"PhD in Behavioral/Experimental Economics and Economic Theory"

Welcome to Maastricht University! Are you interested in using economic tools to tackle challenges related to climate change, healthcare shortages and the design of fair and efficient markets? Are you excited about advancing economic theory and measuring citizens’ preferences and attitudes on a large scale?

At Maastricht University, you will have the opportunity to join an international, interdisciplinary team of researchers at the School of Business and Economics (SBE) and to conduct innovative research that is both scientifically rigorous and socially relevant.

PhD candidate in Behavioral/Experimental Economics and Economic Theory: The Department of Microeconomics and Public Economics is looking for a PhD candidate in behavioral/experimental economics and economic theory to join the new project “Who bans what? Large-scale evidence for the aversion against market transactions and its implications for policy design” that is funded by an NWO Open Competition M grant.

Many market transactions face substantial opposition or are banned based on feelings of aversion against these transactions. Your research will generate insights into why people reject markets in critical domains like health and the environment, and how better-designed institutions can increase societal acceptance.

As a PhD candidate, you will design and conduct large-scale economic experiments and surveys, analyze rich datasets, and build microeconomic models that explain behavior and predict the impact of different policies to improve the societal acceptance of market mechanisms and market transactions.

You will work closely with the project leaders, Prof. Dr. Vitali Gretschko (University of Münster) and Prof. Dr. Peter Werner (Maastricht University), and join a vibrant international research community in behavioral/experimental economics and market design.

What you bring: Curious and motivated – You are eager to conduct independent, high-quality research. Analytical mindset – You have excellent quantitative and conceptual skills. Strong academic background – You hold (or will obtain by winter 2025/2026) a Master’s degree (MSc or MPhil) in Economics, Econometrics, Finance, Mathematics, Business Administration, or a related field. Graduation from a two-year Master’s programme (120 ECTS) is an advantage. Research skills – Knowledge of econometric methods, statistical software (e.g., Stata or R), or experience with economic experiments is an advantage. Independent yet collaborative – You can work autonomously while thriving in a team-based environment. You have good organizational skills. Excellent communication – You are fluent in written and spoken English.

If you don’t fully meet all starting requirements yet, a part-time pre-PhD position may sometimes be offered to allow you to prepare.

What we offer: As PhD in Behavioral/Experimental Economics and Economic Theory at School of Business and Economics, you will be employed by the most international university in the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you: Good employment conditions. The position is graded in scale P according to UFO profile PhD, with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from €3059 and €3881 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus apply. An employment contract for a period of 18 months with a scope of 1.0 FTE. Upon a positive evaluation, an extension of 2.5 years will follow. At Maastricht University, the well-being of our employees is of utmost importance, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model. As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students. Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development.