The Department of Economics at the University of Bologna is currently inviting applications for up to three pre-doctoral positions to work on topics related to the economics of climate change and the low-carbon transition.
Job description
The postholders will participate in the activities of the BELIEFS research project (ERC Consolidator Grant n. 101170509). The project investigates the behavioral macroeconomics of the low-carbon transition. The main objectives of the project are to: (i) provide new empirical evidence on the transition-related beliefs of firms and policy makers; (ii) understand how beliefs and expectations influence investment decisions, policy choices and the overall dynamics of the transition; and (iii) identify effective political and institutional strategies to align expectations with climate objectives. The project will combine surveys, laboratory experiments, empirical analyses and dynamic models of transitions with heterogeneous expectations.
The postholders will support project activities by performing a variety of functions, including: data collection and cleaning; literature and policy reviews; statistical and econometric analysis; programming; web scraping; and any other relevant research activity. The postholders will be supervised by Prof. Emanuele Campiglio and will actively collaborate with the rest of the BELIEFS team. The positions are aimed at candidates interested in pursuing a PhD in Economics or related fields.
The position is full-time and will last 12 months, starting in September 2026. Alternative start dates are possible. The gross yearly salary is 22,800€. The position is not subject to personal income taxation. We expect the postholder to be based in Bologna. Knowledge of Italian is welcome but not required.
Job qualifications and requirements
The position is intended for a junior researcher with experience in fields and methodologies relevant to the project tasks. The features of the ideal candidate include:
- A Master’s degree in any field relevant to the project;
- Familiarity with research topics related to the economics of climate change and the low-carbon transition, with a particular focus on its behavioural aspects;
- Experience with research methods, including statistical and econometric analysis, theoretical modeling, numerical simulations, laboratory experiments and/or surveys;
- Strong knowledge of statistical and programming software (Stata, R, Python or Julia);
- International study and/or work experience.
Application procedure
Interested candidates should send a CV, academic transcripts, a cover letter, and the name and contact of at least one reference to: simone.napolitano@unibo.it. Please add as object: Predoc BELIEFS. To receive full consideration, applications should be submitted by April 7, 2026. For any enquiry, please write to emanuele.campiglio@unibo.it.
BELIEFS project
The aim of the BELIEFS project is to study the role of climate-related beliefs and expectations in shaping investment decisions, climate policy-making choices, and the overall dynamics of the low-carbon transition. BELIEFS started in September 2025 and will last five years. It is conducted by an international interdisciplinary research team at the Department of Economics of the University of Bologna, in collaboration with the Milano-based RFF-CMCC European Institute on Economics and the Environment.
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna (UniBo) is the oldest university in the world and regularly features among the top international academic institutions. With 33 departments and a population of 85,000 students from Italy and abroad, it is among the largest universities in Europe. Its main campus is based in Bologna, a vibrant city with a high quality of life, strong public infrastructure, and excellent social services. Bologna has a large airport and is connected to the high-speed railway network. The Department of Economics (DSE) of UniBo is a leading academic institution in several fields of economic research, with a large and expanding environmental economics cluster. The DSE is also a founding member of the Research Institute on Global Challenges and Climate Change (Alma Climate). Both UniBo’s International Desk and Emilia-Romagna region’s it-ER service offer information and support to incoming international students and staff.