Project staff member (pre-doc)

  • Vienna University of Economics and Business
  • Research, development, teaching
  • Part time
  • published till: 2026-05-06

You want to understand how things are connected and make a fundamental impact? We offer an environment where you can realize your full potential. At one of Europe’s largest and most modern business and economics universities. On a campus where quality of work is also quality of life. We are looking for support at the

Research Institute for Economics of Inequality
Part-time, 30 hours/week
Starting August 01, 2026, and ending after 2 years
 
You want to exploit linked employer-employee administrative data to estimate firm-level drivers of wage inequality? Join the RentINEQ project to pursue a research-focused PhD, analyzing rent sharing and monopsony power in an active applied micro group with no teaching obligations.

What to expect

The Research Institute Economics of Inequality (INEQ) at WU Vienna is seeking a PhD Researcher to join the ÖAW funded project lead by Emanuel List, PhD and Lukas Lehner, PhD: “RentINEQ Rent Sharing Inequality and Wage Differentials”. The project will provide empirical evidence on the firm-level drivers of wage inequality in Austria, examining the mechanisms through which rent sharing, monopsony power, and bargaining structures shape the relationship between productivity and wage outcomes.

The successful candidate will work extensively with access to high-quality Austrian administrative data via the Austrian Micro Data Centre (AMDC), exploiting a comprehensive linked employer-employee dataset that covers the entire Austrian economy. While collaborating closely with the project leaders, the researcher is expected to drive empirical work independently and take ownership of specific research tasks.

As a PhD Researcher, the candidate will pursue a doctoral degree at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU Vienna) without teaching obligations, integrating into an active research community at the INEQ institute, which comprises approximately 15 economists.

Tasks

  • Engaging with the relevant applied microeconomics literature and developing empirical research designs leveraging Austrian administrative data.
  • Drafting and co-authoring academic research papers targeted at peer-reviewed economics journals.
  • Presenting research findings at internal seminars, academic workshops, and international conferences.
  • Writing a dissertation: You will be investigating your research topic and spending a third of your working hours on writing your dissertation.

What you have to offer

  • Academic degree: You have a diploma/master’s degree in Economics or a closely related quantitative discipline that qualifies you for enrollment in a doctoral program at WU.
  • A strong foundation in applied microeconometrics and empirical research methods.
  • Advanced proficiency in R for data management and econometric analysis, coupled with a commitment to writing clean, well-documented, and reproducible code.
  • A strong, demonstrated interest in labor economics and wage inequality.
  • A rigorous, detail-oriented approach to empirical work and the capacity to drive research tasks independently.

What we offer you

  • Six weeks of vacation/Extra vacation time
  • Flexible working hours
  • Training opportunities
  • A wide range of benefits, from an in-house medical officer to athletic activities and a meal allowance to a variety of employee discounts
  • Meaningful work in an open-minded, inclusive, and family-friendly environment
  • A modern campus with spectacular architecture in the heart of Vienna
  • Inspiring campus life with over 2,400 employees in research, teaching, and administration and approximately 21,500 students
  • Excellent accessibility by public transportation
  • A two-year, fixed-term contract (30 hours/week) starting August 1, 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter, with the possibility of an extension conditional on successful grant capture.
  • Access to high-quality administrative data for Austria.
  • A fully equipped workspace and integration into the active research community at the INEQ institute (WU Vienna).
  • Dedicated mentorship and academic guidance for pursuing a PhD and advancing a research career in economics.

Should you have any questions regarding the role or the broader research agenda, please feel free to reach out via email to emanuel.list@wu.ac.at.

Curious? Visit our website and find out more at www.wu.ac.at/benefits

The minimum monthly gross salary amounts to €2,832.08 (14 times per year). This salary may be adjusted based on job-related prior work experience. In addition, we offer a wide range of attractive social benefits.

Do you want to join the WU team?
Then please submit your application by May 06, 2026 (ID 2740).
We are looking forward to hearing from you!