ifo Postdoctoral Researcher / Economist (f/m/d) for the ifo Center for the Economics of Education

To strengthen our team and join our junior faculty, we are looking for a Postdoctoral researcher / Economist (f/m/d) with a focus on projects in the field of the economics of education, in particular using field experimental research, starting in July 2026 or later.

Our team investigates the causes and effects of education from an economic perspective. How can the state enable people to benefit from the opportunities of an open society? How can we shape our education system and educational institutions to allow everyone in society to thrive? Our team would like to answer these questions with the help of economic analyses of the effects of education on prosperity and equal opportunities. Help us and join our team!

We seek a team member who is passionate about high-quality research on policy-relevant questions, has a strong drive to further her*his own research agenda, is willing to give guidance for doctoral candidates, and to communicate her*his research to the public and media.

We, the ifo Institute, are one of the leading economic research institutes in Europe. We work on issues relevant to economics and economic policy at the highest scientific level and with an international reach, and develop research-based recommendations for action for policymakers, business and society. Through our five fields of activity – research, promotion of young researchers, policy advice, participation in public debates and information/service – we contribute to maintaining and increasing sustainable economic prosperity and social participation under constantly changing conditions.

Do you want to know more about us and your career opportunities? Check us out at https://www.ifo.de/en/about-us/ifo-career .

Your new job includes...

• Research in the field of the economics of education and neighboring fields, such as labor, behavioral, and experimental economics.
• Collaboration in a responsible role on a large-scale, field experimental research project about the scaling of educational interventions.
• Conceiving, acquiring, managing, and working on third-party funded projects.
• Providing guidance and (informal) mentoring for doctoral candidates.
• Publishing your research results in internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals.
• Making your research results accessible to the general public.

What we expect from your profile...

• You have a degree in economics with a focus on the economics of education, labor, behavioral, experimental and/or applied microeconomics or other related fields, and you have completed your PhD by job start or are close to completing it.
• You have already proven your relevant knowledge and experience through articles in internationally recognized refereed journals or working papers suitable for publication.
• You contribute in-depth knowledge of methods of applied microeconomics, experimental economics, labor economics and the economics of education.
• Do you have experience in conducting RCTs, field experimental research, collaborations with schools and other educational partners? This would be a particular asset!
• With excellent English language skills, both written and spoken, you are able to interact confidently in the international network of researchers.
• Knowledge of the German language on a level that enables you to successfully negotiate with partners and institutions is a requirement
• You are a team player and like to take responsibility for yourself and others.
• You enjoy learning from and through discussions and are convinced that excellent and effective research is created in dialogue with others.

Our junior faculty members…

Research

• work on exciting questions in virtually all fields of economics
• regularly publish in top general interest and field journals
• cause impact because they bring scientific findings into policy debates
• contribute to the debate on economic and educational policy in line with our claim "Shaping the Economic Debate"
• are highly demanded on the national and international job market, both in academia and in industry, and achieve placements as full or associate professors at top universitie

People  

• are part of a team of about 111 economists
• are embedded in a vibrant economics community in Munich
• are part of the Department of Economics at LMU Munich
• can participate in the structured Junior Faculty Development Program and have the opportunity to teach at LMU Munich
• engage with international top-class economists within our CESifo network with over 2,000 members from all over the world

Support  

• have access to an exceptional data infrastructure and other supporting services

ifo   

• have an initial three-year employment contract, with the option to be extended
• receive their salary according to TV-L E 13 or E 14 depending on publications and are part of the company pension scheme (VBL) (in addition to the statutory pension insurance).
• are supported in their professional and personal development with flexible working hours, the possibility of mobile work and many tailored training and development programs, and are equipped for this in the best possible, modern and comprehensive way.
• take up our company "holidays" during the year (a half day on Carnival Tuesday and the 24th and 31st of December, each full day).
• are entitled to a relocation allowance after passing their probationary period if they move to Munich or the surrounding area from a radius of 200 km or more.
• will be supported with German courses if needed.

We received the "HR Excellence in Research" award in 2019 by the European Commission. Our membership in the Familienpakt Bayern (Bavarian Family Pact) reinforces our measures to reconcile family and career. We promote professional equality regardless of ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual identity. We strive to increase the proportion of women in research and therefore expressly encourage women to apply.

How to apply!

Interested? Then we look forward to receiving your application with the reference number 2025-010 BI-PostDoc until 17 August 2025 using the application form .

Please note that flyouts are scheduled for September 16 and 17, 2025.

Applications should include a cover letter, CV, job market paper, and at least three reference letters. Reference letters can be sent directly from the creator to the following email address: recruiting(at)ifo.de . The letters will then be added to your application in our system and forwarded to the appropriate people.

Please make sure to use only .pdf files, Word documents and images in .jpg format. Please also ensure to use short file names. Please read the document "Information on attachment naming" and try the browser "Mozilla Firefox" or "Microsoft Edge" in the latest version should you have problems uploading the documents.

For technical or general questions, please contact recruiting(at)ifo.de . For subject-specific information / questions, please contact Dr. Henning Hermes (hermes(at)ifo.de ).