The tech public employment sector is gaining importance in Spain. The Council of Ministers has approved the 2026 Public Employment Offer with 27,232 positions for the General State Administration, including 346 from an extraordinary offer linked to climate emergencies. The total figure exceeds 37,000 positions when adding those announced for the National Police, Civil Guard, and Armed Forces, but the most notable change for the tech sector lies in another figure: 1,700 positions will be dedicated to IT specialists, a 42% increase compared to the previous offering.
The Government aims for the Administration to stop merely replacing leave absences and to start strengthening areas it considers strategic: Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, digitalization of procedures, energy transition, civil protection, and infrastructure. For the ICT field, this shift has a clear implication. The State recognizes that it cannot transform public services, automate processes, or protect critical systems without attracting specialized technical profiles.
AI, cybersecurity, and data entered into ICT exams
The main innovation of the 2026 OEP is that, for the first time, entrance exams will be organized by specialties for the Senior Body of Information Systems and Technologies of the State Administration. The declared goal is to recruit profiles in Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science—three areas where the private sector has been competing fiercely for talent for years.
Until now, one recurring problem for the Administration was difficulty in attracting tech profiles due to overly generic selection processes and uncompetitive timelines compared to the market. A traditional exam might be useful to assess broad knowledge, but it doesn’t always align well with profiles working in offensive and defensive security, cloud architecture, advanced analytics, MLOps, data engineering, or applied AI models.
The new specialty-focused approach aims to address part of this gap. If designed properly, it can allow candidates with experience in cybersecurity not to have to demonstrate the same level of preparation as someone focused on data science or systems architecture. The success hinges on the clarity of exam syllabi, practical assessments, capability evaluations, and scheduling.
The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function has also announced a partnership to promote STEM talent to enhance the competitiveness of the public offering and fill vacancies. Additionally, the digital skills plan will include mandatory modules on AI and data tools in all selective courses of this offering. This is an important detail: digitalization is no longer just for tech bodies but a transversal skill for new public employees.
This decision reflects an obvious reality. Artificial Intelligence won’t be confined to ICT departments. It will impact tax administration, justice, employment, Social Security, healthcare, public procurement, case file analysis, citizen service, and service planning. If public employees don’t understand how these tools work, their limits, and how to use them safely, technology could create more problems than it solves.
A more digital administration, but facing talent shortages
Spain starts from a reasonable position in public digitalization. According to data cited by the Government, 83% of citizens use official websites or public applications, compared to a 75% EU average. Furthermore, Spain is about seven points above the EU average in public sector digitalization, according to the European Commission’s Digital Decade report.
The Executive aims to increase digital administrative procedures by 25%. This ambition is understandable: less paper, fewer travel needs, more automation, better online services, and a more responsive Administration. However, the bottleneck is not just creating more portals or apps. It involves modernizing outdated systems, connecting databases, securing identities, protecting sensitive information, and ensuring smooth services for citizens and businesses.
The 1,700 tech positions could have a significant impact if they are genuinely filled and profiles integrated into decision-making projects. The Administration needs professionals skilled at hiring technology, designing secure architectures, auditing algorithms, managing data, coordinating vendors, and translating public needs into sustainable technical solutions. Outsourcing everything isn’t enough: without internal talent, the State loses control over its own systems.
Salaries will remain a challenge. Many profiles in AI, data, and cybersecurity command high salaries in the private sector, especially with consultancies, tech firms, banks, energy companies, cloud providers, cybersecurity firms, or international remote roles. Public employment offers stability, social impact, and career development, but it must compete with a market that highly values these skills.
Process speed will also be crucial. The 2026 OEP includes measures to improve vacancy coverage where previous calls had less than 75% success. In such cases, managing centers will prepare diagnostic reports with measures to adapt assessments, streamline procedures, improve communication, and attract talent. Moreover, the Government intends to monitor processes to prevent delays from extending beyond a year from the publication of the call and to maintain decentralization of exams across multiple locations.
