Google is holding a competition to find Europe's best engineers.

The Code Jam challenge is intended to highlight the role of engineering and technology in modern economies.

The competition is part of Google's effort to support engineering, programming and computer science communities around the world, says Shannon Maher, the firm's UK engineering site director.

'This new European competition is one way for us to engage with smart people who enjoy solving problems. It’s a fun way of finding, rewarding and potentially recruiting some of those people to Google,' he said.

Contestants will work in the programming language of their choice to solve computer puzzles and compete for a prize of €30,000 (£20,000).

The competition will begin online on 30th May with contestants competing for 500 spots in the first round. A second online round will reduce the pool to 200, who then will battle head-to-head for the 50 final positions.

The 50 finalists will be flown to Dublin for a championship round on June 29th.

To enter visit www.google.com/codejameurope