Are you intrigued by exploring innovative ways to reduce energy consumption in households? Would you like to conduct your PhD research in an international research project with partners from six European countries? Then we invite you to apply for this PhD position shared between RWI and IVM at Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam.

Location: AMSTERDAM and ESSEN (DE)
FTE: 1.0

Job description
You will be involved in a EU Horizon 2020 research project funded by the European Commission on new community energy business models that support the energy transition across Europe. This position will allow you to work towards a PhD degree from VU Amsterdam. Your PhD research will focus on the energy consumption behaviour of households based on actual consumption data from energy utilities, a field experiment and survey data.

Your duties

• econometric analysis of electricity production and consumption data
• implementation of a randomized controlled trial to test the effect of a behavioural intervention on energy consumption
• implementation of a large citizen survey in six European countries that elicit, inter alia, households’ energy literacy, attitudes and behavioral intentions

Requirements

• Master’s degree in economics or a related discipline with a strong focus on quantitative skills (statistics, econometrics)
• previous knowledge in either environmental and energy economics or behavioural and experimental economics, or willingness to acquire this knowledge in a short period of time
• fluency in English (spoken and written)
• knowledge of Dutch and/or German (optional)

A challenging 3-year PhD position in two leading research institutes in environmental economics: IVM/VU and RWI. You will spend the first 1.5 years at IVM/VU Amsterdam and the second 1.5 years at RWI. The monthly gross salary at IVM/VU Amsterdam will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel and amounts €2,325 per month during the first year. The job profile is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for a full time equivalent (1 FTE). Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus, solid pension scheme (ABP), contribution to commuting allowance based on public transport, discounts on collective insurances (healthcare- and car insurance).

At RWI, the salary will increase to more than €3672. The compensation and benefits are based on the German public service pay scale (100%, TV-L EG 13). This includes a special annual payment (50% of monthly salary), 30 vacation days per year and access to the VBL (supplementary pension scheme for the public sector).

The appointment will initially be for 1.5 years. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for another 1.5 years. Furthermore, under certain circumstances and given a further successful evaluation, there is the possibility for an additional extension of the contract at RWI in Essen.

The observance of the guidelines for the disabled and the provisions of the law on part-time work are guaranteed. RWI and VU promote gender equality.

https://workingat.vu.nl/vacancies

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. And to be a university where personal education and societal involvement play a leading role. Where people from different disciplines and backgrounds work together on innovations and on generating new knowledge. Our teaching and research embrace the whole spectrum of science – from the humanities, the social sciences and the pure sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.
 
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 23,000 students. We employ more than 4,500 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible, located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity is one of our university’s core values. We are an inclusive community, and we believe that diversity and international activities enhance the quality of education and research. We are always looking for people who can enhance diversity on our campus thanks to their background and experience.

The Faculty of Science inspires researchers and students to find sustainable solutions for complex societal issues. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to medicines and from molecules to the moon: our teaching and research programmes cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. We share knowledge and experience with leading research institutes and industries, both here in the Netherlands and abroad.

Working at the Faculty of Science means working with students, PhD candidates and researchers, all with a clear focus on their field and a broad view of the world. We employ more than 1,250 staff members, and we are home to around 6,000 students.
 
About the two research institutes
Established in 1971, the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) is a leading environmental research institute that is internationally recognized for its high-quality research output in a range of environmental disciplines, as well as for its interdisciplinary work. The Department of Environmental Economics (EE) leads the institute’s efforts in improving insights into the interaction between the environment and the economy. The department is one of the main groups of environmental economists in Europe, consisting of around 30 scientific researchers and PhD students.

About RWI
RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research is a leading center for economic research and evidence-based policy advice in Germany and a member of the Leibniz Association. RWI’s research work is based on the latest theoretical concepts and empirical methods. The central aim of the research group Environment and Resources is to analyze environmental and energy policy instruments using sophisticated methods of evaluation research and micro-econometrics. The applied research at RWI fulfills the highest academic standards and its results are regularly published in renowned academic journals.