Software Engineering and Quality Assurance Specialist - European Commission (FGIV, Brussels)

About this position

The summary below is published by European Commission on the official vacancy notice. Our own analysis — salary realism, comparable openings, career trajectory, language profile — follows further down the page.

Position details

Reference

EC-2026-CNECT-523610

Directorate-General

Connect - Communications Networks, Content and Technology

Vacancy Notice

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Last Verified

6 August 2026

Position overview

This is the official EU Careers listing for Software Engineering and Quality Assurance Specialist at European Commission based in Brussels at the FGIV grade level (Contract Agent). The vacancy reference is EC-2026-CNECT-523610. It is hosted by Connect - Communications Networks, Content and Technology, the Directorate-General responsible for this policy area. The role falls under the Information Technology domain.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE - JOIN THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Do you want to help shape the future of the European Union? Make the planet greener, promote a fairer society, or support businesses and innovation across the EU? Then come and work for the European Commission where you can really make a difference!

Commission staff are a diverse group of people, who are motivated to help make Europe – and the world – a better place. They come from the 27 Member States of the European Union. Different nationalities, backgrounds, languages and cultures make the Commission a vibrant and inclusive place to work.

WE OFFER GREAT JOBS AND GREAT WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Interesting and challenging positions with plenty of opportunities for training and acquiring new skills and competencies throughout your whole career

• Opportunities to move between different policy areas throughout your career

• A package of flexible working conditions including the possibility of teleworking – we care about your work-life balance

• A competitive financial package, including comprehensive healthcare, accident and pension schemes

• A multilingual, multicultural workplace where personal and career development are strongly promoted

• Multilingual schools for your children

We recruit from a wide range of backgrounds and actively promote diversity and inclusion:

We do not only recruit political scientists and lawyers but are also looking for all kinds of profiles, including scientists, linguists, IT experts, data analysts and economists, as well as drivers and engineers.

We are committed to equal opportunities and to fostering a rich, diverse and inclusive working environment. We aim for our workforce to be representative of European society and strongly welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We actively seek to create a workplace where each staff member feels valued and respected, can give their best and can develop to their full potential. (Reference: Call for interest EC/CNECT/2026/523610)

To promote diversity and establish a geographically balanced pool of candidates, we strongly encourage applicants from Member States which are currently underrepresented in the European Commission workforce to apply. These Member States are currently Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden 1. Recruitment will however remain strictly based on the merits of all applicants and no positions will be reserved for nationals of any specific Member State.

STAFF RECRUITED ON CONTRACTS

In addition to permanent officials, the European Commission offers non-permanent positions. There are two categories of non-permanent staff:

> •

temporary agents are recruited to fill vacant positions for a set amount of time or

to perform highly specialised tasks.

> •

contract agents may provide additional capacity in specialised fields where an

insufficient number of officials is available or carry out a number of administrative or manual tasks. They are generally recruited for fixed-term contracts (maximum 6 years in any EU Institution), but in some cases they can be offered contracts for an indefinite duration (in offices, agencies, delegations or representations).

For more information on different staff categories

> 1Please note that the list of underrepresented Member States may be subject to future amendment based on potential data changes over time.

(Reference: Call for interest EC/CNECT/2026/523610)

# Software Engineering and Quality Assurance Specialist

# in the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT)

Job title : Software Engineering and Quality Assurance Specialist

Domain : ICT and INTERNET in SOCIETY, SCIENCE and INDUSTRY

Where : Unit CNECT.F2 - DSA Risk Management and User Rights

Function Group : FG IV

Contract Type : 3b

Express your interest until : 31.08.2026 - 12.00 (noon, Brussels time)

WE ARE

DG CNECT supports the digital transformation of our economy and society and conceives and

implements the policies required to foster the internal market, make Europe fit for the Digital age

and technological autonomy.

Directorates D and F are in charge of the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and

Digital Markets Act (DMA) – two major new regulatory frameworks for online platforms and other

intermediaries that are enforced directly by the European Commission. With these new regulatory

powers, the Digital Services Act Enforcement Team is tasked with the regulatory work supervising

“very large online platforms” and “very large online search engines” designated by the Commission,

i.e. those with more than 45 million users in the EU. This includes search engines and platforms

such as social media sites, video-sharing platforms, and online marketplaces. The designated very

large online platforms and search engines are also charged a supervisory fee on an annual basis,

that the Commission needs to collect and manage. The Commission is also called to chair and

convene the meetings of the DSA Board.

