PhD Candidate on Inequality Dynamics at the Department of Macro, International and Labour Economics

The Department of Macro, International and Labour Economics (MILE) at the School of Business and Economics (SBE) of Maastricht University, offers a 4-year PhD position, starting September 1, 2026 (ultimo September 1, 2027) under a department-wide research theme of Inequality Dynamics.

• Our goal: The aim of the project is to better understand the conceptual and empirical relationship between economic inequality and inequalities in health and lifespans.
• Your colleagues: You will join the department of Macro, International and Lanour Economics (MILE) at the School of Business and Economics (SBE). At MILE, we explore the economic issues that matter for policy today. Our research spans labour markets and education, international trade, macroeconomics, and more.

Recent academic literature and economic policy debates have seen an increasing focus on both economic inequality, and the link between health and economic outcomes. This project’s starting point is the idea that these two concepts are inherently linked and that in particular, by neglecting health and lifespans, we mismeasure a crucial aspect of inequality. Given that health, mortality, income and wealth are correlated, measuring inequality in terms of the income and assets of the current population and ignoring differences in health and lifespans could be leading to misleading results if the primary objective is to capture differences in lifetime welfare.

What you do
Depending on your skills and interests, the project could include:

• conceptualizing measures of inequality that take into account differences in health-related quality of life and mortality rates.
• empirically estimating historical health and lifespan adjusted inequality metrics, documenting how they have evolved over time.
• Identifying the causal relationship between health and economic inequality to decompose observed changes in inequality.

This project will be part of an ongoing research theme on Inequality Dynamics, which includes multiple active PhD projects. This focuses on understanding how past, contemporary and (expected) future environmental, political, and technological transformations differentially impact economic activity and well-being of firms, individuals, and societies. Particular focus lies on understanding these transformational processes – the dynamics – and on the heterogeneous paths through which adjustments take place, where inequality enters as either a determining feature or as an observable outcome of transitions.

The position also includes a teaching obligation equivalent to 0,2 FTE. 

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you. 

What you bring 
We’re not looking for checkboxes; we’re interested in who you are and what you bring. Do you recognize yourself in this? 

• You are highly motivated and have strong technical skills who have a proven interest in economic research.
• You completed a research master equivalent to 120 ECTS (MSc, MPhil or MRes) in Economics, Econometrics, Computational Social Science or a related field.
• You have excellent communication and writing skills in English. 
• You are preferably able to start before 1 September 2026, or at the latest 1 September 2027. 

What we offer 
At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer: 

• An 18-month contract with the prospect of a 2.5 year extension, based on mutual satisfaction. 
• A gross monthly salary between €3.059 and €3.881 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus. 
• 29 vacation days (based on full-time), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours. 
• Flexible working hours, a home office allowance, and the option to work partially from home. 
• Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas. 
• A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with. 
• A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities.
• An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe. 

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

The School of Business and Economics (SBE)
SBE is an international faculty for economics, business, and policy. We combine academic depth with societal engagement. Our education is small-scale and interactive. Our research focuses on themes such as sustainability, inclusion, and digital transformation. Together, we work on impactful solutions for the world of tomorrow.

Interested? 
Want to know more about this position or what it’s like to work at our university? Reach out to Dr Julian Ashwin via julian.ashwin@maastrichtuniversity.nl. 

You can also apply directly using the button below, before February 1, 2026.  

Please upload: 

• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Motivation letter.
• Short research proposal which sets how you could start to work on the topic (max 500 words).
• Grade transcripts of any previous education at Master or Bachelor level,
• Names and contact details of two references (at least one of which is academic)

The first interviews take place in February 2026. The second interviews will be held in March 2025.

We look forward to getting to know you!

About Maastricht University
At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow. 

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.