PhD Position in Economics - NLP-Based Analysis of Energy Policy-Related Public Opinions
Are you interested in developing solutions for a more sustainable energy future? Do you enjoy working in an exciting and dynamic environment? The Institute of Climate and Energy Systems – Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2) conducts research on the long-term characteristics of socio-technical energy systems in the context of transformation and innovation. As part of an interdisciplinary team, we develop approaches to examine the socio-economic aspects of technological development and its interactions with the environment, the economy, and society.
The project focuses on the continuous, systematic collection and analysis of public opinion and sentiment on energy policy issues. Together with project partners from various fields, we are developing a software-based information system that maps societal discourses and emerging trends and supports decision-makers in assessing current public sentiment and prioritizing appropriate courses of action.
Your Job
The focus of this work is on identifying and specifying groups of actors relevant to energy policy, taking into account explanatory approaches from economic theory, as well as on translating the information obtained into specifications that can be used by a natural language processing-based analysis tool. The analysis tool is being developed in collaboration with interdisciplinary project partners. The results from the tool are to be further processed using multi-criteria analysis, taking into account actor-specific characteristics. The findings from the multi-criteria analyses should be contextualized, evaluated from ethical and transparency-related perspectives, and translated into actionable conclusions for policymakers, the business sector, and civil society.
As part of the Spatial Economics team, which conducts research in the field of economic and social sciences on the transformation of the energy system, you will support the research staff in the following activities:
- You will conduct literature reviews and summarize your findings in writing and orally
- You will research, describe, and analyze information about specific groups of stakeholders using empirical quantitative and qualitative methods
- You will publish your findings in peer-reviewed journals and at conferences
- You will participate in team meetings and project meetings
Your Profile
- You have successfully completed a master’s degree in economics with honors and are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in economics
- You are interested in the challenges of the energy transition and its economic consequences
- You are a quick learner and have the ability to analyze complex issues and address them creatively
- You are a strong team player, have high self-organizational skills, and are highly motivated
- Fluent English, both written and spoken (C1/C2 level according to the CEFR), ideally supported by a certificate confirming the language level)
Our Benefits for You
- Team & Environment: You will work in a motivated team with an international and interdisciplinary focus – at one of the largest research institutions in Europe
- Research & Infrastructure: You will have access to excellent scientific and technical facilities for your work
- Networking & Exchange: You will participate in (international) conferences and project meetings and actively build your scientific network
- Supervision & Support: We will accompany your doctoral studies with continuous, expert guidance from your academic supervisor
- Work-life balance: We offer flexible working hours to help you balance your professional and personal life. You also have the option of flexible working (in terms of location), which is generally possible after consultation and in line with upcoming tasks and (on-site) appointments
- Annual Leave: You get 30 days of annual leave
- Knowledge & Development: Your professional development is important to us – we support you specifically and individually e.g., through training and networking opportunities specifically for doctoral candidates (JuDocS)
- Successful start: It is important to us that you quickly settle into the team and are given structured training for your tasks. We also support you from the very beginning and make your start easier with our Welcome Days and Welcome Guide
- Fair remuneration: Depending on your qualifications and assigned responsibilities, you will be classified according to pay group 13 (75%) of the TVöD-Bund. In addition to the basic salary, there is an additional year-end bonus under the collective pay agreement amounting to 75%
- Fixed-term: The position is limited to 3 years
- Support for international employees: Our International Advisory Service makes it easier for international employees to get started
In addition to exciting tasks and a collegial working environment, we offer you much more: https://go.fzj.de/benefits
We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e.g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.
The following links provide further information on diversity and equal opportunities: https://go.fzj.de/equality and on specific support options for women: https://go.fzj.de/womens-job-journey. International applicants can find more information here: https://go.fzj.de/job-journey-internationals
Index number: 2026D-0801
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