Research Associate (m/f/d)

Role overview

Leuphana University of Lüneburg is looking for a dependable and highly motivated Research Associate (m/f/d) to join the Chair of Empirical Microeconomics at the Leuphana School of Public Affairs. The position is tied to the salary scale EG 13 TV-L at 75% workload and is limited to 3 years. The earliest start date is 01 October 2026.

About the research environment

The research team examines how people make decisions in areas such as social responsibility and sustainability, how energy and climate policy tools affect incentives and redistribution, how social identity shapes behavior, and how generative AI influences behavior and productivity. The chair also coordinates the research cluster “Behavioral Economics and Societal Transformation,” which connects expertise from seven universities in Lower Saxony and includes around 15 professors plus 30 doctoral researchers and postdoctoral fellows. The cluster focuses on major transformation topics including climate change, digitalization and automation, migration and war, and demographic change.

Key responsibilities

• Carry out an independent doctoral project as part of the PhD pathway.
• Deliver teaching support, especially tutorial sessions for bachelor’s students, mostly in English, with a teaching load of 3 contact hours per week (SWS).
• Contribute to academic and administrative work for the Institute of Economics.
• Support study program administration and related coordination tasks.

Candidate profile

The university is seeking someone with a strong academic background in economics at master’s level or an equivalent qualification, ideally with excellent or very good results. A genuine interest in behavioral economics is essential. The role also calls for strong digital skills, comfort with standard office tools, and an added advantage if the candidate knows Stata and/or oTree/Python. Excellent English communication skills are required. The ideal applicant should be self-driven, adaptable, resilient, analytically strong, intellectually curious, and eager to learn and implement new ideas and procedures. Team-oriented working style and commitment to close collaboration are also important.

What the university offers

This opportunity places you in a research-focused environment with the chance to pursue a doctorate through the PhD program “Behavioral Economics and Societal Transformation.” You will benefit from active academic exchange with the Institute of Economics and invited external researchers. The role also gives access to conferences and to the wider network of the behavioral economics research cluster coordinated by Prof. Dr. Mario Mechtel.

Application details

For questions about the position, applicants may contact Prof. Dr. Mario Mechtel. The university states that it promotes equal opportunities and diversity. Applicants with severe disabilities will be considered preferentially when qualifications are comparable. A privacy notice for applicants applies as well. All required documents must be submitted through the application portal by 03 July 2026, and applications should be sent without a photograph.

Additional information

Attendance is on-site in Lüneburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The position was posted on 11 June 2026, the application status is open, and the listed job type is PhD candidate / researcher-analyst.