Postdoc Position Post doc position on inclusion of norms and values in economic modelling

A Postdoctoral Fellow position is available at theEconomics department of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam starting from Spring 2024. Are you interested? Please apply at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Location: AMSTERDAM
FTE: 1 

In mainstream economic models, consumers maximize utility subject to a monetary budget constraint. However, as is well-known, people are affected by much more than monetary constraints. Hence, this research aims to broaden the scope of welfare economic models to include non-monetary and non-material “circumstances”, which may be constraints or opportunities. This will allow to represent interactions between people based on norms and values in addition to those based on anonymous market transactions. The framework could then be used to balance policies aimed at empowering vulnerable groups with preserving social fabric. The aim is to show that standard welfare economic models are a special case of the general framework. Expected scientific output include a literature review on norms and values in economics, and extended welfare model paper (submitted to peer reviewed journal), a second theoretical paper, extending framework to dynamic setting (submitted to peer reviewed journal). Cooperation with a PhD student and another Post Doc researcher focusing on empirical applications may lead to additional output.

The Post Doc will be part of the Amsterdam Centre for World Food Studies and embedded within the Development Economics group at the department of Economics of the School of Business and Economics. This group is a highly international, interdisciplinary working environment, while the affiliation with ACWFS allows access to a broad range of researchers at SBE, but also in the Faculties of Science and Humanities.

• Candidates hold a PhD in the field of mathematical economics, with a focus on welfare modelling and a proven interest and ability to work in interdisciplinary teams.

On full-time basis (40 hours/week) the salary amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €3,226 (scale 10) and a maximum €4.332 (scale 10), depending on your education and experience.

The initial employment contract will affect a period of 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a total duration of 26 months.

Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• contribution to commuting expenses
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. We strive to be a university where personal development and commitment to society play a leading role. A university where people from different disciplines and backgrounds collaborate to achieve innovations and to generate new knowledge. Our teaching and research encompass the entire spectrum of academic endeavor – from the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 31,000 students. We employ over 5,000 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible and located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
We are an inclusive university community. Diversity is one of our most important values. We believe that engaging in international activities and welcoming students and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds enhances the quality of our education and research. We are always looking for people who can enrich our world with their own unique perspectives and experiences.

School of Business and Economics
The School of Business and Economics (SBE) provides high-quality education and excellent research in business administration and economics with a focus on contributing to the social, economic and ecological challenges of our time. Whether it is the use of robots in society or big data, labour market participation or flexibility in the labour market, traffic jams or the housing market, flash crashes in the stock market or choice behaviour in gambling, leadership or change management: we believe in goal-oriented scientific research and understand that progress in academics, the business community and society is achieved through cooperation, openness and social responsibility.

At SBE, all of our highly-motivated colleagues work together closely in a stimulating, dynamic and international environment to achieve our collective goal of encouraging society to make informed choices. Approximately 7,000 Bachelor’s and Master’s students and 1,700 executive students are enrolled at the School, and employs roughly 600 people.

Are you interested in this position? Please apply via the application button and upload your curriculum vitae, a personal motivation, research statement and two reference letters until February 15, 2024. Rolling submission until position filled. Strong preferences will be given to applications received before February 1, 2024

Submitting a diploma is part of the application process.

Applications received by e-mail will not be processed.

Vacancy questions
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy, you may contact:

Name: Dr Lia van Wesenbeeck
Position: Associate professor of development economics, Director ACWFS
E-mail: [email protected]

No agencies