Ph.D. positions in Economics and Public Finance

Ph.D. positions in Economics and Public Finance

Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands)
The Erasmus University in Rotterdam in the Netherlands is looking for
Ph.D. students in economics. The Ph.D. students will be part of a
young research team, led by prof.dr. B. Jacobs and prof. dr. R.A. de
Mooij, which operates in the twilight zone of public finance,
macroeconomics, labour economics and applied policy analysis. The
research is not only scientifically relevant, but also has relevance
for economic policy and society at large. The group cooperates
intensively with the CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy
Analysis, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Dutch Ministry
of Finance, the OECD and the European Commission. Research results are
also highly visible in the public policy debate. The research group
provides courses in economics of taxation, public finance and tax
policy at the BA, MA and PhD level to students in economics, fiscal
law and econometrics at Erasmus University Rotterdam and the Tinbergen
Institute. The ambition is to have a complete research group of about
15 talented, ambitious and young people working in public finance and
public policy in 4-5 years from now on. Multiple Ph.D. projects are
currently available. The following abstracts summarize the projects.

Abstract Ph.D. project 1 – An applied empirical analysis of capital
income tax reform in the Netherlands

In 2001, the Dutch government fundamentally reformed the income tax by
introducing a dual system in which labour and capital incomes are
taxed under different regimes. Especially the taxation of capital
income was a major novelty since the tax on the presumptive return is
unique in the world. The reform involves a quasi-natural experiment
and offers an opportunity to identify various behavioural and tax
elasticities. This research aims to estimate elasticities at a number
of these behavioural margins, such as the debt-equity decision, the
choice of legal form by small firms, the decision to retain or
distribute profits, and the investor portfolio choice between owner-
occupied housing, pensions and widely held shares. The estimated
elasticities will be used to calibrate an applied general equilibrium
model that we will develop and which focuses on the tax treatment of
capital income. The model allows for a comprehensive welfare analysis
of the tax reform of 2001. Moreover, it can be used to analyse
alternative tax-reforms such as the adoption of a consumption tax or a
comprehensive tax on capital income, which includes a tax on capital
gains.

Abstract Ph.D. project 2 – Skill formation in distorted labour markets

The main question of this research proposal is: how do modern welfare
states and distortions in labour markets affect the incentives for
skill formation over the lifecycle? Labour force participation, hours
worked, and later retirement raise the returns on human capital
investments from initial schooling and on-the-job training, and vice
versa. Less human capital investment results in lower wages, and
thereby reduces the economic incentives to participate in the labour
market, to work more hours, and to retire later. Extensive welfare
states and imperfections in labour markets could be important in
explaining weak labour market performance and, as a result, weak
incentives for skill formation. Labour market imperfections and
welfare state policies may also shift the wage profile over the
lifecycle, thereby affecting the incentives for training on-the-job
and (early) retirement. Analytically tractable general equilibrium
models will be developed to study the interactions between distorted
labour markets and skill formation. Various labour market
imperfections (caused by unions, search frictions, efficiency wages,
or insiders-outsiders) and welfare state policies (education policy,
minimum wages, wage subsidies, labour market protection legislation,
tax policy, unemployment insurance, retirement schemes) will be
analysed. The policy relevance of this project is high. Firstly,
skills are crucial determinants of labour productivity and income.
Secondly, skill-biased labour demand shifts jeopardise the earnings
and employment prospects of the low skilled and increase income
inequality. Thirdly, low labour force participation rates of older
workers are worrisome in light of ageing populations.

Extensive descriptions of the research proposals can be found at
www.xs4all.nl/~jacobs73.

Successful applicants will be offered a 4-year position at Erasmus
University. During the first year Ph.D. students are required to
participate in the M.Phil. program in economics of the Tinbergen
Institute to upgrade their skills in macroeconomics, microeconomics
and econometrics. For more information, visit www.tinbergen.nl. From
the second-fourth years, a Ph.D. thesis will be written on one of the
topics mentioned below. Prof.dr. B. Jacobs and prof. dr. R.A. de Mooij
will be supervising the research process. Ph.D. students have the
freedom to actively pursue their research interests.

Research results will be presented in research seminars at the
Tinbergen Institute, Erasmus University, other universities in Europe,
and international workshops and conferences (such as the annual
conference of the International Institute for Public Finance). Policy-
relevant research outcomes will be presented in the seminar series of
the European Commission (e.g. the series of DG Economic and Financial
affairs and DG Taxation), CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy
Analysis and the Ministry of Finance.

Requirements

Applicants should have successfully completed a master's degree (or
equivalent) and have excellent analytical skills. Moreover, they
should have a strong command of English. Especially graduates in
econometrics or economics with a specialization in general economics
are invited to apply. However, we also welcome graduates with a
background in mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, information
sciences, biology, engineering, or philosophy. We require that
applicants have a genuine interest in economics, economic policy,
politics or society at large.

Contract and salary

The initial contract will be for 1.5 years. The terms of the contract
are in accordance with the Collective Agreement on Labour Conditions
for Netherlands Universities (CAO NU). If you have sufficiently proven
your abilities, the temporary contract will be renewed for a further
2.5 years. The salary is in accordance with the Promovendus scale of
CAO NU, which corresponds to a gross monthly salary of € 2,000.00 for
a full-time (i.e. 38 hours per week) appointment in the first year
through to € 2,558.00 in the fourth and final year.

Application

Interested applicants can send a letter that motivates their
application before January 15, 2009 by email to hamers@few.eur.nl or
by mail to Astrid Hamers, FEI BV, Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus
University Rotterdam, PO box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
They should also include an up-to-date CV and grading lists. If
available, research papers (at most two) and teaching evaluations
should be included as well.

More information can be obtained from prof.dr. B. Jacobs
(bjacobs@few.eur.nl, homepage: www.xs4all.nl/~jacobs73) prof.dr. R.A.
de Mooij (demooij@few.eur.nl, homepage: people.few.eur.nl/demooij).

JEL Classification(s): D, E, H, I, J

Application has to be received by 15. January 2009.