Doctoral Student in the Agricultural Economics and Policy …, Zürich (Kreis 11)

The Agricultural Economics and Policy Group led by Robert Finger is looking for a doctoral (PhD) student with a background in agricultural economics for the topic of the economics and policy of climate change mitigation in Swiss agriculture. This 4-year position is funded in the project Pathways to a Net-Zero Target for Hard-to-Abate Swiss Emissions.

Project background The ACHIEVE project brings together 29 member entities and 27 collaboration partners from research, industry, and the public sector, who work alongside stakeholders from civil society, politics, and industry to develop net‑zero strategies for Switzerland and make recommendations for a policy framework. The Agricultural Economics and Policy Group is leading a work package in ACHIEVE on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Swiss agri‑food systems.

The doctoral student will focus on the economic, policy, and behavioural aspects of climate change mitigation in Swiss agriculture. You will conduct a choice experiment with farmers, analyse survey and secondary data, test the efficacy and efficiency of different policy instruments, and investigate farmers' behaviour and management decisions in the context of climate change mitigation. Your work will combine data collection, data analysis, interaction with farmers and stakeholders, and economic theory. As you will be leading survey and experiment tasks with Swiss farmers, proficiency (C1) in German or French is required. You will collaborate with other doctoral students, postdocs, and researchers in the project, in our group, and other groups. You will be supervised by Robert Finger. Your project and doctorate are scheduled for four years.

Job description

Conduct a survey and a choice experiment

Analyse survey and secondary data

Interact with farmers and stakeholders

Collaborate with other researchers in the project and in our group

Supervise master and bachelor students

Complete PhD level courses helpful for the project (18 ECTS)

Full‑time position starting in the last quarter (October to December) 2026

Doctorate duration scheduled and financed for four years

Profile

Master's degree (or close to completion) in Agricultural Economics or a related discipline

Strong analytical and writing skills and ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment

Proficiency (C1) in German or French required

We offer

A productive, welcoming and friendly working environment

Opportunities to take courses at PhD level and for continuous training

Highly supportive and personalized mentoring and guidance

Competitive salary according to ETH standards (fully funded, full‑time, fixed term position for four years), and social benefits

An interdisciplinary, international, and diverse team of talents and a stimulating, vibrant, collaborative research group

Strong connections with academic partners and stakeholders in the agri‑food system

Strong support for career development in academia, industry, or administration

We value diversity and sustainability In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity, and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us– we are consistently working towards a climate‑neutral future.

Curious? So are we.

We look forward to receiving your application with the following documents as a single PDF:

A cover letter

CV

Contact details of two referees (but no letters)

Transcripts of academic records

The preferred start date is in the last quarter of 2026. The deadline for applications is June 26, 2026.

Further information about our group can be found on our website. Questions regarding the position should be directed to Nadine Wacha ()– no applications. Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

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