ETH Zürich PhD Scholarship in Agricultural Economics and Climate Policy

ETH Zürich offers a fully funded four-year PhD scholarship within its Agricultural Economics and Policy Group, led by Professor Robert Finger. The position is embedded in the ACHIEVE Project — 'Pathways to a Net-Zero Target for Hard-to-Abate Swiss Emissions' — a major national research initiative involving 29 member entities, 27 collaboration partners, and stakeholders from the public sector, industry, and civil society. The doctoral researcher will investigate climate change mitigation in Swiss agri-food systems, focusing on agricultural economics, farmer behavioural responses to climate policy, and the effectiveness of policy instruments. Research activities include designing and conducting farmer surveys and behavioural choice experiments, analyzing primary and secondary datasets, engaging with policymakers and agricultural stakeholders, and collaborating with interdisciplinary international research teams. The candidate will also supervise bachelor and master's students and complete 18 ECTS of PhD-level coursework. The position is based in Zürich, Switzerland, and provides full funding, a competitive ETH Zürich salary, mentorship, career development support, and international collaboration opportunities. The application deadline is 26 June 2026. The scholarship is open to candidates globally across all continents.

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in agricultural economics, economics, environmental economics, or a related field
• Strong background in quantitative methods and data analysis
• Interest in climate policy, sustainability, and agri-food systems
• Ability to conduct surveys, choice experiments, and behavioural research
• Good written and spoken English skills
• Motivation to work in an interdisciplinary and international research environment
• graduate students with economics or agricultural economics background
• early-career researchers in climate policy
• candidates interested in sustainability and agri-food systems
• quantitative researchers