UCO Bank Specialist Officer Recruitment 2026 — Manager-AI/ML Engineer & Manager-Cyber Security, 20 Posts

UCO Bank has invited online applications for 20 Specialist Cadre posts — 10 Manager-AI/ML Engineer and 10 Manager-Cyber Security, both in MMGS-II — under Advertisement No. HO/HRM/RECR/2026-27/COM-01. Both posts require a relevant engineering/IT degree plus 3 years of specific hands-on experience, and Cyber Security additionally requires a mandatory offensive-security certification. Online registration and fee payment run from 29 August to 18 September 2026.

Who Should Apply

• Manager-AI/ML Engineer (10 posts) — a full-time B.E./B.Tech/MCA/M.Tech/M.E. in Computer Science, IT, AI & ML, or Data Science (minimum 50% marks), with 3 years' post-qualification experience developing and implementing AI, Gen AI, NLP, or Content Analysis-based projects.
• Manager-Cyber Security (10 posts) — a full-time B.Tech/B.E./MCA/M.Tech/M.Sc in Computer Science, Software Engineering, IT, Electronics, or Electronics & Communications (minimum 50% marks), holding at least one mandatory certification (OSCP, OSCE³, OSWE, OSEP, GIAC GPEN/GXPN, CAISP, or an offensive-AI/LLM security certification from SANS), with 3 years' hands-on experience in Red Team operations, AI Red Teaming, penetration testing, or advanced vulnerability assessment.

You can apply for only one of these two posts — applying for one makes you ineligible to apply for the other.

Eligibility & Age Limit

Both posts require your qualifying degree's final result to be declared on or before 1 August 2026, from a University/Institution/Board recognised by the Government of India. If your marksheet shows CGPA/OGPA instead of a percentage, you must convert it per your university's own norms and be ready to produce a certificate confirming that conversion at interview. Manager-Cyber Security additionally requires at least one of the listed offensive-security certifications as a mandatory (not preferred) condition — an "advanced degree in Cyber Security" is only preferred, not a substitute for the certification.

Age: 25 to 35 years as on 1 August 2026, for both posts. Age relaxation: 5 years for SC/ST, 3 years for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), 10 years for Persons with Benchmark Disability, 5 years for Ex-Servicemen/Commissioned Officers with at least 5 years' military service, and 5 years for persons affected by the 1984 riots. SC/ST/OBC relaxation is available cumulatively with only one of the remaining categories. There's no reservation for Ex-servicemen in the Officers' Cadre — only this age relaxation. No PwBD vacancies (VI/HI/OC/ID) have been notified for either post in this cycle.

Salary & Pay Scale

Both posts carry the MMGS-II basic pay scale of ₹64,820–2,340/1–67,160–2,680/10–93,960, plus DA, HRA/lease accommodation, CCA, medical benefits, and other allowances and perquisites as per the Bank's prevailing rules — these aren't quantified in the notification, so your actual in-hand pay will be meaningfully higher than the basic scale shown here.

Important Dates

Application Fee

• SC/ST/PwBD: ₹175 (inclusive of GST)
• All others: ₹850 (inclusive of GST)

Payable online only (Debit Card, Credit Card, Internet Banking, or UPI) from 29 August to 18 September 2026. Bank transaction charges are borne by the candidate. The fee is non-refundable once paid and cannot be held in reserve for any other exam or selection.

How to Apply

1. Log in to www.uco.bank.in, scroll down, and click "Career," then "Recruitment Opportunities."
2. Locate Advertisement No. HO/HRM/RECR/2026-27/COM-01 and click "Click Here To Apply Online."
3. Click "Click Here For New Registration" and enter your basic information — note the system-generated provisional registration number and password (also sent by SMS).
4. Log in with your credentials and select the one position you're applying for.
5. Pay the applicable application fee online.
6. Upload your photograph, signature, and required documents exactly per the specifications in the notification's Annexure-I — the system won't let you proceed until these match spec.
7. Use "Save and Next" to verify every detail before clicking Final Submit, since no changes are permitted afterward. Take a printout of your submitted application for your own records — don't send it to the Bank.

Resize your photo and signature to the exact spec before uploading — the notification requires a colour photograph of 200×230 px (preferred), 20–50 KB, white/light background, no cap/sunglasses (religious headwear allowed if it doesn't cover your face); and a signature signed in black ink on white paper, 140×60 px (preferred), 10–50 KB, not in CAPITAL LETTERS. You can also check your exact age as on the cut-off date, since eligibility is judged as on 1 August 2026, not today.

How Are Candidates Selected

Screening: A Bank-constituted committee checks whether you meet the eligibility criteria, using parameters the Bank decides.

Online Written Examination and/or Group Discussion and/or Interview: The Bank decides which of these to conduct, and may skip the written exam depending on the number of applications received. If a written exam is held, its structure will be published on the Bank's website. Qualifying marks for every stage are decided by the Bank.

Shortlisting: Purely provisional and without document verification at this stage — your candidature remains subject to later verification whenever the Bank calls for it.

