This selection procedure is intended to establish a reserve list of successful candidates. It is envisaged to start using the reserve list in Q3/Q4 of 2026.
Europol retains the right to make use of the reserve list to select candidates for similar posts within the organisation, should business needs require so.
1. Organisational context
Organisational setting:
The post of Senior Agent - Software Developer – Full Stack Java (FGIV) is located in the Solution Delivery Unit, ICT Department Capabilities Directorate.
The C1 ICT Department has the responsibility for devising, delivering and operating critical technology capabilities and solutions supporting the core mission and support processes of Europol. Over 150 internal staff members and a significant number of domain-specific consultants are responsible for the Information and Communication Technologies and Systems that ensure enhanced criminal information analysis and exchange among Europol, Member States and third parties.
The Solution Delivery Unit is responsible for the development and quality assurance of ICT solutions. This includes Application Delivery, Quality Assurance (requirements management, testing), and Law-Enforcement Accelerated Provisioning services that provide technology support to fast-moving operational activities.
Purpose of the post:
The holder of the position is a member of the Solution Delivery Unit and mainly responsible for designing and developing software and database components. The jobholder contributes to the development of web-based applications, working on both backend components and frontend/UI elements using modern UX techniques and following a micro-service oriented approach. In this context he/she also interact on a daily basis with Europol Operations staff to continuously tune processing tools in line with business directions and actively support Law Enforcement Operation’s needs.
This role may also be performed in the framework of projects funded by external assigned revenue.
Reporting lines:
The incumbent reports to the Head of Team in the Solution Delivery Unit.
Job environment:
This position may require participation in a 24/7 shift system, non-standard working hours including weekends and nights, and/or on-call duty.
2. Functions and duties
The incumbent carries out the following main functions and duties:
- Participate in the design and development of software and database components following the Scrum methodology;
- Develop (micro)services exposing REST APIs, as well as front-end/web components and other elements of distributed software solutions;
- Create and perform unit tests, integration tests and performance tests, as needed;
- Participate in R&D activities in the area of Law Enforcement Data processing and supporting infrastructure;
- Create and maintain technical documentation, including design and deployment documentation, in cooperation with relevant ICT teams;
- Any other duties in the area of competence as assigned by line management.
The functions and duties may also be associated with a project funded by external assigned revenue. In the case of a project funded by external assigned revenue, the duties would be of a limited duration in time.
3. Requirements - Eligibility criteria
a. Candidates must
- Be a national of one of the Member States of the European Union and enjoy full rights as a citizen;
- Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws on military service;
- Produce appropriate character references as to his or her suitability for the performance of the duties;
- Be physically fit to perform the duties pertaining to the position (prior to appointment the successful candidate will be medically examined by one of the institution’s medical officers in order that the institution may be satisfied that the candidate fulfils the requirements of Article 12(2)(d) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS);
- Produce evidence of a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the Union and a satisfactory knowledge of another language of the Union to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties.
b. Candidates must
- Have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is 3 years or more.
OR
- Professional training of an equivalent level, and after having completed the training, at least the number of years of relevant professional experience as indicated below:
Duration of professional training Additional professional experience required for equivalency
More than 6 months and up to 1 year 3 years
More than 1 year and up to 2 years 2 years
More than 2 years 1 year
4. Requirements - Selection criteria
a. Professional experience
Essential:
- Extensive experience (preferably at least 3-5 years) in Agile software development projects, including Scrum and Kanban, contributing to the design and implementation of scalable and maintainable applications;
- Experience in developing applications with Java 11 or later, leveraging enterprise frameworks (e.g., Spring/Spring Boot);
- Experience with back-end development, including (but not limited to) RESTful API services, relational databases (e.g., SQL Server), and NoSQL datastores (e.g., Elasticsearch);
- Experience with front-end development using JavaScript and/or TypeScript, with familiarity in popular frameworks such as Vue.js or React;
- Experience in DevOps practices, including source code management, continuous integration, and automated deployment using tools such as Azure DevOps;
- Experience with containerized deployments and orchestration platforms like Docker and Kubernetes, enabling cloud-native application development.
Desirable:
- Experience with Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence concepts, methods and tools/frameworks/processes;
- Experience in a highly regulated environment with an articulated governance model.
b. Professional knowledge
Essential:
- Sound knowledge of Java (version 11 or later) and enterprise frameworks like Spring/Spring Boot, with expertise in implementing RESTful APIs and building service-oriented and microservices architectures, including integrating Microsoft SQL Server and Elasticsearch;
- Sound Knowledge of front-end development using JavaScript and/or TypeScript, with familiarity in frameworks such as Vue.js or React;
- Knowledge of secure coding concepts, high availability/scalability and container technologies such as Docker/Kubernetes and distributed message-based architectures and micro services-based architectures;
- Sound knowledge of agile methodologies such as SCRUM or Kanban with a strong understanding of Scrum roles, artefacts, and ceremonies;
- Knowledge of DevOps practices, including source code management, continuous integration, and automated deployment using tools such as Azure DevOps.
c. General competencies
Essential:
Communicating:
- Very good communication skills in English, both orally and in writing.
