6 fully funded PhD positions in public economics
The Charles University economics department is looking for 6 talented and driven master’s graduates (or 2nd-year students) interested in public economics to join its PhD programme in Economics and Finance. The positions are fully funded.
Supervisors: Matěj Bajgar, Petr Janský, Miroslav Palanský
Duration: October 2025 (or earlier) to September 2029
Areas of focus:
- Multinational companies
- Corporate investment
- Innovation economics
- Industrial policy
- Corporate taxation
- Global minimum tax reform
What we are looking for
We are looking for talented individuals with a keen interest in economics research who have graduated from or are currently completing a master’s programme in economics (or in a related field). We expect candidates to be interested in learning new research skills and in conducting high-quality, policy-relevant applied economics research. They should be able to work with other researchers on empirical economics papers to be presented at international academic conferences and published in leading academic journals.
The positions are equivalent to the research part of US-style PhD programmes. We expect candidates to have completed their graduate coursework within economics or a related field before enrolling on our PhD programme. Selected candidates will, however, have the option to enroll in graduate-level courses at Charles University to deepen their training in relevant research methods.
What we offer
All PhD positions advertised here are linked to a full-time Junior Researcher position with a net monthly salary of EUR 1,500 or more.
Charles University
The PhD programme in Economics and Finance is based at the Institute of Economic Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, Prague. Charles University is the oldest and most prestigious university in the Czech Republic, and it is consistently ranked #1 in the country among economics departments offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Internationally, it ranks among the top 100 economics institutions in Europe according to IDEAS Repec (top 30 based on data from the last 10 years). It is also home to an internationally renowned research group on multinational taxation, CORPTAX, where some of the advertised PhD positions will be based, and the Centre for Public Finance.
The Institute of Economic Studies is highly international. Almost all courses are taught in English, and a large share of students at all levels (PhD students in particular) come from abroad.
The research group
The Junior Researcher positions will be hosted by a dynamic research group, including 3 lead researchers (Matěj Bajgar, Petr Janský, Miroslav Palanský) and about 10 current PhD students conducting research in applied public economics, with a particular focus on multinational companies, corporate investment, innovation economics, industrial policy, corporate taxation and global minimum tax reform. The group has access to unique administrative datasets (e.g. tax returns of multinationals). It collaborates with researchers at leading institutions such as the University of Oxford, University College Dublin, the Paris School of Economics, the OECD and the World Bank, and it supports PhD students to visit these and other institutions for extended research stays, and also to frequently present their your research findings at leading international academic conferences.
Application process
There is a separate application for the Junior Research positions and for admission to the PhD programme.
1) Application for the Junior Researcher positions: Applications are now open. Candidates can apply by filling the form below. We accept applications on a rolling basis, and earlier applications have a higher chance of success. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews (conducted online). The selection process will be completed in March 2025, so the successful candidates have time to prepare their formal applications to the PhD programme (see below). Offers for the Junior Researcher positions will be conditional on being accepted to the PhD programme.
2) Application to the PhD programme: The deadline for applications to the PhD programme is April 30. For the university website for information about the application process.
We are looking forward to your applications. Do not hesitate to reach out with enquiries by email to the lead researchers: matej.bajgar@fsv.cuni.cz, petr.jansky@fsv.cuni.cz, miroslav.palansky@fsv.cuni.cz.