WIFO is looking for a PhD Candidate, Prae-Doc (m/f/d, 30 hrs/week) for the research group Climate, Environmental and Resource Economics within the WIFO Doctoral Program, a third party funded Prae-Doc position in the field of "Energy Economics". The position is linked to the research project "From Price Takers to Price Makers? The Welfare Impact of AI-Driven Batteries in Electricity Markets" (BatterAI), funded by the OeNB Anniversary Fund (Oesterreichische Nationalbank).

Main Responsibilities

• Completion of a doctoral program and writing of a dissertation in the field of ‘Energy Economics’ at Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU) with content and methodological embedding in the research activities of WIFO
• Contribution to the OeNB project BatterAI on the welfare effects of large-scale battery storage and on strategic, AI-driven bidding in the day-ahead electricity market
• Modelling of the day-ahead electricity market auction (including block bids) using linear and mixed-integer programming, and preparation of electricity market data
• Contribution to the development of AI-based learning algorithms (e.g. reinforcement learning) for strategic bidding
• Independent economic research, in particular in game theory, market and auction design, and energy economics
• Presentation of results at international conferences
• Active participation in the research activities of WIFO and the Department of Economics at JKU

General Requirements

• Completed master’s degree in economics with a focus on energy economics, industrial organization, quantitative methods, or a comparable degree program
• Knowledge of economic theory (ideally game theory or industrial organization) and a documented interest in theory-based empirical work
• Very good methodological skills (programming, mathematics, statistics, econometrics)
• Experience with relevant software (e.g. Python, R, Stata, Matlab, LaTeX)
• Excellent English skills (written and spoken)
• Excellent teamwork as well as independent research skills

What to Expect

• Insights into methods, data infrastructure, and research at WIFO
• Scientific publication opportunities (e.g., co-authorship)
• Exchange with colleagues at WIFO and JKU as well as with project partners at the University of Vienna
• Support through the WIFO Doctoral Program (mentoring, seminars, research group meetings) and a training budget (e.g., for summer schools)
• Supervision of the dissertation by Univ.-Prof. Bernhard Kasberger, PhD (JKU and WIFO)
• Collegial atmosphere, flat hierarchies, and networking opportunities

The position is a third-party funded part-time job within the WIFO Doctoral Program with 30 hours per week, limited to 48 months from the start date. The salary corresponds to the FWF rate for doctoral candidates, currently €2,832.10 gross per month (for 30 hours per week, 14 times a year). We offer additional benefits such as a public transport ticket, discounted lunch, supplementary health insurance, and more. Flexible working hours, including the option to work from home, support the balance of family and career. The desired start date is March 1, 2027. If interested, please send your application with all documents (cover letter, CV, certificates and transcripts) by November 15, 2026, via email to Ms. Birgit Novotny at personal@wifo.ac.at. For questions related to your application, Mr. Bernhard Kasberger is available at bernhard.kasberger@wifo.ac.at. WIFO aims to increase the proportion of women and therefore strongly encourages women to apply. In the case of equal qualifications, the position will be awarded to the female applicant. For further details see WIFO PhD Candidate