Research Officer- ESRI Taxation, Welfare and Pensions Research Programme

7 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

The Economic and Social Research Institute

Department

HR

Research Field

Economics » Other

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Ireland

Application Deadline

22 Mar 2024 - 17:00 (Europe/Dublin)

Type of Contract

Other

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

35

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

Yes

Offer Description

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) invites applications from microeconomists for the position of Research Officer working on the microeconomic analysis of public policy issues as part of the Taxation, Welfare and Pensions Research Programme. To be considered for appointment as Research Officer, a candidate must have:

(a) a Ph.D. in economics, Social Policy (or equivalent relevant experience);

(b) capacity to undertake independent research in the areas of tax and welfare, demonstrated by an existing publication record and/or publication pipeline. Research Officer is a tenure-track post, comparable to University Lecturer/Assistant Professor level.

The Institute

The ESRI, founded in 1960, is located in Dublin’s South Docklands area. Our mission is to produce high quality research, relevant to Ireland’s economic and social development, with the aim of contributing to knowledge and informing policymaking and public debate. We have over 100 staff including economists, sociologists and other social scientists, in addition to support and technical staff.

The Taxation, Pension and Welfare Research Programme at the ESRI

The ESRI undertakes a major programme of research on Taxation, Welfare and Pensions. SWITCH (Simulating Welfare and Income Tax Changes), the ESRI’s microsimulation model, is continually developed and maintained as part of the programme and used to analyse a wide range of public policy issues including direct and indirect taxes, welfare policy, pensions and income-related entitlements to health services. Model-based analyses examine the cost, distributional, behavioural and incentive implications of alternative policy reforms and help to identify the impact of budgetary policies. Publications are also focussed on the area of inequality and poverty research. As publication of the findings is prioritized, results are published and disseminated in both academic and policy-related fora. Presentation of papers at national and international conferences is encouraged.

Role Description

The successful applicant will join an expanding team of economists working on a range of public policy issues, including taxation, welfare, pensions and inequality as well as aspects of health and childcare policy.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Work on the maintenance and development of the ESRI’s and the European Commission’s tax-benefit models;
• Leading and contributing to co-authored policy reports and academic journal articles;
• Provision of training, support and modelling assistance to external model users in relevant government departments;
• Interaction with funding departments in terms of research objectives.

There will also be opportunities to contribute to the development of new research projects and to other areas of Institute research, in line with their skills and funding opportunities.

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

Applicants should have a strong background in microeconomics and microsimulation modelling. Successful candidate (s) will have:

• A PhD in Economics, Social Policy or a related discipline;
• 4 years post-doctoral experience or equivalent;
• Excellent skills in Stata;
• An interest in taxation and welfare policy;
• An interest in microsimulation modelling;
• Peer-reviewed academic publications and/or pipeline of expected future publications;
• Advanced training and significant experience in microsimulation modelling;
• Strong skills in writing and presentation;
• Excellent interpersonal, teamwork and communication skills;
• Client relationship management skills;
• Proven ability to work successfully under tight deadlines;
• Flexibility and capacity to contribute to other areas of ESRI research.

Computer programming skills, experience of microsimulation modelling and knowledge of Python would be an advantage.

Location

ESRI, Whitaker Square, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2. Applicants should note that staff have the option of working remotely from their home in Ireland on a ‘blended’ basis with a minimum requirement of one day per week (or as business requires) based in the ESRI office. The arrangement is running on a pilot basis. Full details will be provided at interview.

Terms & Application Procedure

Appointment will be at Research Officer grade. A mapping of ESRI grades to the corresponding grades in the Irish University system is set out below. Appointments at Research Officer are normally made on five-year, fixed-term contracts and basic starting salary for new entrants to the Irish public service will be €59,370, which is the first point of the salary scale. Benefits include 30 days’ paid annual leave, membership of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme and additional non-pensionable pay of 7% of basic salary.  The successful candidate will be eligible for tenure, subject to assessment.

The role is full-time (35 hours per week - standard working hours are 0930 - 1730, Monday – Friday; flexible working hours are supported). The appointee will also hold an adjunct position at Trinity College Dublin. Secondment arrangements may be considered for eligible candidates. Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact [email protected] for further information on the terms and conditions of this position.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on 22 March 2024.All applications will be acknowledged. The selection process will consist of a preliminary interview and, for candidates successful at that stage, a final interview and presentation. The preliminary stage of the selection process will be held via videoconference and the final stage may be held in person. Late or incomplete applications will not be processed . 

The ESRI is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to accommodating the needs of people with disabilities to enable them to participate in the selection process. Please let us know if you have any requirements should you be invited for assessment/interview or that you wish us to account for when considering your application.

ESRI Grade	University Grade	TCD Adjunct Titles
Research Officer	College Lecturer	Adjunct Assistant Professor
Senior Research Officer	Senior Lecturer	Adjunct Associate Professor
Associate Research Professor	Associate Professor	Adjunct Professor
Research Professor	Professor	Adjunct Professor

 

Requirements

Research Field

Economics » Other

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Research Field

Economics » Other

Years of Research Experience

4 - 10

Additional Information

Website for additional job details

https://www.esri.ie/careers

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

ESRI – The Economic & Social Research Institute

Country

Ireland

State/Province

Dublin

City

Dublin

Postal Code

D02K138

Street

Whitaker Square, Sir John Rogerson's Quay

Where to apply

Website

https://www.esri.ie/careers

Contact

State/Province

Dublin

City

Dublin

Website

https://www.esri.ie/careers/current

Street

Whitaker Sq, Sir John Rogersons Quay

Postal Code

D02K138

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED