PhD candidate in Economics at Tilburg University CentER Graduate School of Economics

Job description

As a PhD candidate in Economics, you will work on the NWO-funded project “Digital Technology and Women Empowerment”, led by Prof. Patricio Dalton, Department of Economics (PI) and Dr. Alexandros Theloudis, Department of Econometrics and Operations Research (Co-I).

The project studies whether digital business technology can improve the performance and empowerment of women entrepreneurs in low-income settings through two key channels: income and time use. The project combines a large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Nairobi, Kenya, with structural modelling of household time allocation and intra-household bargaining.

You will be the primary field researcher for the project. You will work closely with Prof. Dalton and Dr. Theloudis, as well as Dr. Elena Cettolin (Tilburg University), Dr. Grace Wamue Ngare (Kenyatta University), and partners in Kenya. You should expect to spend substantial periods in Kenya during the design, piloting, baseline, intervention implementation, and follow-up phases of the RCT.

Your main tasks will include refining and implementing the experimental design and survey instruments; coordinating the listing and recruitment of eligible firms; liaising with local partners and the survey organization; supporting the design and implementation of the encouragement intervention; supervising fieldwork, enumerator training, and data-quality procedures; managing, cleaning, and analyzing the experimental data; contributing to the development and estimation of the structural model; and writing and disseminating academic and policy outputs. The PhD dissertation will be developed within this project, with the precise set of papers defined jointly with the supervisors.

You will be enrolled as a PhD candidate in the PhD program of CentER Graduate School of Economics. Training can be adapted to your previous educational achievements by mutual agreement with the supervisors. There is a travel budget for PhD-level courses outside CentER, research visits, fieldwork in Kenya, and conferences. 80% of the position’s time will be dedicated to the completion of your PhD research, and 20% to the acquisition of academic skills through teaching courses and supervising Bachelor’s and Master’s theses within the department.

Requirements

Your profile

1. An academic Master’s or MPhil/Research Master’s degree in economics, econometrics, or a closely related field that provides equivalent preparation.
2. An excellent academic record (top 10% of the class as a guideline).
3. Demonstrated hands-on experience implementing randomized controlled trials in low- or middle-income countries. Experience in Sub-Saharan Africa and with firms or entrepreneurs is strongly preferred. Practical experience with survey programming, field protocols, data-quality monitoring, and statistical software (such as Stata, R, or Python) is an asset.
4. Strong organizational and communication skills, willingness to spend extended periods in Kenya, and the ability to coordinate effectively with local research partners, a technology provider, survey teams, and study participants. You should have a strong interest in development economics, entrepreneurship, gender economics, and household economics, and be willing to acquire or deepen skills in structural econometric modelling.
5. Proficiency in English, to be proven by an IELTS score of at least 7.0 (with no sub-score below 6.5), a TOEFL score of at least 100 (internet-based) or 600 (paper-based), Cambridge CAE (at least B), or Cambridge CPE. Exemptions can be provided upon request to native English speakers or candidates who obtained their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English in Europe, Canada, the USA, Australia, or New Zealand.
6. A solid quantitative background. Candidates with an MSc or MPhil degree from a research university in the European Union should have at least 24 ECTS in quantitative and research methods courses across their Bachelor’s and/or Master’s program. If this condition is not met, a GRE or GMAT score may be submitted to demonstrate quantitative competence. Candidates with an MSc or MPhil degree from a university outside the European Union should provide a recent GRE or GMAT score.

Employer

Tilburg University is an academic, inclusive, and engaged community. Nearly 3,000 employees develop and share knowledge to contribute to broad prosperity, sustainability, and inclusion, helping address complex societal challenges for current and future generations.

We educate 19,500 students of 110 nationalities to become responsible leaders with knowledge, skills, and character. Our education and research focus on themes including mental and preventive care, an inclusive labor market, the energy transition, and digitalization.

About the Tilburg School of Economics and Management (TiSEM)

Tilburg School of Economics and Management (TiSEM) is one of Europe’s leading centers for research in business and economics, with research rankings consistently among Europe’s top 10 across various business domains. It combines a strong research focus and collegial climate with a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs for about 7,000 students. The School is well connected to policymakers and industry, regionally and internationally, creating ample opportunities for research impact.

Additional information

Would you like to know more before applying? Feel free to contact Prof. Patricio Dalton at p.s.dalton@tilburguniversity.edu and Dr. Alexandros Theloudis at A.Theloudis@tilburguniversity.edu.

We cordially invite you to apply before 15 October 2026; applications can only be submitted online. Address your cover letter to Prof. Patricio Dalton and Dr. Alexandros Theloudis and attach your CV. In order to make a good selection, we also ask you to provide the following documents:

1. Letter of motivation, including your research interests and a brief description of your experience implementing RCTs or other field research in low- or middle-income countries.
2. Curriculum vitae.
3. Official copy of your university degree and grades (full transcripts of BSc and MSc).
4. A PDF copy of your Master’s thesis or other research-oriented output (such as a Bachelor’s thesis or a term paper). This work must be single- or first-authored. If you are currently working on your Master’s thesis, feel free to submit your thesis draft.
5. The exact contact details of at least two references.
6. Proof of proficiency in English, or a request for exemption.
7. If applicable, a recent GRE or GMAT score.
8. Course list and grades of your BSc and MSc programs.