PhD position - Behavioral and Experimental Economics

We offer a PhD position in Behavioral and Experimental Economics on the topic of "Risk preference measurement and risk communication". This is a dynamic and challenging job in an internationally oriented organisation where students receive an advanced education and scholars conduct exciting research.

The Department of Microeconomics and Public Economics is looking for a PhD candidate in Behavioral and Experimental Economics, to join the Netspar Theme Grant project “ Risk preference measurement and risk communication - A large-scale comparison of methods and its implications for the pension industry ” that is awarded and funded by Instituut Gak.

The project—which consists of three work packages—aims to advance the understanding of how risk preferences are best measured and how risk should be communicated. The project is led by Anouk Festjens, Jona Linde, Thomas Meissner and Peter Werner, and will involve the administration of large scale surveys and laboratory experiments. Among other things, the successful candidate will collaborate in the development of experimental tools and surveys to be conducted with a representative sample of the Dutch population and with experts from academia and the financial and pension industries, in the organization of the data collection process via online and laboratory experiments and in the preparation of scientific and practice-oriented publications about the project.

In order to qualify, you must have successfully completed a Master’s degree (MSc or MPhil) in Economics, Econometrics, Finance, or a related area (or will do so by the summer of 2024) and be competent in written and spoken English. Knowledge of statistical methods, statistical software (e.g., Stata or R) and/or experience in conducting economic experiments is beneficial. Graduation from a two-year Master’s program (120 ECTS) and a quantitative background will be advantages.

Successful candidates for this position have:

• A strong motivation for conducting scientific research
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills
• Good organizational skills
• The ability to work independently as well as within a multidisciplinary research team and with professionals from the financial and pension industries

In case one does not fulfil the starting requirement yet, sometimes a part-time pre-PhD position can be offered which allows time to catch up.

What we offer:
As a PhD candidate at The School of Business and Economics you will be employed by the most international university of the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is in graded in scale P. according to the UFO profile PhD with corresponding salary based on experience ranging from € 2.770 to € 3.539 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 are applicable.
• 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, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. 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. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'.

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, Click here

At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.
In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.
Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.

Click here for more information about UM.

The School of Business and Economics (SBE) is one of Maastricht University’s six faculties. Our mission is to contribute to a better world by addressing societal problems, by co-creating knowledge and developing team players and leaders for the future.
By joining SBE, you will be part of the 1% of business schools worldwide to be Triple Crown accredited (EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA). You will join an inspiring and international environment, where learning and development is priority.

The PhD candidate will join the Department of Microeconomics and Public Economics.

The project team at SBE consists of scholars from the Department of Microeconomics and Public Economics and the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management.
For further information on the departments and their research expertise, please visit:

https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/department-microeconomics-and-public-economics

https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/department-marketing-and-supply-chain-management-mscm

Or are you already convinced and ready to become our new PhD candidate? Apply now, no later than 05 February 2024 for this position.

To apply for a PhD position, you must submit:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Motivation letter (at most one page)
• Diplomas/degrees including a grade transcript of previous education at Master level
• Two letters of reference (to be sent in by the referees). These letters needs to be send to recruitment-sbe@maastrichtuniversity.nl under indication of vacancy number 530
• TOEFL/IELTS/Cambridge Proficiency Exam
• GMAT/GRE test score

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.