Department of Business Administration

PhD candidate 80 %

Start of employment is preferably August 1, 2026, although this is negotiable.

The Chair of Business Economics, with a focus on Personnel Economics and Economics of (Vocational) Education, is part of the Department of Business Administration at the University of Zurich and is led by Prof. Dr. Anne Brenoe.
The chair conducts research at the intersection of economics of education, labor/personnel economics, and applied microeconomics. We use frontier empirical methods, including randomized controlled trials, survey experiments, and administrative data, to study questions with direct policy relevance. The successful candidate will join a collaborative and international research environment and will primarily work on research, with very limited teaching duties.

Your responsibilities

Candidates should
  • have strong training in microeconomics, econometrics, and applied empirical
methods
  • have a strong interest in research in economics of education and applied microeconomics
  • have experience with statistical software such as Stata, R, or Python
  • have excellent oral and written communication skills in English
  • have strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently and reliably
  • be a collaborative and proactive team player

Good German skills are strongly preferred, but not required.

Your profile

Candidates should hold, by the start date, a master's degree with excellent grades in economics or a closely related quantitative field.

The PhD candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Zurich and will contribute to the SNSF project while developing their own dissertation in economics of education and applied microeconomics.

The position is primarily a research position. The successful candidate will develop, manage, and publish high-quality research projects within the field of economics and economics of (vocational) education.


We offer
  • Varied and interesting work in an inspiring and socially relevant environment
  • The opportunity to work on an ambitious SNSF-funded research project in economics of education
  • A collaborative and supportive research environment in a dynamic team
  • Training in frontier empirical methods, including randomized controlled trials, survey experiments, and administrative data research
  • The possibility to interact with internationally renowned researchers
  • A competitive salary in accordance with UZH and SNSF guidelines

Information on your application

Please submit your application in one single PDF file including:
  • a motivation letter
  • a CV, including your German proficiency level
  • academic transcripts
  • if available, a writing sample
  • the names of two references
to Nicole Ehrsam, nicole.ehrsam@business.uzh.ch

Letters of recommendation should be sent separately by the referees.

What we offer

Our employees benefit from a wide range of attractive offers. More

What we offer

Work-Life Balance
  • Flexible working models (such as part-time positions, mobile working, job-sharing)
  • Childcare at the kihz foundation of UZH and ETH


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Learning and Development
  • Wide range of continuing education courses of UZH and the Canton of Zurich
  • Language Center run jointly with ETH Zurich

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Food
  • Food and drinks at reduced prices in the UZH cafeterias
  • Lunch-Check-card with UZH contribution

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Healthcare
  • Special conditions on the Academic Sports Association ASVZ
  • Free seasonal flu vaccinations
  • Rest and relaxation at the quiet room in the university tower

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Discounts
  • Private traffic: Carsharing, rent a vehicle, parking space
  • Digitalization: Hardware, software, mobile phone subscriptions
  • Special conditions on hotel reservations

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Conditions of Employment
  • Policies of the UZH
  • Most UZH staff are employed according to public law


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International Services
  • Support for people from outside Switzerland

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Campuses
  • Campuses Zurich City, Zurich Irchel, Oerlikon and Schlieren
  • Sites Zurich West, Old Botanical Garden, Botanical Garden and Lengg

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Further information

Questions about the job

Prof. Anne Brenoe
Contact Form

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Working at UZH
The University of Zurich, Switzerland's largest university, offers a range of attractive positions in various subject areas and professional fields. With around 10,000 employees and currently 12 professional apprenticeship streams the University offers an inspiring working environment on cutting-edge research and top-class education. Put your talent and skills to work with us. Find out more about UZH as an employer!
More → https://www.uzh.ch/en/explore/work.html

Please apply via our job portal www.jobs.uzh.ch.

Working at UZH

The University of Zurich, Switzerland's largest university, offers a range of attractive positions in various subject areas and professional fields. With around 10,000 employees and currently 12 professional apprenticeship streams the University offers an inspiring working environment on cutting-edge research and top-class education. Put your talent and skills to work with us. Find out more about UZH as an employer! More
UZH