PhD or Postdoc position

Become valuable to Tilburg University!

PhD Position or Postdoc position in Economics at Tilburg University

Position in brief

School: TiSEM

Department: Economics, jointly with Tilburg Sustainability Center

Location: Tilburg, the Netherlands

Weekly hours: 40

Start date: 1 September 2024

This time of transition calls for people who can further advance the world and science forward. People who, in keeping with our values, are curious, connecting, caring, and courageous.

Opportunity for a PhD or Postdoc position:

The Department of Economics, jointly with Tilburg Sustainability Center, has a vacancy for a 2 up to 4-year Postdoctoral Researcher and/or a 4-year PhD researcher in Economics.

We are looking for an economist with strong analytical and quantitative skills, programming experience in either R or python, and motivated to combine rigorous research with social impact. The researcher will contribute to empirical studies about small energy users and the energy transition, as well as the development of a new generation of computable general equilibrium models for circular economy and climate strategies.

The position is rooted in two projects. The first project is embedded in the Academic Collaborative Center for Climate and Energy (https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/collaboration/program-broad-prosperity/climate-and-energy). Together with governments, businesses, and civil society organizations we tackle the challenges for climate and the energy transition. Research questions include (but are not restricted to): How do consumers respond to dynamic pricing? What types of energy contracts incentivize flexible energy consumption, support investments in solar and storage, while securing customers against price volatility? How do energy markets respond to volatile renewable supply?

The second project is from Horizon Europe: “CircoMod - Circular economy modelling for climate change mitigation” (www.circomod.eu). The EU project hosts a diverse group of European researchers on economics, climate, material flows, and policy making. Tilburg University contributes by developing analytical and quantitative models for circular economy (CE) strategies, and extending economic models with material balances and secondary markets.

Both projects aim for social impact and publications in top field journals. The new researcher will be supervised by prof. Reyer Gerlagh (https://scholar.google.nl/citations?hl=en&user=VnXzJAIAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate), and is hosted at the economics department, which offers a large environmental economists group, including Prof. Sjak Smulders, Prof. Daan van Soest, Prof. Herman Vollebergh, and many junior researchers including Dr Julie Metta and Dr Etienne Lorang.

The job can include a teaching task including thesis supervision, which will be consistent with the role of Postdoc/PhD candidate. Preferences for teaching are discussed at the interview and can be part of a balanced job offer.

PhD position

When you will be hired as a PhD candidate, you will be enrolled as a PhD candidate in the world-class PhD program of CentER Graduate School for Economics and Business.

PhD candidates are supervised by two faculty advisors, of which at least one is senior. There is also a travel budget for attending PhD level courses outside of CentER, work visits and conferences. 80% of the position’s time will be dedicated to the completion of your PhD research, and 20% to the acquisition of academic skills through teaching courses and supervising master/bachelor theses within the department.

Depending on the assessment of previous coursework, you may need to take some extra courses to complement skills.

Complete text see https://tiu.nu/22321

Your terms of employment

Your valuable contribution will be rewarded with attractive benefits and sufficient attention to work-life balance. Our offer includes:

PhD position

• A position based on 1,0 fte (40 hours per week)
• An appointment for the total of 48 months. The selected candidate will initially be appointed for 18 months, with an extension for the following 30 months based on a positive evaluation. The evaluation will take place after about 14 months.
• A starting gross salary is € 2,770 per month (for a full-time appointment) in the first year, up to € 3,539 in the final year, based on salary scale P of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.

Postdoc position

• A position based on 1,0 fte (40 hours per week)
• A temporary contract for 2 up to 4 years at 1.0 FTE.
• A starting gross salary is € 3.226 and maximum € 5.929 gross per month for full time employment, based on salary scale 10 or 11 of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. It depends on your relevant work experience if you are scaled as a Researcher 4 or 3.

Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system for salary scaling that is based on relevant education and work experience;

In addition to your monthly salary, you will receive 41 vacation days (for a 40-hour work week), a holiday allowance (8%), and a year-end bonus (8.3%). We reimburse the full cost of sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, or public transportation. We have a moving expenses scheme that makes it attractive to live close to the university. You will be enrolled in the ABP pension fund through us. Our Options Model allows you to choose from a variety of facilities at a tax advantage. You can work in a hybrid manner: on campus and from home. Researchers from outside the Netherlands may qualify for temporarily a tax-free allowance of 30% (tax regulation may change as of January 1, 2024) of their taxable salary if they meet the relevant conditions. The university applies for this allowance on their behalf.

Requirements

Tilburg University believes that academic excellence is achieved through the combination of outstanding research and education, in which social impact is made by sharing knowledge. We recognize that excellence is achieved through team effort and individual skills.

More specifically, we are looking for a candidate who has:

• Ambition to reach out to university partners and make a difference through excellent research
• Demonstrated analytical skills (courses and/or papers)
• Demonstrated skills in economic theory (courses and/or papers)
• Skills for quantitative modelling (both empirical and for analysis/simulation; R and python)
• Demonstrated interest in sustainability
• The ability to independently carry out research, and co-work in a team

In addition, for the PhD position see https://tiu.nu/22321

In addition, for the Postdoc position see https://tiu.nu/22321

How you can apply

To apply for this position, please submit the following documents at your earliest convenience. We will start reviewing applications by 24 June 2024 when applications will be closed. The only way to apply is online. The final selection decision will be announced not later than 30 September 2024.

Please submit:

1. A letter of motivation. Additionally, indicate in your letter whether you are applying for the PhD or Postdoctoral position.
2. Curriculum vitae.
3. Your publication list
4. Research statement of maximum 2 pages
5. Teaching evaluations if applicable
6. Examples of your own work
7. The exact contact details of at least two references (including name, telephone number and email address).
9. In addition, for the PhD position please upload:
11. Official copy of your university degree and grades (full transcripts of BSc and MSc).
12. A pdf copy of your master thesis or other research-oriented output (such as a Bachelor Thesis or a term paper). This work must be single- or first-authored. If you are currently working on your master thesis, feel free to submit your thesis draft.
13. Proof of proficiency in English, or a request for exemption
14. If applicable, a recent GRE or GMAT score.
15. Course list and grades of your BSc and MSc programs.

More information on the vacated position can be obtained from Prof. Reyer Gerlagh ([email protected]).

Address your letter of interest to Professor Reyer Gerlagh. We only approach referees for candidates who make it to the second selection round.

We will select candidates for interviews on rolling basis; you receive more information on the time line within 1 month of application. The selection committee consists of Prof. Reyer Gerlagh (Chair), Prof. Sjak Smulders, Prof. Daan van Soest, Prof. Herman Vollebergh, Dr Asel Doranova, Dr Etienne Lorang, Dr Julie Metta. Dependent on number of applications, we may organize interviews at the EAERE conference, Leuven, 1-4 July 2024.