PhD Position in Health Economics: Choices in Maternity Care (HEPARD MSCA Network) Babes-Bolyai University in

PhD Position in Health Economics: Choices in Maternity Care (HEPARD MSCA Network)

Babes-Bolyai University, through its Doctoral School of Economics and Business Administration, invites applications for a fully funded PhD position in Health Economics, focusing on choices in maternity care. This position is part of the HEPARD MSCA European doctoral network (project link), which aims to train early-stage researchers in advanced data analytics, causal inference, and machine learning for health policy evaluation. The project is highly interdisciplinary, combining economics, public health, and data science to inform fairer and more effective health policies across Europe.

Research Focus: The successful candidate will conduct independent research on the socio-economic, migration, and healthcare factors influencing maternity care decisions in Romania. Key objectives include analyzing the impact of migration on healthcare workforce distribution, quantifying the costs of birth procedures (such as C-sections and natural births), modeling maternal health trends, and investigating tobacco use during pregnancy. The research will leverage rich Romanian administrative datasets and employ state-of-the-art microeconometric and causal inference methods.

Training & Environment: The doctoral training program offers core courses in health economics, causal inference, micro-econometrics, health inequalities, epidemiology, and healthcare decision-making, as well as electives in data science and public health. The position includes two secondments (one academic, one non-academic), a three-month research stay at the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany), and participation in network-wide workshops, conferences, and career development activities. The research environment is interdisciplinary and policy-oriented, with strong support for professional growth.

Funding & Benefits: The position is funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) program, offering a gross salary of approximately 2835 EUR/month (including all taxes and insurances) and additional mobility support. The appointment is for three years, starting 1 October 2026.

Eligibility & Requirements: Applicants must have a Master’s degree (120 ECTS) in Economics, Business, Engineering, Information Technology, Computational Science, or a related field, with strong programming skills. Candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity in Romania for more than 12 months in the 3 years prior to recruitment. Excellent English communication skills are required. Applicants should be in the first four years of their research careers and must not already hold a doctoral degree. Willingness to reside in Romania for the full 3-year appointment and to travel for secondments and training is required. Experience with microeconometric techniques and statistical software (Stata, R, Python) is expected.

Application Process: Submit your application by email to [email protected] with the subject 'HEPARD – Application DC6' by 13 March 2026, 16:00 (EEST). Required documents include a cover letter, CV, contact details for two academic referees, academic transcripts, proof of English proficiency (optional), a self-declaration of mobility, and a copy of your passport/ID. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for online interviews. For more information, visit hepard.org or ubbcluj.ro.

Contact: For queries, contact Dr. Antonia Adam ([email protected]), Dr. Cristian Litan ([email protected]), or Dr. Madalina Agoston ([email protected]).