Public cybersecurity and technological sovereignty
The ICT reinforcement arrives at a time when the public administration is a constant target of cyberattacks. Municipalities, hospitals, universities, state agencies, and public companies have suffered incidents in recent years. Digitalization broadens the attack surface, and adopting AI introduces new risks: data leaks, poorly governed automation, dependence on suppliers, algorithmic errors, and attacks on connected systems.
Therefore, cybersecurity cannot be viewed as an add-on. If the State wants to use AI and data in administrative processes, it needs security by design, access controls, traceability, auditing, personal data protection, and incident response capabilities. The new positions can strengthen agencies managing critical infrastructure, massive digital services, and sensitive databases.
Data science will also be a pillar of technological sovereignty. The Administration manages vast amounts of information but doesn’t always exploit it in a coordinated, secure, and effective way. Properly applied, analytics can help detect fraud, improve public policies, anticipate social needs, optimize resources, and reduce processing times. Malused, it can lead to opaque decisions, biases, or mistakes that are hard to correct.
The arrival of specialized profiles must be accompanied by data governance, ethical guidelines, regulatory compliance, and transparency. In the public context, AI must be assessed not only for efficiency but also for explainability, reviewability, and compatibility with citizens’ rights.
More strategic positions: climate, infrastructure, and essential services
While the technological focus is the most relevant for a tech-oriented audience, the 2026 OEP also strengthens other strategic areas. The Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge will have 852 positions in bodies related to energy transition, climate emergency, and climate change mitigation. Additionally, the extraordinary offer of 346 positions aims to bolster the State’s capacity in areas affected by climate crises, with profiles like meteorologists, forestry engineers, environmental agents, and related specialists.
Transport and Sustainable Mobility will have 601 positions to improve infrastructure. Economy, Trade, and Business will have 400 positions as part of a commercial strategy focused on the productive sector. Interior and Defense will add 1,589 civil personnel for public security, citizen protection, and defense capabilities.
The offer also includes reinforcement in citizen assistance, public health, and education services in Ceuta and Melilla. The Government emphasizes that it will strengthen a network of over 3,200 service offices across the territory, including Social Security, SEPE, Tax Agency, Cadastre, DGT, sub-delegations, and regional Justice offices.
The technological takeaway is that the digitalization of the Administration cannot be separated from its essential services. Climate emergencies, infrastructure, health, security, and citizen services will increasingly rely on data, interoperable systems, automation, cybersecurity, and decision-support tools. ICT talent will be integrated into daily operations, not treated as a separate layer.
The 2026 OEP sets an interesting course: more tech profiles, specialization in AI, cybersecurity, and data, mandatory digital training, and processes adapting to a more competitive talent market. The toughest challenges remain: ensuring positions are filled, processes are timely, and new professionals can work on projects with sufficient resources, autonomy, and continuity.
Spain’s administration needs modernization but also to maintain control over its technology. The 1,700 ICT positions won’t solve all problems alone, but they can be a crucial step if they strengthen internal capabilities. In the age of Artificial Intelligence, the State must not only acquire technology; it must understand, govern, and use it wisely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tech positions does the 2026 OEP include?
The 2026 Public Employment Offer includes 1,700 positions for IT specialists, a 42% increase from the previous call.
Which ICT specialties are being recruited for the first time?
The Government plans to organize entry exams by specialties for profiles in Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science within the Senior Body of Information Systems and Technologies.
What is the total number of positions in the 2026 OEP?
The offer includes 27,232 positions for the General State Administration, including 346 extraordinary roles for climate emergencies. Combined with positions for the National Police, Civil Guard, and Armed Forces, total positions exceed 37,000.
Why is this offer important for public digitalization?
Because the Administration needs internal talent to modernize services, safely use AI, protect critical systems, manage data, and reduce technological dependence in strategic projects.
via: digital.gob.es