Postdoc Public Economics Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Position overview
Position title: Postdoctoral Scholar-Employee
Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay at appointment. See the following table for the current postdoctoral scholar salary scales: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/2025-26/represented-oct-2025-scales/t23.pdf The current full-time salary range for post doc positions is $69,073 - $82,836. A reasonable estimate for this postdoctoral scholar position is $69,073 to $77,030. Final salary will be commensurate with level of experience.
Percent time: 100%
Anticipated start: 8/1/2026
Position duration: This position is funded for two years with possible renewal.
Application Window
Open date: January 16, 2026
Most recent review date: Thursday, Feb 12, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications received after this date will be reviewed by the search committee if the position has not yet been filled.
Final date: Tuesday, Jun 30, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Position description
The O'Donnell Center for Behavioral Economics and Finance, housed jointly in the Haas School of Business and the Department of Economics, seeks applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar-Employee, with expertise in behavioral economics or behavioral finance, and strong econometric or theory training.
The Postdoctoral Scholar will be part of Berkeley's O'Donnell Center for Behavioral Economics and Finance, housed jointly in the Haas School of Business and the Department of Economics. The center's mission is to support rigorous academic research in various areas of behavioral economics, including all areas of applied microeconomics, financial economics, macro-finance, political economy, public economics, and health economics. We also pursue research in collaboration with researchers in neuroscience, cognitive science, and medicine. Ulrike Malmendier and Stefano Della Vigna, both joint faculty members at the Haas School of Business and the Department of Economics, co-direct the center. Faculty from the departments of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Economics, the Haas Business School, the School of Public Health, the Goldman School of Public Policy, and the Information School are affiliated with the initiative. Ulrike Malmendier will be the primary faculty lead.
Duties of Position:
The position offers direct engagement in new and exciting research opportunities and personal mentorship from faculty and other researchers on the team. Scholars will gain an expanded network of collaborators and become members of the UC Berkeley research community by actively participating in seminar series and taking advantage of various internal workshops to present and receive feedback on their work. The postdoctoral scholar will also have time for their own complementary research. The scholar will also be expected to join and develop a research agenda in collaboration with their supervisor.
Areas of research interest include, but are not limited to:
-models and empirical evidence of belief formation in macro-finance, especially work on experience effects and memory formation;
-household decision-making: household finance, health choices, consumption
-firm decision-making: corporate finance and in particular managerial biases, including overconfidence, sunk-cost fallacy, and hindsight bias;
-neuroscience foundations of modern models of belief formation and economic/financial decision-making mental health, trauma.
Applicants are expected to pitch their existing research. They may also at their discretion (1) propose possible areas of collaboration, including concrete project ideas, and (2) contribute to possible projects of collaboration proposed by us.
Program: https://haas.berkeley.edu/behavioral-economics/
Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
Ph.D. (or equivalent international degree), or enrolled in a Ph.D. (or equivalent international degree) program at the time of application.
Additional qualifications (required at time of start)
Ph.D. (or equivalent international degree) by the start date.
No more than two years of post-degree research experience.
Preferred qualifications
All candidates with a Ph.D. (or equivalent international degree) by start date in economics, finance, and related fields with interest in studying themes related to behavioral economics behavioral finance, and applied economics are invited to apply.
Scholars with strengths in applied microeconometrics, field experiments, and applied data science (including machine learning and computational methods for working with unstructured data) are particularly encouraged.
Application Requirements
Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research - A summary of your research agenda non-technical language, suitable for a broad audience outside of your discipline

Reference requirements

• 2-6 required (contact information only)

References should be from individuals who are familiar with the applicant's written work and qualifications for the position.
Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05248
Help contact: dbeausoleil@berkeley.edu
About UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy ( APM 210 1-d ). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community , which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.
The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.
For more information, please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy .
In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.
As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.
Unless stated otherwise, unambiguously, in the position description, this position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Job location
2220 Piedmont Ave, Berkeley, CA 94720