PhD scholarships in Economics at the Department of Economics, University of Southern Denmark

Applications are invited for one fully funded PhD scholarship at the Department of Economics, University of Southern Denmark. The position is based at SDU’s Esbjerg campus.

The successful candidate will be enrolled in the 5+3 PhD programme. The programme includes a research stay abroad, typically of six months’ duration, and offers a competitive full-time salary.

We aim to appoint the successful candidate as soon as possible, ideally with a start date of 15 January 2027, while remaining flexible regarding the exact timing.

About the Department and Research Environment

The Department of Economics is an international department with a strong tradition of excellence in research and teaching across a wide range of fields within economics. Research, teaching, and outreach activities are organized within five research groups: Econometrics and Data Science; Economic History; Macroeconomics; Microeconomics; and Environmental and Resource Economics. Further information about the department and its research groups is available on the department website.

The PhD student will be affiliated with the Environmental and Resource Economics (ERE) group, which focuses on Environmental and Natural resource economics on a variety of topics, namely ecosystem conservation and use, marine resource use, management and conservation, energy transitions, climate regulation, and interdisciplinary research at the interface between economics and the natural sciences. The group applies economic theory and tools to policy and analysis to provide guidance for more efficient use of environmental and natural resource goods and services.

The successful candidate will become part of an international research environment and work closely with Associate Professors Ana Faria Lopes and Melina Kourantidou. Part of the work will contribute to the BRAVE (Biological Invasions Resolved through Adaptable, Versatile, and Engaging Nature-Based Solutions) project, a Biodiversa+ -funded project that investigates the complex ecological and societal challenges associated with invasive species and their management. In particular, the research will contribute to the Danish BRAVE case study on the invasive Pacific oyster in the Wadden Sea, including work on stakeholder preferences, economic values, and trade-offs associated with its management. For further information about the project, please see this link or this link.

The project relies on the application of economic theories, namely non-market valuation and bioeconomic modelling, to investigate the management of invasive species. We welcome candidates with strong quantitative and analytical skills from economics or related disciplines, including candidates with interdisciplinary backgrounds and an interest in environmental and resource management. There will be considerable scope for the PhD student to develop their own research questions within the broader themes of the project.

The successful candidate is expected to contribute to high-quality research within the scope of the project, through both collaborative research and independent work, including a single-authored paper. In addition, the candidate will be involved in teaching and supervision within economics at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

The PhD student will be supervised by Associate Professor Ana Faria Lopes as the main supervisor and will join a research group that includes postdoctoral researcher and research assistants, with access to an international network of collaborators.

Applicants should have completed a relevant master’s degree in Environmental and Resource Management, Economics, Mathematics and Economics, or related disciplines. Furthermore, we expect applicants to:

• Have solid quantitative and analytical skills, with experience in data analysis and applied quantitative methods using R, Stata, or similar tools, and be eager to learn and apply new methods.
• Be dedicated, capable of working independently and collaboratively as part of a research team.
• Have strong English skills, both spoken and written.
• Have willingness to participate in stakeholder engagement activities and communicate research findings to different audiences.
• Have good interpersonal skills, be interested in engaging with national and international researchers.

The following qualifications are an advantage

• Have an interest in, or potentially experience with, non-market valuation, press analysis, GIS and/or bioeconomic modelling.
• Experience conducting empirical research.
• Demonstrated interest in environmental and resource economics.
• Knowledge of Danish or another Scandinavian language would be an advantage for stakeholder engagement and work with locally relevant material but is not a requirement.

We are an international department, and the working language is English.

Further information about the position can be obtained from Head of Administration Astrid Holm Nielsen, e-mail: astni@sam.sdu.dk. For general questions regarding relocation, housing, taxes etc., contact the SDU’s International Staff Office.

How to apply for this position

Employment as a paid PhD fellow takes place in accordance with the circular of 20 December 2021 on the collective agreement for academics in the state – appendix 5, protocol on PhD fellowships.

For more information on the department guidelines for qualification and recruitment please see our Appointment Guidelines.

The application must include (all attachments must be in Adobe PDF format):

• Detailed CV - the education and work history must be month and year specific.
• A certified copy of your master’s degree certificate, including transcripts of all examination results. Foreign diplomas that are not in Norwegian, Swedish or English must be accompanied by a translation into Danish or English, as well as a translation of the official description of the marking scale used.
• A motivational letter describing why the applicant is a good match for analyzing the topic and how the applicant’s skills provide a solid foundation to do so (max. 5 pages incl. reference list).
• A project description (max 5 pages of 2400 characters each, including spaces, notes, appendices, bibliography etc.).
• When applying for a PhD scholarship, please fill in the application form available on our web page.

On the webpage of the PhD-school, you can find the guidelines for preparing your project proposal.

All non-Danish documents must be translated into English.

Applications will be assessed by an assessment committee. The committee may request additional information, and if so, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the necessary material.

Once the assessment committee has submitted its report, the applicant will receive the portion of the evaluation that pertains to them.

Applications that are incomplete regarding the above requirements will not be assessed by the committee.

Shortlisting and tests may be used in the assessment process.

As part of the overall assessment of the applicant’s qualifications, an interview may be applied.

Documents should not contain a CPR number (civil registration number) – in this case, the CPR number must be crossed out.

The application and CV must not exceed 10 MB.

The application deadline is November 15, 2026, 23.59 CET/CEST.

Applications must be submitted electronically using the link "Apply online". Uploaded files must be in Adobe PDF (unlocked) or Word format.

We recommend that you read the guideline for applicants. If you experience technical problems, you must contact hcm-support@sdu.dk before the application deadline.

The University of Southern Denmark wishes to reflect the surrounding community and therefore encourages everyone, regardless of personal background, to apply for the position.

Salary and employment terms

Salary is determined in accordance with the applicable collective agreement and based on objective and gender-neutral criteria, including the content of the position, responsibilities, and qualification requirements.

As an applicant, you are entitled to information about the starting salary and salary range for the position. This information will be provided during the recruitment process.

SDU does not collect information on applicants’ previous salary.