Predoctoral Fellow in Labor Economics

The position
The successful candidates will work closely in all stages of research with Fabrizio Colella, Rafael Lalive, and Josef Zweimüller on various labor economics projects related to discrimination, migration, occupational mobility, and skill requirements. Projects may also involve collaboration with coauthors such as Christian Dustmann (University College London), David Card (UC Berkeley), and Philipp Kircher (Cornell).

The position provides an excellent opportunity to acquire hands-on experience performing state-of-the-art research in applied economics. The Research Fellows will be involved in different stages of research, including brainstorming, data manipulation, data analysis, literature review, and manuscript editing, and will receive support for future career development. Previous Fellows have gone on to attend PhD programs at UC Berkeley, the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), USI Lugano, the University of Lausanne, and the University of Bern.

What we offer

• A diverse array of on-the-job learning opportunities and guidance from faculty mentors within a stimulating and interdisciplinary academic setting.
• The chance to contribute to research projects alongside a team of young researchers.
• Exposure to academic life through seminars and reading groups.
• Office space, university IT infrastructure access, and support for future PhD applications.
• Salary range (60%–80%): 37,000–48,800 CHF/year (≈ $46,000–$62,500 USD/year)

The ideal candidate

• Has completed, or is in the process of completing, an M.Sc. in Economics or other quantitative fields (including Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, and more).
• Has a long-term interest in pursuing academic research in economics or data analysis.
• Has strong intrinsic motivation, a cooperative attitude, and the ability to work independently.
• Possesses strong computer and analytical skills. Knowledge of programming languages and statistical software such as Stata, R, or Python, and experience with text analysis is a plus.

If you are interested, please apply and upload your CV, academic transcripts, and other supporting documents by May 10th using the following link: https://usi.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_41OkXu3dCxp2Y9o 

Reference Letters are optional. Letter writers will be contacted by us via email and asked to upload the letter to our application portal. Invitations for online interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis starting May 5th, 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds who share our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

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