Final Merit List: Built in descending order of your scores across whichever stages were conducted. If candidates tie at the cut-off, the older candidate is ranked higher.

Note: even if you're called for interview, you'll be turned away on the spot if you don't satisfy the eligibility criteria (age, qualification, experience) or can't produce your original supporting documents.

Why This Job Matters

UCO Bank is a Government of India-owned Public Sector Bank, and this recruitment reflects a genuinely modern hiring need — dedicated AI/ML and offensive cyber-security roles, complete with job profiles referencing Red Team operations against "AI-powered defense systems" and Generative AI/LLM security testing. It's a narrow but technically serious recruitment drive, distinct from UCO Bank's more common generalist officer hiring.

The FreshersLike Take

Best fit: This suits an experienced AI/ML engineer or offensive-security professional who already holds the required 3 years of directly relevant hands-on experience — and, for Cyber Security specifically, already holds one of the listed mandatory certifications (OSCP, OSWE, GIAC GPEN, etc.) — and wants to move into a PSU bank's specialist cadre.

Who should think twice: This is not a fresher-friendly notification despite the modest 3-year experience bar — the Cyber Security post in particular treats its certification list as a hard mandatory gate, not a preference, so a strong resume without one of those exact certifications won't clear eligibility. Selected candidates also execute a 2-year service bond (₹2 lakh exit cost) and have zero say in posting location, which is entirely at the Bank's discretion.

Practical tip: For Manager-Cyber Security, re-read the certification list carefully — it's a defined set (OSCP, OSCE³, OSWE, OSEP, GIAC GPEN/GXPN, CAISP, or specific SANS offensive-AI/LLM courses), and "an advanced degree in Cyber Security" only counts as preferred, not as a substitute for holding one of these. Confirm your certification is on the exact list before you register, since eligibility here isn't negotiable at the interview stage.

Documents Required

• Proof of Identity & Address (max 100 KB)
• Proof of Birth (max 100 KB)
• Educational Certificate(s) (max 1 MB)
• Mandatory certification proof (OSCP/OSWE/GIAC/etc.) for Cyber Security applicants
• Experience Certificate(s) specifying designation/job profile, period of service (with specific dates), and emoluments (max 1 MB)
• Caste/Disability Certificate, if applicable (max 1 MB)
• Category certificate in the prescribed Government of India format, for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwBD candidates claiming reservation or relaxation
• No Objection Certificate, if currently serving in Government/Quasi-Government/PSU (including nationalised banks) or Financial Institutions
• Discharge book, pension payment order, and proof of rank held, for Ex-servicemen candidates (or a certificate confirming release from defence service on or before 17 September 2027, if still serving)

What Happens After Selection

Selected candidates are on probation for 1 year of active service from their date of joining, and must execute a service bond to serve the Bank for a minimum of 2 years, or pay ₹2 lakh if they leave before completing that period. Confirmation follows satisfactory performance and conduct during probation. Appointment is subject to being declared medically fit as per the Bank's requirements. Candidates with outstanding, unregularised loan or credit card defaults (as reflected in CIBIL or similar records) as of the appointment letter date are not eligible for appointment. Posting, placement, and utilisation of selected candidates is entirely at the Bank's discretion.

Contact & Helpline

For queries related to this recruitment, the notification lists the Human Resources Management Department at UCO Bank's Head Office: phone 033-4455 7379, e-mail hohrd.calcutta@uco.bank.in. This is the only official channel for this recruitment — UCO Bank will not contact candidates through any other number for payment or personal details.

Important Links

Common Questions

What is the last date to apply for UCO Bank Specialist Officer Recruitment 2026?

Online registration and fee payment close on 18 September 2026.

Can a fresher with no work experience apply?

No. Both posts require a minimum of 3 years of specific post-qualification experience — AI/ML project development for one post, hands-on offensive cyber security work for the other.

Do I need a certification to apply for Manager-Cyber Security?

Yes — it's mandatory, not optional. You must hold at least one of the listed certifications (OSCP, OSCE³, OSWE, OSEP, GIAC GPEN/GXPN, CAISP, or a specific SANS offensive-AI/LLM course); an advanced cyber security degree alone doesn't meet this requirement.

Can I apply for both posts?

No. You can apply for only one of the two positions — applying for one makes you ineligible for the other.

Is there an application fee, and is it refundable?

₹175 for SC/ST/PwBD, ₹850 for all others, both inclusive of GST. The fee is non-refundable once paid and can't be carried forward to any other selection process.

Is the exam computer-based?

the notification describes a possible "Online Written Examination," but whether one is actually held depends on the number of applications received, and the exact mode/date isn't specified.

Is there a service bond after joining?

Yes — a minimum 2-year service commitment, or a payment of ₹2 lakh if you leave the Bank before completing it, alongside a 1-year probation period.

Where will I be posted if selected?

Posting, placement, and utilisation are entirely at the Bank's discretion — the notification doesn't guarantee or specify a particular location.

Browse every current Bank opening.