Postdoctoral researcher in household finance / consumer financial decision making

The University of Colorado and the Tilburg University School of Economics and Management seek a world class researcher for a post-doctoral fellowship position in household finance / consumer financial decision making. The fellowship is funded in part by the University of Colorado’s Leeds School Research Initiative for Global Business and Citizen Wellbeing and in part by Tilburg University School of Economics and Management. Both business schools are among the top 50 in the world. 

The scholar would be based at Tilburg University. In addition to the post-doctoral fellowship salary and full Dutch benefits, the scholar hired will have both an independent research budget and substantial funds for travel to University of Colorado for research sprints on collaborative projects in household finance.

The fellowship is named in honor of Vilfredo Pareto (1848–1923), a foundational figure in modern economics whose work continues to shape decision-making across business disciplines. Pareto introduced the concept of Pareto optimality, a formal efficiency condition in which an improvement for one party can be achieved without making others worse off. By choosing Pareto as the namesake, the fellowship signals a commitment to research that increases global efficiency and citizen well-being.

Your position

• A 2-year fellowship
• No teaching requirement
• Post-doctoral research based at Tilburg University with authorized access to world-class Statistics Netherlands (CBS) microdata
• Conduct research in collaboration with household finance faculty at University of Colorado Boulder’s Center for Research on Consumer Financial Decision Making and Tilburg University in addition to completing work on the candidate’s job market paper.
• Contribute to intellectual life at both collaborating schools including lab meetings and seminars. Make 3 funded visits per year to Boulder to collaborate on joint projects
• The expectation is that in the first year, the candidate would complete a job market paper and begin collaborative projects that leverage Statistics Netherlands data with University of Colorado and household finance researchers at Tilburg University.  
• The expectation is that the candidate is on the Tilburg University Campus for at least 50% of the working hours.

Your profile

• Candidates should hold a PhD in finance, economics, or another discipline related to household finance or have scheduled a thesis defense in the first semester of the appointment.
• Experience working with similar micro-data is a plus.

Our offer
Tilburg University offers excellent benefits in a pleasant working environment:

• Employment of 1 FTE.
• Salary between €4728 and €6433 gross per month for full-time employment (UFO-profile Researcher 3, salary scale 11). Tilburg University uses a neutral remuneration system based on relevant work experience.
• This is a vacancy for a temporary position in accordance with Article 2.3 paragraph 5 sub b CLA DU. You will be given a temporary contract for the duration of 1 year. If, in the employer’s assessment, you are performing well and the position as well as the financial and organizational circumstances remain unchanged, this contract may be extended for one additional year.
• Vacation pay of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• Over 8 weeks of vacation leave.
• Hybrid working with home working allowance (€2 p/day) and internet allowance (€25 p/month).
• Reimbursement sustainable commuting: walking, cycling, and public transport.
• Options model for additional leave, pension, a bicycle or personal training.
• 30% rule for international employees (if applicable).
• Pension through ABP.
• Ample training offer: personal development, leadership, education, research or language courses.
• Inclusive work culture: everyone welcome, equal opportunities.
• A green, inviting campus that’s easily accessible by public transport.

For more information, please see our website and the CLA Dutch Universities.

Tilburg University is an academic, inclusive, and engaged community. Together with nearly 3,000 employees, we are committed to broad prosperity, sustainably, and inclusion. For current and future generations. We develop and share knowledge for the requirements of people and our society. This is how we contribute to solving complex social issues and help society move forward.

We educate our 19,500 students of 110 nationalities to become responsible leaders with knowledge, skills, and character. With our education and research for broad prosperity, we exceedingly focus on themes such as mental and preventive care, an inclusive labor market, the energy transition, and digitalization

The Pareto Fellow will also collaborate with scholars from the University of Colorado’s Center for Research on Consumer Financial Decision Making.  Its mission is to advance the understanding of consumer financial decision-making through cutting-edge research, fostering dialogue among experts, and serving as a hub for the global community in this critical field.

For questions about the selection procedure, you can contact Kim Peijnenburg at k.peijnenburg@tilburguniversity.edu.