EconJobMarket®

Postdoctoral Researcher in Applied Economics or Political Economy

Department: Economics (UFR SJEPG) - Marie and Louis Pasteur University
Location: Besançon
Contract size: 35 hours per week
Job profile: Researcher
Full-time gross monthly salary: between €2,740 and €3,600
Contract duration: from 12 to 18 months
Desired starting date: between January 2026 and September 2026 (upon mutual agreement)

Your position

The CRESE invites applications for a 12-18 month Postdoctoral Researcher position in Economics. The postdoctoral contract is part of a work package within the project “The Political Economy of Populism”, coordinated by Alexandre Chirat and funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) for the period October 2025 to October 2028 (Grant ANR-25-CE26-2354).

We are looking for an applied economist with strong quantitative skills (econometrics, MCA, LLM), programming experience in R or Python, and a motivation to combine rigorous research with social impact. Alongside their independent research, the recruited candidate will work on the economic policy platforms of populist parties.

The successful candidate will collaborate with Alexandre Chirat (CRESE – Marie and Louis Pasteur University, Besançon), Gilles Ivaldi (Sciences Po Paris), and Emilie Sartre (University of Nottingham) on this project, as well as with research assistants. The project aims for at least one major publications in a top economics journal.

The postdoctoral researcher is expected to have a strong profile to contribute to all aspects of the project, including data collection, text analysis, refinement of the coding scheme, application of econometric techniques, and drafting of the paper. The job is fully devoted to research with no teaching obligations and may involve supervising research assistants. The postdoctoral research associate will be also encouraged to take an active part in the academic life of the CRESE.

Your profile

We are looking for a candidate who has:

• **Completed a PhD in Economics by the start date of the contract.**

• **Demonstrated strong quantitative and analytical skills.**

• **Shown interest in 21st-century politics, particularly populism.**

• **Experience with R and/or Python for data analysis and research.**

• **Ability to work effectively as part of a team.**

• **Excellent English communication skills, both written and oral.**

Our offer

The CRESE offers excellent working conditions in a supportive, human-scale working environment:

• **Full-time position (1,0 FTE, 35 hours per week).**

• **Competitive salary: gross monthly pay between €2,700 and €3,600 (corresponding to a net salary between €2,200 - €2,900), in line with French standards and adjusted according to experience and skills.**

• **Generous leave: 5 weeks of paid vacation.**

• **Flexible work options: possibility to work partly on-site in Besançon and partly from home.**

• **Quality of life: a green, easily accessible campus. Besançon is a welcoming, human-sized city, consistently highly ranked in student surveys and known for its excellent balance of quality of life and cost of living – especially appealing to outdoor sports enthusiasts!**

For more information, please visit the websites of CRESE and Marie and Louis Pasteur University, Besançon.

Information and application

Would you like more information about the position? Feel free to contact Alexandre Chirat at chirat.alexandre[at]gmail.com.

Selection process: Applications will be reviewed based on submitted materials. For applications received before December 1, 2025, an initial selection will be made, followed by 1) an individual oral interview via videoconference with A. Chirat, G. Ivaldi, and E. Sartre, and 2) a webinar and individual meetings beginning in January, where selected candidates will present their Job Market Paper. From January 2026 onwards, applications will be considered on a rolling basis. The position will remain open until filled, with June 15, 2026 as the final closing date.

Application materials: Please submit, via the EJM website, by December 1, 2025:

· A cover letter detailing your motivation

· A CV

· Your Job Market Paper

· Other working papers and/or publications

· A research statement of no more than 2 pages

· Three reference letters

About CRESE

CRESE (Center for Research on Economic Strategies) is a French research center created in 1985 and attached to the faculty of Law, Economics, Politics and Management at the Marie and Louis Pasteur University, Besançon.

CRESE conducts a wide range of theoretical and applied research in economics, including political economy, finance, and behavioral decision-making. Since 2017, the center has benefited from its own experimental laboratory, providing a unique environment for empirical and policy-relevant research.

The center’s scientific activity is organized into three main research areas:

• Area 1: Contracts, Markets, and Regulation

• Area 2: Individual and Collective Decisions

• Area 3: Finance, Banking, and Macroeconomics

The center hosts a research seminar every Thursday and organizes 3-4 conferences each year for a general audience in partnership with the Faculty of Law, Economics, Politics, and Management. These activities foster a stimulating and collaborative environment, encouraging rigorous research while providing opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange and engagement with both academic and public audiences.

For more information, please feel free to contact Mostapha Diss, director of the CRESE, at mostapha.diss[at]univ-fcomte.fr. Candidates who wish to visit the campus are welcome.

About Marie and Louis Pasteur University, Besançon

Marie and Louis Pasteur University (UMLP), formerly the University of Franche-Comté, is a pluridisciplinary public university located in Besançon, with decentralized campuses in Belfort, Montbéliard, Vesoul, and Lons-le-Saunier. Founded in 1423 and renamed in 2025, UMLP combines a long historical tradition with a vibrant, modern research environment.

The university hosts over 29,000 students, including a substantial proportion of international students, and supports research through 28 laboratories and numerous federative structures. It collaborates extensively with major French research organizations such as CNRS, INSERM, and CEA, offering a dynamic interdisciplinary setting.

UMLP offers a supportive academic community in a culturally rich city, with a great quality of life and excellent public amenities.