The University of Bonn invites applications for PhD student positions within the Collaborative Research Center CRC-TRR 228 "Future Rural Africa. Future-making and social-ecological transformation." This interdisciplinary project, in collaboration with the University of Cologne, focuses on understanding the dynamic interactions and causal relationships affecting land-use transitions, particularly in rural Africa. The research aims to explore how livelihood choices impact household welfare resilience, the influence of household characteristics and external conditions, and the role of aspirations in these processes. Project B01, "Invasive Futures: Land-use transitions," specifically investigates the effects of invasive plant species on rural livelihoods and aspirations. The successful candidate will plan and conduct the third wave of a household survey in rural Kenya, contribute to a four-country survey on future-making, and actively engage with a multidisciplinary team. Responsibilities include presenting research at international conferences, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and shaping the research direction based on personal ideas and interests. Applicants should possess a Master's degree in economics, agricultural economics, or a related field with a strong foundation in economics. A solid background in econometric methods, especially causal identification, is essential. Experience in primary data collection is highly desirable. Candidates must demonstrate excellent English communication skills, enthusiasm for research, open-mindedness, teamwork, and strong interpersonal abilities. The position offers a stimulating international research environment, access to a network of disciplinary and multidisciplinary partners, and support for personal career development. The role is funded according to the German Federal pay scale (70% TV-L E13) and is limited to 3 years and 9 months, starting in April 2026. The University of Bonn is committed to diversity, equal opportunity, and family-friendly policies, encouraging applications from women and individuals with disabilities. To apply, submit your application through the University of Bonn's job portal, referencing job posting number 2025/289, by January 18, 2026. For further details, visit the official job posting link. This opportunity is ideal for candidates interested in economics, agricultural economics, social-ecological transformation, land-use transitions, and research in Africa.

The University of Bonn is offering a PhD position within the Collaborative Research Center CRC-TRR 228 "Future Rural Africa. Future-making and social-ecological transformation". The research focuses on how livelihood choices affect the resilience of households’ welfare in rural Africa, with a specific emphasis on rural Kenya and the impact of invasive plant species, soil fertility, and land-use transitions. The successful candidate will join Prof. Thomas Heckelei’s group in Economic and Agricultural Policy and contribute to multidisciplinary research on social-ecological transformation and future-making in Africa. Key tasks include planning and conducting household surveys in rural Kenya, contributing to a four-country survey on future-making in rural Africa, presenting research at international conferences, and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. The position is ideal for candidates with a Master’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, or a related field, strong econometric skills, experience in primary data collection, and excellent English communication abilities. The University of Bonn provides a stimulating international research environment, a strong network of research partners, and support for personal career development. The position is salaried at 70% TV-L E13 according to the German Federal pay scale. The university encourages applications from women, individuals with disabilities, and those from underrepresented groups. Applications must be submitted electronically by January 18, 2026, including a motivation letter, CV, transcripts, certificates, Master’s thesis abstract, and references. For further information, contact Prof. Thomas Heckelei at [email protected].

The University of Bonn, in collaboration with the University of Cologne, is offering a PhD position focused on land-use transitions and livelihoods in rural Africa, particularly in Kenya. This opportunity is part of the CRC-TRR 228 "Future Rural Africa" project, specifically Project B01 "Invasive Futures: Land-use transitions." The research aims to causally identify how livelihood choices affect household welfare resilience, examine differences based on household characteristics and external conditions, and investigate the role of aspirations in livelihood choices. The project also explores land-use transitions, invasive species management, soil fertility, livelihood mobility, and both economic and ecological resilience. The successful candidate will plan and conduct the third wave of a household survey in rural Kenya, focusing on aspirations and livelihoods amid invasive plant species. They will also contribute to a four-country household survey on future-making in rural Africa, shape research with their own ideas, engage with a multidisciplinary research team, present results at international conferences, and publish peer-reviewed articles. Applicants must have a Master's degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, or a related field, with strong core economics training and demonstrated outstanding academic performance. Depth in econometric methods and expertise in causal identification methods are required, and experience in primary data collection is ideal. Excellent English communication skills, enthusiasm, open-mindedness, team spirit, and strong interpersonal skills are essential. The position is funded at 70% TV-L E13 (German Federal pay scale) for 3 years and 9 months, offering a competitive salary and a stimulating international research environment. The research setting is multidisciplinary, with a focus on African social-ecological transformation and empirical research in Kenya. The application deadline is January 18, 2026. For more information and to apply, visit the University of Bonn job opportunities page and search for the CRC-TRR 228 PhD student position (Position ID: 2025/289).

