Energy and Climate Economist

Deadline for applications: Sunday 6th April 2025, 23:59 CET

Expected starting date: As soon as possible

Bruegel is looking for a full-time Brussels-based researcher with expertise in the area of energy and climate

To apply, candidates must hold a valid work permit or be authorised to work in Belgium.

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in Economics from a leading university.

Bruegel will consider both applicants with limited or no post-Ph.D. research experience (for the Affiliate Fellow position), and applicants with up to nine years of post-Ph.D. research and policy experience (for the Research Fellow position). Candidates who expect to obtain their PhD within 6 few months from the date of the application are also encouraged to apply.

What Bruegel offers

Established in 2005, Bruegel is the European think tank that specialises in economics. Bruegel’s mission is to improve the quality of economic policy with open and fact-based research, analysis and debate. Committed to independence, impartiality, openness and excellence, Bruegel offers a stimulating research and policy environment. Researchers contribute to Bruegel’s intellectual community, and collaborate with other Fellows and the communication and development teams under the guidance of the Director. The successful candidate will have access to Bruegel’s expansive network to discuss and disseminate research findings and interact with policy makers and other stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Contributing to Bruegel’s research in the field of energy and climate policy through own research and innovative thinking
• Producing solo and co-authored publications (First Glances; Analyses; Policy Briefs as well as external publications such as opinion pieces or academic papers)
• Engaging with Bruegel’s broad research team to develop and refine research and policy ideas
• Participating at public and private events in Brussels and abroad, acting as an ambassador for Bruegel
• Maintaining dialogue with a range of external policy stakeholders and responding to media requests

The researcher will be expected to play an important role in the further development of Bruegel’s energy and climate area, which covers different areas in this field:

• EU energy markets development, with a particular focus on the electricity sector;
• EU energy and climate policy, with a particular focus on the implementation of the ‘Fit for 55’ package and the development of a new ‘Fit for 90’ package;
• The interplay of energy, climate and competitiveness in the EU;
• EU clean industrial policy;
• The social dimension of EU climate policy;
• EU energy security;
• The global dimension of the EU’s green transition.

An important attribute for Bruegel researchers is the flexibility of adapting their research to the fast-moving political and economic reality in order to contribute in real-time toward setting the EU policy agenda.

Requirements

He/she must have a solid understanding of the economics of energy and climate, as well as of the EU energy and climate policy architecture and its current developments.

Candidates should be demonstrably passionate about energy and climate policy and improving the implementation of such policies within the EU.

Candidates should be strongly self-motivated and able to work independently. Versatility, attention to detail and the ability to work as a team-player with short deadlines are essential.

Further appreciated characteristics include:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• The ability to translate complex research and policy ideas into understandable and actionable recommendations for diverse stakeholders
• A passion for data and data visualisation
• Programming skills and particularly the competence for accessing data through APIs or otherwise; manipulating and visualising data

Application procedure

To apply, please submit your application to recruitment@bruegel.org with the subject line: “Energy and climate economist _Applicant’s name”.

Your application must be submitted by Sunday 6th April 2025, 23:59 CET.

It must contain the following documents, in one single PDF document (merged):

1. an updated CV,
2. A cover letter (including the candidate’s motivation to work in a European policy think-tank), and
3. a writing sample (e.g., a job market paper or a recently published paper)

Applications with missing documents and/or that do not meet the above-mentioned requirements will NOT be considered.

Because of the high number of applications that we usually receive, we are unfortunately unable to reply to all applicants. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted within a few weeks.

Bruegel is committed to ensure equal opportunities and treatment for all, by ensuring that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origins, gender, marital status, caring responsibilities, sexual orientation, disability or chronic illness.