PhD in Agricultural Economics and Climate Change Policy at ETH Zürich ETH Zürich in Switzerland

ETH Zürich’s Agricultural Economics and Policy Group (AECP), led by Robert Finger, is recruiting a fully funded doctoral student for a 4-year PhD project on the economics and policy of climate change mitigation in Swiss agriculture.

The position is part of the SWEET ACHIEVE project / “Pathways to a Net-Zero Target for Hard-to-Abate Swiss Emissions,” which brings together research, industry, public-sector, and civil-society partners to develop net-zero strategies and policy recommendations for Switzerland.

The PhD researcher will focus on agricultural economics, climate change policy, environmental economics, sustainability, and food systems. The work includes conducting a survey and choice experiment with farmers, analyzing survey and secondary data, testing the effectiveness and efficiency of policy instruments, and studying farmers’ behavior and management decisions in the context of climate change mitigation.

Eligibility highlights include a Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics or a related field, strong analytical and writing skills, and the ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment. Because the project involves leading surveys and experiments with Swiss farmers, C1 proficiency in German or French is required.

Funding is fully covered: the post is a full-time, fixed-term doctoral position with a competitive salary according to ETH standards and social benefits. The start date is in the last quarter of 2026 (October to December 2026).

Application deadline: 26 June 2026. Applicants should submit a single PDF with a cover letter, CV, contact details of two referees, and transcripts of academic records through ETH Zürich’s online application portal only.

For students interested in agricultural economics, environmental economics, policy research, and data analysis, this is a strong opportunity to join an international, interdisciplinary research environment at ETH Zürich.