual stages of an audit;

• contribute to audit governance and support management work relating to planning, methodology, quality assurance and continuous improvement;

• work with a wide range of professionals at all hierarchical levels of your host institution.

The traineeship offers you excellent opportunities to:

• learn more about central banking, European banking supervision and supporting business functions, as well as the governance structures and cooperation mechanisms of the Eurosystem and/or the SSM;

• gain extensive insight into internal audit functions;

• use and develop your communication skills in a professional environment;

• gain practical experience working with highly skilled professionals in internal auditing;

• participate in a structured training programme focusing on the role of an internal auditor in multicultural organisations.

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 internal audit, finance, accounting, business administration, economics, information technology, computer science, data science, statistics or another relevant field;

• knowledge of how the Eurosystem, the ESCB and European banking supervision operate;

• a good knowledge of data analytics and relevant tools (e.g. Python, Tableau) as well as of artificial intelligence (AI) tools (e.g. prompting large language models to perform administrative or complex tasks, or developing AI agents);

• 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:

• a master’s degree in internal audit, finance, accounting, business administration, economics, information technology, computer science, data science, statistics or another relevant field;

• knowledge of the latest version of the International Professional Practices Framework, established by the Institute of Internal Auditors;

• an intermediate (B1) command of German, Spanish, French, Croatian, Italian or Portuguese according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages;

• practical experience in one or more of the following fields: internal audit, finance, quantitative analysis, accounting, controlling, risk management, cybersecurity, cloud computing, digital forensics, IT general and application controls, or business process automation.

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.

Working modalities

During the traineeship, you will spend approximately six months at the ECB and another six months at either an NCB or an NCA. This may involve additional business travel. For the period at the ECB, if eligible, you will receive a monthly accommodation allowance or free accommodation at one of the ECB residences in Frankfurt am Main. For the other period spent at a national institution, you will receive a monthly accommodation allowance.

Further information

Traineeship of 12 months in total, starting on 15 April 2027.

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

For additional information on this specific vacancy, you can speak to Anastasios Tsompanidis and Brankica Miladin on +49 (0)69 1344 8973 between 09:00 and 11:00 CET on 24 November 2026 or between 14:00 and 16:00 CET on 26 November 2026.

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.

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.