Postdoctoral Fellow in Environment and Energy Economics at Geneva Graduate Institute (Switzerland)
We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to contribute to the research project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The successful candidate will carry out research under supervision of Professor Imelda (https://sites.google.com/view/iimelda/). The postdoctoral fellow will join a dynamic research environment at the Geneva Graduate Institute's Department of International Economics. This position offers an excellent opportunity to advance your academic career, engage in high-impact research, and collaborate with international scholars.
Requirements :
PhD in Economics, preferably with a focus on energy economics, environmental economics, or spatial economics.
Promising publication record.
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
Outstanding econometric skills are essential. Preferably has proficiency in coding and data analysis tools such as ArcGIS/QGIS, Stata, R, Matlab, Python.
What you can expect from us :
Mentoring and collaboration on research projects.
The salary and working conditions are in accordance with the regulations of the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Opportunity to network with prominent academic researchers through academic seminars, workshops, and conferences hosted by the department (https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/research-centres/hoffmann-centre-global-sustainability/hoffmann-advanced-research-seminars and https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/academic-departments/international-economics/department-seminars).
Opportunities to engage with policymakers at international organizations based in Geneva (e.g., UN, WTO, World Bank, ILO).
Possibility to be supported to apply for other Swiss National Science Foundation grants while being employed.
Project Description :
Assessing the Economic and Environmental Implications of South Africa’s Electricity Crisis
Reliable electricity is essential for modern economies (Borenstein et al 2023), yet many developing nations, including South Africa, face persistent power shortages. This project investigates South Africa's electricity crisis through three critical dimensions: analyzing root causes such as supply disruptions at power plants and external shocks (Imelda and Srinivasan, 2025); examining firm responses to these disruptions, including their adaptation strategies, the effectiveness of government support mechanisms, and societal impacts like increased crime rates (Imelda and Guo, 2025); and evaluating the broader economic and environmental implications, such as shifts in government revenue due to changes in firm profitability and the environmental trade-offs.
South Africa’s unique access to anonymized administrative tax data provides an ideal case study for micro-founded analysis with macroeconomic implications. The postdoctoral fellow will leverage this data during their one-month stay at Pretoria’s data lab before conducting further analysis remotely.
Application Procedure :
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until filled. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews (online).
A cover letter explaining your motivation for this position.
A detailed CV with a list of publications, if applicable.
A copy of a published article/chapter or thesis chapter (i.e. Job Market Paper)
A copy of your university degree certificates, alongside a copy of the official transcripts.
The name and contact details of at least two references.
We kindly ask you to submit your application file either in PDF format, in English. Experiences outside of the academic world will also be valued in the assessment of applications, and gaps in the CV due to family or health conditions will be taken into account. Members of minoritized groups in academia are strongly encouraged to apply. For any administrative questions on this position, please reach out to imelda@graduateinstitute.ch for any queries regarding the project and the scientific profile of this position.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, marital status, disability status, race, national origin, color, gender, sexual orientation or religion. Please note that offers received by post will not be considered.
Link to job posting: https://erecruit.graduateinstitute.ch/recrutement/?page=advertisement_display&id=605&lng=en