Doctoral position: Innovation economics and policy for climate resilience
Immigration Policy Lab
Doctoral position: Innovation economics and policy for climate resilience
100%, Zurich, fixed-term
ETH Zurich’s Energy and Technology Policy Group (EPG) is looking for a doctoral student working on the role of knowledge and innovation for economic resilience in the context of climate change. Led by Prof. Tobias Schmidt and Prof. Bjarne Steffen, EPG is an interdisciplinary research group investigating the role of public policy in technological change.
Project background
The research will be part of the recently established National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) CLIM+: Climate Extremes and Society: Strengthening Resilience. The NCCR CLIM+ supports Switzerland in the transformation towards a climate-resilient society. Together with stakeholders, the interdisciplinary NCCR CLIM+ research community tackles unexplored solution spaces to the climate crisis and develops a blueprint for actionable climate research worldwide. NCCR CLIM+ broadly communicates and shares knowledge, and trains a new generation of experts with the necessary domain and transdisciplinary knowledge.
Job description
We offer a full doctoral student position in our research group. The doctorate will be conducted within the Einstein School’s doctoral program and is expected to be completed within 3 years.
On the content and methods of the doctorate:
- Increasing climate extremes create substantial risks for economies worldwide, including indirect impacts related to finance and supply chains
- Policymakers need to anticipate how supply chain disruptions could affect industries and countries differently
- One important question we plan to address is how localization of knowledge can help address foreign supply shocks for strategic technologies, for instance energy technologies
- To this end, the doctoral student will conduct empirical studies with patents and other innovation data
- You will collaborate with our team that has deep expertise in both innovation economics/innovation studies and in public policy design
- The project aims to provide policy advice on how to enhance the resilience of economies in light of climate change and other global challenges
Profile
- Applicants should hold (or be close to finishing) a master’s degree in economics or in management with interest in innovation/technologies, in innovation studies, industrial engineering, public policy, or a related discipline. Interdisciplinary candidates are welcome
- You should be dedicated to scientifically rigorous work that at the same time is relevant to decision makers in the public and private sectors
- Your working style is team-oriented and you are proficient in English
Workplace
Workplace
We offer
- An entrepreneurial research atmosphere within a dynamic team at continental Europe’s leading research university
- Candidates will have the opportunity to contribute to EPG’s research agenda and are encouraged to co-advice master’s students
- As a member of ETH’s Albert Einstein School of Public Policy, our group benefits from frequent interactions with policy makers; within the NCCR Clim+ we work with leading Swiss research institutions.
- As a group, we collaborate with other prominent national and international academic and policy institutions (e.g., CMCC, the MIT, Princeton University, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and the World Economic Forum).
The position is based in Zurich, Switzerland, where our offices are located very centrally. The starting date is negotiable in Q2 (preferable) or Q3 2026.
We value diversity and sustainability
Curious? So are we.
We look forward to receiving your online application including
- A letter of motivation
- Your CV
- Contact information of two references (no recommendation letters required at this point)
- Your university diplomas or transcripts, and a sample of your written work (e.g. the master’s thesis, a seminar paper, the bachelor thesis).
Please indicate in the letter of motivation what starting date would be possible for you. The NCCR CLIM+ strives to implement equal opportunity at hiring. At NCCR CLIM+ we believe that diversity of thought, background and experience creates better research.
All nationals can apply, an existing work permit for Switzerland is not required at time of application. Note that for being employed at ETH Zurich, the official place of residence must be in Switzerland upon starting the position. We exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. The review of applications will start on April 13, 2026. The position will remain open until it is filled. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Prof. Bjarne Steffen by email: bjarne.steffen@gess.ethz.ch (no applications by e-mail, and please carefully read the job ad before reaching out).
We would like to point out that the pre-selection is carried out by the responsible recruiters and not by artificial intelligence.