Advertiser: Institute for Fiscal Studies

Field(s) of specialization: Econometrics - Labor; Demographic Economics - Law and Economics - Public Economics - Applied microeconomics

Position type(s): Postdoctoral Scholar, Other academic

Location of job: 2 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 4DF, United Kingdom

Degree required: Doctorate

Job start date: 2027-10-01

Job duration: Continuing/permanent

Salary: 52,407 GBP

Letters of reference required: 3

Application deadline: 15 Nov 2026 midnight UTC (accepting applications)

Posting end date: 15 Nov 2026

Interviews: Interviews will be conducted remotely by video starting December, 2026.

Ad text:

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is recruiting an outstanding postdoctoral economist to join its research team working on the justice system.

IFS is Europe’s leading centre for microeconomic research and is an authoritative, independent commentator on a wide range of policy issues, aiming to bridge the gap between academia and the wider public.

The Director is Helen Miller and the Research Director is Imran Rasul. Research at IFS is led by a large number of Co-Directors including James Banks, Richard Blundell, Aureo de Paula, Eric French, Francois Gerard, Rachel Griffith, Attila Lindner, and Fabien Postel-Vinay.

The postdoctoral fellow will join the IFS justice research team. The team’s work covers policing, courts, prisons and the wider justice system, and it works closely with government and the policy community. The fellow will work with a mix of IFS research staff and leading academics within our network of research associates and fellows. We will work with the successful applicant to develop their research agenda, with a particular focus on academic publication in top international journals.

This is a three-year postdoctoral position, offering the researcher time, flexibility and support to build their career.

Candidates should have an excellent academic background, a track record of producing high-quality economic research, and first-rate communication skills. We welcome applications from candidates working in applied microeconomics with an interest in crime and justice. Experience of working with large administrative datasets would be an advantage.

We welcome applications from students expecting to complete a PhD in 2027.

Applications are open to candidates from the UK and abroad. The post is eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa: IFS will support the application where needed for successful candidates. Any offer of employment is subject to the eligibility to work in the UK.

Application process

Applications should be submitted via EconJobMarket. We aim to interview shortlisted candidates at the European Job Market, which will be held virtually from 14th to 17th December 2026.

If you have any queries, please email jobs@ifs.org.uk.

Additional Information

*Salary: The salary advertised reflects 2026 rates; these will be uplifted from April 2027 in line with inflation and cost-of-living adjustments, meaning the actual salary on appointment will be higher than the figure shown.