Postdoctoral Researcher in Econometrics and Causal Inference

Job description
The position is a three-year postdoctoral position at the Department of Economics, Econometrics and Finance, funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) project Evaluation of Policy Interventions on Societal Inequality.
What are you going to do?
The project develops new econometric methods to evaluate the distributional effects of policy interventions, building on distribution regression and difference-in-differences methods, with particular attention to machine-learning methods and valid statistical inference. The postdoctoral researcher will also apply these methods to study socioeconomic inequalities, including inequalities in health over the life course. The research will be carried out in close collaboration with Prof. Aico van Vuuren and Prof. Gerard J. van den Berg at the University of Groningen, as well as with other members of the international research team.

Requirements
You are someone with:
A PhD in economics, econometrics, statistics, or a related quantitative field.
A strong background in econometrics and causal inference.
An interest in methodological econometric research, as evidenced by research papers in this field.
Experience with, or a strong interest in, machine-learning methods.
Strong programming skills.
Good communication and presentation skills and the ability to work in an international research team.
Experience with distribution regression, difference-in-differences methods, high-dimensional econometrics, or empirical health applications is an advantage.

Conditions of employment
Fixed-term
contract
: A fixed-term contract of 1.0 FTE for the duration of 3 years.
The preferred starting date is 1 September 2027.
What can you expect from us?
232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38-hour workweek (1.0 FTE). You can also work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours. For example, with a 40-hour workweek, you save 96 extra free hours, and with a 36-hour workweek, you lose 96 hours.
End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 8% holiday allowance.
Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.

Employer
University of Groningen
At the University of Groningen (UG), researchers from all fields of academia and technology are working on academic challenges and societal questions. Lecturers prepare their students for meaningful careers within or outside the academic world. Interdisciplinary research and teaching, sharing of knowledge, collaboration with businesses, government institutions, and societal organizations are aspects that are of the utmost importance to this European top university. The UG aims to be an open academic community with an inclusive and safe working climate that invites you to add your value.

Department
Faculty of Economics and Business
Shaping a better future together – your career starts at FEB
The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at the University of Groningen is a vibrant academic community with a clear mission: to develop knowledge that matters. With students and staff from over 100 countries, we foster an international working and learning environment where societal impact, world-class research, and innovation are at the core.
At FEB, you’ll join committed colleagues who inspire and challenge one another. Whether you're a researcher, lecturer, or support professional, your skills and ambition will contribute to educating tomorrow’s leaders and thinkers. We encourage personal development and provide plenty of room for initiative and growth.
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The postdoctoral researcher will be embedded in the Econometrics group. Research in the group combines methodological developments in econometrics with empirical applications, including causal inference, distributional methods, labour and health economics, and policy evaluation.