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

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
the economics of education. The position is for three years with
possible extension for up to six years and can start as soon as
possible at a mutually agreed date.
Our team investigates the causes and effects of education from an
economic perspective. How can policy 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 their
own research agenda, is willing to give guidance for doctoral
candidates, and to communicate their 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

Your new job includes…

• Research in the field of the economics of education
• 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, 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
  microeconometrics, labor economics and the economics of education
• 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 participate in dissemination activities is a
  particular asset
• 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 outside, and achieve placements as full or
  associate professors at top universities

People

• are part of a team of about 114 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 2,200 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 for another three years
• receive their salary according to TV-L E 13 or E 14 (around 67,000
  EUR incl. special annual payment) 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
• work in close proximity to the English Garden and the Isar
• can use our beautiful garden, which connects our historic
  buildings, to relax during lunch breaks, for a coffee in between
  or to chat with colleagues.
• 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 support the EU Commission's initiative by developing a special
  human resources strategy for research staff that takes into account
  the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code
  of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. 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 2026-012 BI-PostDoc until
July 22, 2026 using the
application form . Please note that flyouts are scheduled for
August 11 and 12, 2026 .
Applications should include a cover letter, CV, job market paper,
and at least two reference letters. Reference letters can be sent
directly from the creator to the following email address
[email protected] . 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
[email protected] . For subject-specific information / questions, please contact the
ifo Center for the Economics of Education ( [email protected] ).