Postdoctoral Fellow - Just Transition to Net Zero

About the role

The Policy & Sustainability (PASU) lab at EPFL conducts applied and theoretical research on the economics and politics of sustainable development and the policies needed to achieve it. It is looking for a postdoctoral fellow to join its team on a new SNSF-funded project on managing a just transition to net zero. The project measures economic and job vulnerabilities to the clean energy transition at individual and regional levels, collects survey data on policy preferences in response to the negative effects of decarbonization, and runs quantitative impact assessments of just transition policies worldwide.

Key responsibilities

• Co-oversee the implementation of the project with the principal investigator.
• Take the lead on work packages related to the candidate's expertise.
• Mentor PhD students involved in the project.

Required profile

• A PhD in quantitative social sciences (economics, public policy, political science, etc.) or in computational social science.
• An interest in climate, sustainability, energy and/or labor economics.
• Ability and/or willingness to work in a team or lab setting.
• Fluent English; French is not required.

What we offer

• A stimulating research environment encouraging curiosity, innovation and rigor.
• Work on policy-relevant issues and connections with international organizations, the private sector, NGOs and state authorities across Europe, the US, India and beyond.
• Space to conduct independent research.
• Excellent working conditions and benefits.

Applications require a writing sample, a CV and a very brief cover letter. The contract starts on 1 November 2026, is a one-year fixed-term contract at full activity rate, and is advertised under reference 2489.