Postdoctoral Fellow in Development Economics

The Department of Economics of the University of Zurich is seeking to fill a Postdoctoral position for a one-year contract, with the possibility to renew, starting September 2026 at the latest. The successful applicant will have the unique opportunity to be part of the Lemann Center for Education, Development and Public Policy, which will be led by Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics and are global leaders in development economics.

Your responsibilities:
Through the Lemann Center, the Department of Economics is partnering with the Alliance for Data, Evaluation, and Policy Training (ADEPT) to establish innovative new graduate-level programs that blend in-person teaching with online courses in the J-PAL/MITx Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP) MicroMasters program. The focus of this position is to spearhead the development and launch of these programs, in close coordination with Professors Esther Duflo (MIT/UZH), Sara Fisher Ellison (MIT), and Dina Pomeranz (UZH), and the ADEPT/UZH Economics teams. In addition, the successful candidate will support other ADEPT university partnerships in the region and elsewhere.

Responsibilities may include:

• Co-design and help launch UZH-based programs

• Curriculum design for new graduate-level programs offered through the UZH Economics department for students and policymakers
• Oversee logistical and operational requirements to launch the new UZH-based programs, including navigating national and university regulatory requirements, obtaining university approvals, advertising, admissions setup, and more
• Assist in the organization of and teach courses at UZH and elsewhere for students, policymakers, and early career researchers. The courses may range from one-week courses for working professionals to semester-long classes in the Economics department.

• Support other activities led by ADEPT and the Lemann Center

• Develop new teaching materials in policy design and evaluation
• Direct support to faculty and departments at ADEPT partner universities designing new programs similar to those at UZH
• Contribute to research projects as they come up through the Lemann Center
• Other responsibilities as needed to advance the programs and work of the Lemann Center.

Approximately 80% of the postdoc’s time will be dedicated towards these activities, with the remaining 20% for independent research projects.

Your profile:
Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in Economics or a related field with PhD-level economics coursework and an interest in development economics, education, or public policy. We are looking for someone who is passionate about teaching with solid experience in educational practice and developing new teaching materials. Candidates should demonstrate strong coordination skills and a commitment to impactful, policy-relevant research. We are looking for a dynamic, self-motivated individual who is passionate about thinking creatively about global capacity building to help develop and launch these programs.

Professional working proficiency in English is required. Knowledge of German is an advantage but not a requirement.

We offer:
The Department of Economics offers an exciting research environment and competitive terms and conditions. Diversity and inclusion are important to us.

Place of work:
University of Zurich, Zürichbergstrasse, Zürich

Application procedure:
Complete applications including a cover letter, CV, job market paper, and at least 3 letters of recommendation will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting December 10th, 2025. Interviews will be conducted online starting in mid December. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Applications should be submitted online through EJM.

Further information:
For further information, please contact Sarah Kopper by email ([email protected]).