Research Associate

**_Campus Belval, 11, Porte des Sciences, L - 4366 Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg_**
**_ _**
**The Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)**

**is recruiting a**

**Research Associate (post-doc, f/m) for the Living Conditions Department***
- **Ref: 23-17**
- **Fixed-term working contract for 32 months at LISER on the FNR-funded CORE project “SPIN - Spatial Economics of Income Distribution Across Borders: Drivers of Spatial Inequalities using Microsimulation”**
- **Full time, 40 hours/week**
- **Start date: January 1st 2024**
- **Department: Living Conditions (LC)**
- **Location: Belval (Luxembourg)**
- **Deadline: until the position is filled**

The SPIN project will enhance the understanding of the nature of spatial inequalities in disposable income in cross-border regions in Europe and the role played by tax-benefit policies, labour mobility/commuting and housing in shaping spatial income inequalities. The project will build a novel spatial cross-border microsimulation model that goes beyond existing spatially disaggregated analytical frameworks and is able to disentangle the roles of tax-benefit policies (cross-border and national), cross-border commuting, local labour markets and housing in shaping spatial income/welfare inequalities in cross-border regions. We will focus on Luxembourg and its cross-border commuting regions. The spatial microsimulation model could be further extended to cover environmental issues.

**Your role**

You will be employed to undertake research in the area of spatial welfare in cross-border regions using microsimulation techniques. You are expected to contribute to the implementation of the SPIN project in line with the project plan:

- _Analytical_
- Data assembly and management;
- Model coding and development of the infrastructure;
- Model simulation;
- Analysis and interpretation of results.
- _Journal Article Writing_
- Contribute to the collection and reviewing of the relevant literature;
- Development of theoretical frameworks;
- Writing up results;
- Drawing policy conclusions;
- Paper submission and management of review process.
- _Dissemination and reporting_
- Collaborate on the production of policy research reports and policy briefs;
- Communicate results to stakeholders within and outside academia;
- Contribute to drafting the project reporting;
- Present at international project meetings, conferences, as well as in related stakeholder events;
- Collaborate in the organization of scientific activities linked to the project and the larger research group;
- In case of spin-off project submissions, collaborate in fundraising activities at national and/or international level by contributing to the writing and submission of proposals.

**Your profile**
- Essential Criteria:_
- PhD in Economics or related discipline;
- Evidence of track record in writing and publishing peer reviewed papers;
- Evidence of experience in handling large scale datasets;
- Experience in statistical and econometric analysis of micro datasets.
- Desirable Criteria:_
- Evidence of experience in developing and using micro-based simulation models;
- Evidence of experience in presenting results at academic conferences;
- Experience in engaging with non-academic stakeholders.

**What we offer**
- A dynamic and international research environment with good working conditions and stimulating work environment:

- An Internationally competitive salary package with several advantages defined in our Framework Convention for the employees of public research centres and our Collective Labour Agreement;
- 32,5 days of annual leaves per year for a full-time employee;
- Flexible working hours and a possibility of telework;
- A development-oriented training offer and the possibility to participate to conferences, seminars etc. to support your career.

**Research at LISER**

LISER is a publicly funded research institute located in Luxembourg. LISER is devoted to applied empirical research in economic, social and spatial sciences. Interdisciplinarity is a key element for stimulating scientific innovation. LISER research addresses current and future societal challenges and delivers relevant and independent societal impact and policy advice both at the national and European level. The institute attracts researchers from all over the world and high-level doctoral training is a vibrant part of the Institute’s activities. The institute‘s staff consists of about 170 employees (including a survey and data center), about 90 staff being researchers, active in the fields of economics, sociology, and geography. The working languages at the institute are French and English.

**Our work site**

The institute is located on the new Belval campus in the south of Luxembourg (Cité des Sciences, Luxembourg), which hosts the University of Luxembourg and a substantial part of the country’s publicly funded research facilities, i.e. LISER, the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) cross-national data center, the Luxembo