- Very good drafting skills and attention to detail.
Analysing & problem solving:
- Keen eye for detail with the ability to maintain standards of accuracy under pressure of tight deadlines.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills including the ability to anticipate potential problems, determine and implement solutions.
- Competent user of Microsoft Office applications (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) and the internet.
Delivering quality and results:
- High degree of commitment and flexibility.
- High level of customer and service-orientation.
Prioritising and organising:
- Good administrative and organisational skills.
Resilience:
- Ability to work well under pressure, both independently and in a team.
- Very good interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively liaise with other departments, groups and teams as well as with external partners.
Living diversity:
- Ability to work effectively in an international and multi-cultural environment.
5. Selection Procedure
All applications for Contract Agent posts must be submitted through the online recruitment system accessible via Europol’s website.
The Authority Authorised to Conclude Contracts of Employment (AACC) sets up a Selection Committee, composed of at least three members, consisting of one chair and at least one member from the Administration of Europol and one member designated by the Staff Committee.
The selection criteria, set out in this Vacancy Notice, will be assessed by the Selection Committee throughout the different stages of the selection procedure. Before the start of the selection procedure, the Selection Committee will decide which selection criteria will be used at each stage of the selection procedure. Certain selection criteria will be assessed only for shortlisted candidates during a written test and/or a competency-based interview.
The Selection Committee will assess the applications received in order to make an initial selection of those candidates meeting all eligibility criteria and matching best the selection criteria (suitability).
The minimum pass-mark for being shortlisted, i.e. invited to participate in a post-related selection procedure, consisting of a written test and a competency-based interview, is established as 60% of the total maximum score.
The Selection Committee will shortlist the 15 highest scoring candidates. All candidates having a score equal to the 15th highest scoring candidate will be invited to take part in the first stage of the selection procedure (written test). At shortlisting stage, the Selection Committee will also establish the pass-mark for the selection procedure.
The Selection Committee will assess the written test against the selection criteria. Those candidates who do not reach the pass-mark for the test will be informed that they do not qualify to participate in the interview. All candidates who reach the pass-mark for the test will be invited to the second stage of the selection procedure (interview).
It is intended for the selection procedure to be conducted remotely. Should the Selection Committee consider it necessary to conduct the selection procedure on-site at Europol, either in part or in full, in the interest of the proceedings, and subject to budget availability, the candidates invited to participate in the selection procedure will be informed accordingly.
After the selection procedure has taken place, the Selection Committee will establish a list of successful candidates, i.e. those scoring above the pre-defined pass-mark, which is shared with the AACC, for establishment of a Reserve list. A Reserve list is valid for 24 months.
Candidates who participated in the interview will be informed of the outcome, i.e. whether they have been successful or not.
The Selection Committee’s work and deliberations are confidential. It is forbidden for candidates to make direct or indirect contact with the members of the Selection Committee or for anyone to do so on their behalf.
All enquiries related to a selection procedure should be addressed to the Europol HR Operational Support Team at the following email address: [email protected]. Detailed information on the selection procedure- including enquiries, measures of redress and their applicable deadlines is available in the Europol Recruitment Guidelines, which can be found on Europol’s website www.europol.europa.eu.
6. Compensation and benefits
The AACC shall classify contract staff in their function group taking into consideration their qualifications and professional experience at the time of entry into service.
FGIV
The basic monthly salary is: grade 13 (EUR 4,449.31), grade 14 (EUR 5,034.18) or grade 16 (EUR 6,444.59)
Grade Qualifications and professional experience
13 Less than 5 years
14 Between 5 years and 17 years
16 More than 17 years
Staff pay EU tax at source but salaries are exempt from national taxes. Compulsory deductions are made for medical insurance, pension and unemployment insurance.
Subject to the applicable conditions being met, as defined in the EU Staff Regulations (EUSR)/CEOS and further specified in the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, allowances such as expatriation allowance (16% of basic gross salary) or foreign residence allowance (4% of basic gross salary), household allowance, dependent child and / or education allowance may be granted.
Staff enjoy worldwide insurance coverage by the Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme (JSIS) and are insured against sickness, the risk of occupational disease and accident.
Europol offers flexible working arrangements, a comprehensive provision for annual leave as well as parental leave supporting a healthy work-life balance.
Indicative net salary sample calculation:
a) Staff member (single) in receipt of expatriation allowance (16%): grade 13 EUR 4,776.93, grade 14 EUR 5,376.42, grade 16 EUR 6,749.02
b) Staff member with two dependent children in their custody in receipt of expatriation allowance (16%): grade 13 EUR 6,795.42, grade 14 EUR 7,423.54, grade 16 EUR 8,900.02
The above information is indicative and for information purposes only. It is merely meant to give an indication of your possible net salary in light of the currently applicable amounts of the related allowances and the level of taxation. It has no legal value and no rights can be derived from it.
The information is based on figures applicable as of December 2025.