The University of Bonn is offering a PhD position within the Collaborative Research Center CRC-TRR 228 "Future Rural Africa". This opportunity is specifically targeted at scholars from Kenya interested in studying the impact of livelihood choices on household welfare resilience, with a focus on how household characteristics, external conditions, and aspirations affect these choices. The research is part of Project B01 "Invasive Futures: Land-use transitions" and aims to identify causal relationships affecting land-use transitions, including soil fertility, invasive control, livelihood mobility, and economic/ecological resilience. The successful candidate will plan and conduct the third wave of a household survey in rural Kenya, emphasizing aspirations and livelihoods in the presence of invasive plant species. The position involves contributing to a multidisciplinary research team, presenting results at international conferences, and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. Supervision will be provided by Prof. Thomas Heckelei, head of Economic and Agricultural Policy at the University of Bonn. Applicants must hold a Master's degree in economics, agricultural economics, or a related field, with strong skills in econometrics and causal identification. Experience in primary data collection and excellent English communication skills are required. The position offers a stimulating international research environment, career development support, and salary according to the German Federal pay scale (70% TV-L E13). Applications should be submitted electronically as a single PDF file, including a motivation letter, CV, transcripts, certificates, thesis abstract, and referee contacts, by January 18, 2026. For further information, contact Prof. Thomas Heckelei at [email protected].

The University of Bonn is offering a PhD position within the DFG Collaborative Research Center "Future Rural Africa" (CRC-TRR 228), specifically in Project B01 "Invasive Futures: Land-use transitions." This opportunity is ideal for candidates with a strong background in agricultural economics and econometrics, interested in analyzing the role of plant invasive spread and aspirations for livelihood choices and resilience among farm households. The research will focus on causally identifying how livelihood choices affect household welfare resilience, considering household characteristics, external conditions, and the influence of aspirations. The successful candidate will join the Institute for Food and Resource Economics and be supervised by Professor Thomas Heckelei, head of the Economic and Agricultural Policy group at the University of Bonn. The position involves planning and conducting the third wave of a household survey in rural Kenya, with a specific emphasis on aspirations and livelihoods in the presence of invasive plant species. The candidate will also contribute to the Kenyan part of a four-country household survey on future-making in rural Africa, engage with a multidisciplinary research team, present research at international conferences, and publish in peer-reviewed journals. Applicants should have a Master’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, or a related field, with a strong core in economics and advanced econometric methods, especially causal identification. Experience in primary data collection is desirable. Excellent English communication skills, enthusiasm for research, open-mindedness, and strong interpersonal skills are essential. The University of Bonn values diversity and encourages applications from women and individuals with disabilities. The position is part-time (70%), starting in April 2026, and is limited to 3 years and 9 months. Funding is provided according to the German Federal pay scale (TV-L E13). The research environment is stimulating and international, with excellent networking opportunities and support for career development. The application deadline is January 18, 2026. For more details and to apply, visit the University of Bonn job portal.

The University of Bonn is inviting applications for a PhD position within the DFG Collaborative Research Center "Future Rural Africa" (CRC-TRR 228), specifically in Project B01 "Invasive Futures: Land-use transitions." This opportunity is ideal for candidates with a strong background in agricultural economics and econometrics, and an interest in the social-ecological transformation of rural Africa. The research will focus on analyzing the role of plant invasive spread and aspirations for livelihood choices and resilience among farm households, with primary data collection in Kenya. The successful candidate will be supervised by Professor Thomas Heckelei, head of the Economic and Agricultural Policy group at the University of Bonn. The project aims to causally identify how livelihood choices affect household welfare resilience, considering household characteristics and external conditions, and the role of aspirations in these choices. The research is part of a larger, multidisciplinary effort to understand dynamic interactions and causal relationships in land-use transitions, soil fertility, invasive control, livelihood mobility, and economic and ecological resilience. Key responsibilities include planning and conducting the third wave of a household survey in rural Kenya, contributing to a four-country survey on future-making in rural Africa, engaging with a multidisciplinary research team, presenting research at international conferences, and publishing in peer-reviewed journals. Applicants must have a Master’s degree in economics, agricultural economics, or a related field with a strong core in economics, and demonstrate outstanding academic performance and expertise in econometric methods, especially causal identification. Experience in primary data collection is desirable. Excellent English communication skills, enthusiasm for research, open-mindedness, and strong interpersonal skills are essential. The position is funded at 70% TV-L E13 (German Federal pay scale), with a fixed-term contract of 3 years and 9 months, starting April 2026. The University of Bonn offers a stimulating international research environment, excellent networking opportunities, and support for career development. The university is committed to diversity and equal opportunity, encouraging applications from women and individuals with disabilities. To apply, visit the University of Bonn job posting for full details and submit your application by January 18, 2026. For more information, refer to the provided links.