As part of our mission, the DSA Enforcement Team supervises the systems and processes that such

online platforms put into place to assess and mitigate systemic risks on their platforms. The risk

categories prescribed in the law include those linked to the dissemination of illegal content, risks

linked to gender-based violence online, the protection of fundamental rights, including freedom of

expression online, as well as risks linked to civic discourse and elections, and risks linked to physical

and mental health, especially for minors. (Reference: Call for interest EC/CNECT/2026/523610)

Data science and scientific research play a key role in DSA enforcement. Given the complex nature

of these risks, and the role algorithmic systems and other technical systems play in their

materialization, the Commission has established a scientific and technical team that is embedded

in DSA supervision and enforcement actions. This team, integrated by technology specialists of DG

CNECT and the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency (ECAT) established by the Joint

Research Centre (JRC), acts as a technical counterpart in interactions between the European

Commission and designated Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Search Engines

(VLOSEs), leveraging the European Commission’s wide-ranging investigatory powers.

The mission of this team comprises a broad range of activities that directly support DSA

investigations, ranging from conducting data science experiments to produce evidence of potential

DSA breaches, to designing and using state-of-the-art digital infrastructures, software tools and AI

systems for regulatory enforcement.

As part of its mission, the team frequently interacts with external stakeholders, including the

regulated entities, civil society actors and academics, as well as works closely with Member States,

regulatory authorities and other bodies with relevant expertise as well as relevant third countries

and international organisations.

WE PROPOSE

We propose an exciting and challenging opportunity for a talented and motivated colleague who

will join the scientific and technical teams of CNECT.F/D and the JRC/ECAT as a software

engineering and quality assurance specialist.

You will join a team of data scientists, researchers, AI engineers and software developers who work

on the enforcement of the DSA, providing technical and scientific evidence that underpins legal

compliance investigations.

The work of this team, and the software built as part of our activities, directly informs regulatory

enforcement decisions, and is subjected to thorough scrutiny as part of legal proceedings, often

above and beyond standard code review and verification practices found in commercial software

development. In this role, you will contribute to ensuring that the evidence produced by our data

science team meets the highest standards of quality and reproducibility possible.

Activities will centre around the design, implementation and maintenance of a robust, modular

code ‑base that underpins all data science work on DSA enforcement. You will develop clean,

well ‑structured software primarily in Python, applying version ‑control, automated testing and

continuous ‑integration practices, to guarantee reproducibility and traceability. By defining clear

internal interfaces and data management policies you will ensure that each component integrates

smoothly with the rest of the code ‑base, allowing new innovative tools and models to be

incorporated efficiently and reliably. In addition to delivering new functionality, you will promote

consistent coding standards, mentor colleagues on best ‑practice development and enhance (Reference: Call for interest EC/CNECT/2026/523610)

documentation so that the software base remains intuitive and maintainable for both current and

future contributors.

WE LOOK FOR

We look for a highly motivated, proactive colleague to be able to contribute to the team’s success.

Experience in EU institutions, bodies or agencies would be an asset.

We look for a mix of different skills combined with a readiness to learn and develop the following

qualities:

- Deep expertise in software ‑engineering principles and best practices, including test ‑driven

development, static analysis, code review and refactoring of sizeable code bases.

- A proven record of producing robust, well ‑documented software in complex environments is

essential.

- An MSc or a PhD in Computer Science, Software Engineering or a related discipline would

be a key asset,

- Demonstrable experience in improving code quality would be a key asset,

- Similarly, experience in formal compliance testing of software systems, e.g. in regulated

sectors or hig

Salary at this grade

Basic monthly salary at FGIV runs from €4,449 (step 1) to €5,034 (top step), giving an annual range of roughly €53,388 to €60,408 before tax and allowances. Steps increase automatically every two years; the figures here are taken from the salary grid in the EU Staff Regulations.

Eligible staff posted away from their country of nationality also receive an expatriation allowance worth 16% of basic salary (around €712 per month at step 1 of FGIV) together with household, dependent-child, and education allowances where applicable. Take-home pay is then adjusted by the country correction coefficient for Brussels. For a worked example see our correction coefficients guide and the EU salaries overview.

Application timeline

This vacancy was first listed on 30 July 2026, 6 days ago.

The application deadline is 31 August 2026, 24 days from today. Late applications are not accepted, so submit through the official EU Careers portal well in advance.

Last verified against the EU Careers feed on 6 August 2026.

Where to learn more

For full responsibilities, requirements, and career progression at FGIV see our FGIV grade page; for headcount, mission, and other open vacancies at European Commission see the European Commission institution page; for the cost of living, correction coefficient, and other postings in Brussels see our Brussels location page; for related vacancies in the Information Technology field browse our Information Technology domain page.

New to EU careers? Our beginner's guide walks through entry routes, EPSO competitions, and what to prepare. For application logistics see application tips and EPSO competitions.