PhD project in Econometrics, Statistics or Operations Research

Introduction

The Econometric Institute has open PhD projects available for two highly motivated candidates. 

Job description

The Econometric Institute is one of the leading research groups in econometrics in Europe. The group has an opening for a PhD candidate in the broader field of econometrics, statistics or operations research. The topic of the PhD project will be decided based on the candidate’s interest and profile. The chosen topic should fit into the group’s research expertise, which includes, but is not limited to, business analytics, data science, financial econometrics, operations research and statistics. The (co)promoter of the PhD project will be decided based on the chosen topic.

We offer an international and friendly study and research environment. PhD students are employees of the department and therefore enjoy full employment benefits, including a competitive salary. Recent graduates from Econometric Institute are placed in well-recognized universities, research institutes or industrial firms
worldwide.

Job requirements

 General Requirements:

• MPhil or Research Master’s degree in Economics or Econometrics is preferred
  • Candidates with an MSc or MA degree are required to successfully complete 1 year of courses at the graduate school they are part of (Research Qualifications at the Tinbergen Institute or courses at ERIM)
• Excellent study results for both the bachelor and master’s degree
• Interest in and strong motivation for scientific research explained in a statement of purpose.
• GRE test is required for all entering PhD students. Valid GRE (revised) General Test results are required from all PhD applicants (all 3 sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing). Successful applicants typically perform among the top-10% of test-takers on the quantitative part of the GRE; applicants with a Q score below 160 will not be considered.
• Excellent command of English. Applicants whose native language is not English are therefore required to demonstrate English proficiency by:
  – proof that the language of instruction of their entire university education (bachelor and master programme) was English, or;
  – scoring at least 100 on the TOEFL iBT test or 7.5 on the IELTS test.
• Two (academic) reference letters, preferably from a thesis supervisor or research project supervisor
• Curriculum Vitae

Besides these requirements, we are looking for a highly motivated candidate who intends to pursue an academic career in econometrics or economics. Potential candidates should have a strong background in econometrics and/or statistics with sufficient knowledge in economics and programming. The candidate is expected to have a master's degree in econometrics or statistics with excellent grades.

Employment conditions and benefits

We offer you an internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with excellent working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU).

The start date of this position is 1 September 2025 and you will be based at Erasmus School of Economics (ESE). This position is for 1 fte. The salary ranges from a minimum of € 2.901 to a maximum of € 3.707 gross per month on a fulltime basis (38 hours), in accordance with the CAO-NU. The PhD track lasts 3 (following an MPhil or Research Master) or 4 years (following an MSc). In both cases the contract can be extended with an additional year in case the PhD candidate has the ambition and possibilities for an academic career. The intitial contract is entered into for the duration of 18 months.

Everything else we offer you, you can find below!

-        Everything you need for a good work-life balance: the option to work from home in consultation with your manager, 41 days of paid leave with a 40 hour contract, 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a significant discount on a subscription for our on-campus sports centre!

-        Sustainable, inclusive and diverse work environment with an open culture, where you can be yourself and we pay attention to each other and to the world around us. Make the most of our bicycle budget, or join networks such as Young@EUR, FAME or QuEUR.

-        Time and space for your development in the broadest sense: development days and a personal career budget and free access to our university library.

-        Good pension with ABP that EUR contributes 2/3rds towards, discounts on various collective insurances with Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Loyalis, and Allianz, and compensation for travel, working from home and home internet use.

-        Are you currently combining your job with parenthood, or do you want to do so in the future? EUR offers partially paid parental leave and fully paid additional birth leave for partners, and our campus features a daycare (daycare not paid for by EUR).

-        Moving to the Netherlands for your job with EUR? Then you may be eligible for the 30%-ruling if you meet the requirements of the Belastingdienst (Dutch tax agency), and with our Dual Career Programme we will also help your partner find the right job for them.

Employer

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 4.100 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.

Faculty / Institute / Central service

Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) is one of the largest schools of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) with over 7000 students and 340 fte staff. Its history goes back to 1913. The persistent focus on quality of education and research has made ESE a school with a strong international reputation. The school consists of four capacity groups: business economics, general economics, applied economics and econometrics.

Group

The Econometric Institute is one of the leading research groups in econometrics in Europe

Graduate school

Depending on the candidate’s interest the project can be affiliated  with either ERIM (for a Research in Management approach) or Tinbergen Institute (for an Economics and Econometrics approach).

Applicants for this project need to pass the Erasmus School of Economics admission requirements before they can be considered for a PhD position at Erasmus School of Economics and one of their graduate schools.

Note that for both ESE and the graduate schools a valid GRE from all applicants is required. More information about these tests is available online. Be aware that available seats for these tests fill up very fast so book your test well in advance

Additional information

The supervision of the PhD candidate will be decided based on the chosen topic.

Recruitment Committee
Prof. dr. Richard Paap - paap@ese.eur.nl
Dr. Wendun Wang - wang@ese.eur.nl

Applying

We are looking forward to your application. Applications will be reviewed by the supervisors and recruitment committees. An interview could be part of the application process. Kindly note that we can only accept applications containing all the required documents and information. We look forward to receiving your application.

Persons of all gender identities or expressions, sexual orientations, religions, ethnicities, ages, neurodiversities, functional impairments, citizenships, or any other aspect are welcome to apply and join the EUR community.

For questions regarding the application procedure please contact Lindsey Pijpers (PhD Officer) at doctoraloffice@ese.eur.nl