PhD Position in Experimental Economics: Motivation, Incentives, and Team Performance
The THEMA research unit invites applications for a
fully funded PhD position in Experimental Economics
at
CY Cergy Paris Université
and
ESSEC Business School
in Cergy-Pontoise, France.
The project focuses on
motivation, incentives, and performance in teams
, with a research agenda spanning
team production
,
behavioural economics
,
personnel economics
, and
organizational economics
. The doctoral work will combine rigorous theory with innovative experimental methods, including both
laboratory experiments
and
field experiments
carried out with a partnering private company.
The successful candidate will design and conduct original experiments to study motivational mechanisms in team settings. The research environment includes access to experimental laboratories, international research networks, seminars, workshops, and conferences.
Eligibility highlights:
applicants should hold a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Economics before the start date, have strong training in microeconomics and quantitative methods, and show a clear interest in experimental and behavioural economics. Strong analytical and statistical skills are expected, along with experience using software such as
R
,
Stata
, or
Python
. Excellent written and spoken English is required; French proficiency is appreciated. Prior experience in experimental design, behavioural economics, or organizational research is considered an asset.
Supervision:
the PhD will be supervised by
Angela Sutan
(THEMA, ESSEC) and
Béatrice Boulu-Reshef
(THEMA, CY Cergy Paris Université).
Funding and duration:
the position is fully funded and lasts
3 years
. No stipend amount is specified in the post.
Application materials:
CV, cover letter describing research interests and motivation, academic transcripts, a writing sample (Master’s thesis, research paper, or equivalent), and contact information for two academic references.
Application window:
review begins immediately and continues until the position is filled. The post indicates a starting date of
Autumn 2026
.