7. Terms and conditions
Contract of employment
The successful candidate will be recruited as Contract Agent FGIV pursuant to Article 3(a) of the CEOS.
The initial contract will be concluded for a fixed period of 4 years (full-time – 40 hours a week). The contract may be renewed, in principle, for a fixed period of 2 years. Any further renewal shall be for an indefinite duration.
In case of successive contracts under Article 3a) of the CEOS, the duration of the contract offered will be set in accordance with the provisions of the Decision of the Management Board of Europol of 4 October 2019 governing the conditions of employment of contract staff employed under the terms of Article 3a) thereof.
Before a successful candidate can be engaged on a contract of employment for an indefinite duration in function group IV, in case of successive contracts under Article 3a) of the CEOS, s/he will have to prove the ability to work in a third language (i.e. one of the official European languages). Specifically, the successful candidate is required to hold an EPSO validated language certificate or diploma of at least level B2 - as referred to in the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Conditions of engagement
Before the employment contract is concluded by Europol, the successful candidate will have to:
- declare any conflict of interest;
- undergo a pre-employment medical examination to confirm that he/she is physically fit to perform the duties pertaining to the post or, alternatively, receive the confirmation from Europol that he/she fulfils the conditions laid down in the Decision of the Deputy Executive Director of the Capabilities Directorate on the pre-employment medical examination available on www.europol.europa.eu;
The place of employment will be The Hague, The Netherlands.
Probation period
Engagement for this post is subject to the successful completion of a probationary period of 9 months.
In case of successive contracts under Article 3a) of the CEOS, a candidate may be exempt from the requirement to serve another probationary period in accordance with the provisions of the Decision of the Management Board of Europol of 4 October 2019 governing the conditions of employment of contract staff employed under the terms of Article 3a) thereof.
Europol reserves the right to terminate the contract of employment during or at the end of the probation period in accordance with Article 84 the CEOS.
Security screening and certificate of good conduct
Candidates who have been recruited to a post at Europol are required to furnish a valid certificate of good conduct before the start of their employment. The certificate of good conduct must be provided to Europol prior to the signature of the employment contract. The certificate of good conduct must be issued by the relevant authorities of the country of nationality of the candidate and must not be older than three months at the time of submission to Europol. Europol reserves the right not to proceed with the signature of the contract based on the content of the certificate or if the candidate fails to provide the certificate to Europol.
The certificate of good conduct does not substitute a valid security clearance required for all Europol staff at the level indicated in the vacancy notice. Failure to obtain the requisite security clearance may be cause for termination of the employment contract.
Candidates who currently hold a valid security clearance at the level indicated in the vacancy notice or above do not need to obtain a certificate of good conduct or a new security clearance and must provide a copy of the current security clearance certificate to Europol prior to the signature of the employment contract. Europol shall verify and confirm the continued validity of the security clearance. In case Europol determines that the security clearance is not valid, the candidate will be required to provide a valid certificate of good conduct prior to the signature of the employment contract. Europol may at any time terminate the employment contract if the result of the security screening is not positive and the necessary clearance level is not granted or extended.
The requested level of security clearance for this post is: CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL
For further information on terms and conditions, please consult the EUSR/CEOS available on Europol’s website.
8. Additional information
Equal opportunity
Europol is an equal opportunity employer. Europol accepts applications without distinction on grounds of gender, sexual orientation, national, ethnic or social origin, religion or beliefs, family situation, age, disability, or other non-merit factors. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and qualifications, experience and skills.
Europol lives diversity and provides an inclusive work environment to all. Europol strives to recruit, develop and retain a diverse and talented workforce through application of equal opportunity and impartiality.
Privacy Notice
Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC, applies to the processing of personal data carried out in the process of selection and recruitment of staff at Europol, following the application of this Regulation to all administrative personal data held by Europol in accordance with Article 27a of the Europol Regulation.
For additional information, please consult the applicable privacy notice available on Europol’s website, also inserted in the EUROPOL RECRUITMENT GUIDELINES.
Statutory obligations upon leaving the service
Pursuant to Article 16 of the EUSR, EU officials and, by analogy, contract agents continue to be bound by the duty to behave with integrity and discretion as regards the acceptance of certain appointments or benefits after leaving the service. Those staff members intending to engage in an occupational activity within two years of leaving the service shall inform their institution, so that it may take an appropriate decision in that respect. In cases where the intended activity is related to the work carried out by the staff member during the last three years of service and could lead to a conflict with the legitimate interests of the institution, the decision to be taken may include forbidding the staff member from undertaking it or giving its approval subject to any conditions it thinks fit.
Main dates
Publication date: 17 June 2026
Deadline for application: Deadline adjusted to 14 August 2026, 23:59 Amsterdam Time Zone
Recruitment procedure: September / October 2026
Application process and selection procedure
For further details on the application process and the selection procedure, please consult our FAQs or refer to the EUROPOL RECRUITMENT GUIDELINES available on Europol’s website.
Contact details
In case of further questions please call +31 (0) 70 353 1154 or +31 (0) 70 302 5040
