Student assistant position in economics (m/f/d)

The climate needs bright minds. The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) addresses crucial scientific questions in the fields of global change, climate impacts and sustainable development. It is one of the world's leading research institutions in its field and offers natural and social scientists from around the world an inspiring environment for excellent interdisciplinary research.

For the working group Welfare and Policy Design at PIK, located at EUREF Campus in Berlin-Schöneberg, is offering a

Student assistant position in economics (m/f/d)

(Position number: 21-2026 SHK Policy Design) starting on 01.09.2026.

The position is funded for up to 12 months and for 10-15 weekly working hours. An extension is possible, conditional on available project funding. Remuneration is in accordance with the German public tariff scheme (TV-L Brandenburg). The hourly rate for student assistants with a bachelor's degree is set to be €15.20 under the collective bargaining agreement (€13.98 for those without a bachelor's degree).

The position will be based in the working group “Welfare and Policy Design”, headed by Prof. Dr. Matthias Kalkuhl at Research Department “Climate Economics and Policy”.  

The main, long-term task will be to contribute to our research agenda on tax clubs and jurisdictional reward funds that is described here. Additionally, the person filling the position is expected to assist with short-term, ad-hoc tasks (mainly background research) across the spektrum of German and EU climate-economic policy in the areas relevant to the working group’s research focus.

Key responsibilities:

• solving our existing economic models (analytically and numerically)
• visualizing and explaining the results for academic publications and policy briefs
• refining the models and their empirical calibration
• literature reviews and topic-specific background research in economic publications, public databases and legislative documents
• autonomous data research and preparation (e.g., cleaning, inflation adjustment)

You are a Bachelor or Master student, enrolled at a German university, and ideally meet the following requirements:

• studies in the field of economics, mathematics, computer science or related fields
• good understanding of welfare and environmental-economic concepts, e.g., social welfare maximiziation, externalities, Pigouvian taxation
• profound interest in current issues in climate policy in Germany and the EU
• strong programming skills or strong motivation to acquire them
  (more specifically, the skills to leverage tools like Claude Code)

We expect:

• strong motivation to contribute to impact-oriented research, combining academic rigor and focus on policy relevance
• high willingness to work collaboratively in an international and diverse working group  
• very good understanding of English (German language skills are an asset)

We offer:

• opportunity to participate in collaborative economic modelling tailored to develop, optimize and evaluate new proposals for international mechanisms, drawing on public economics (optimal taxation, tax competition, tax incidence, welfare economics), international trade theory, game theory and mechanism desin theory
• supportive work environment in our team
• attractive working space at the EUREF-Campus in Berlin Schöneberg
• flexi-time and mobile working
• subsidized travel card or Deutschland-Ticket Job

PIK values equality and diversity. We encourage applications without photo. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of ethnic and social origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, care responsibilities, or age. PIK seeks to increase the share of women in scientific positions and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. In cases of equal qualification and within the given legal scope, women will be given preference. PIK also encourages applications by parents returning from parental leave.

Please apply by 19.07.2026 directly via our application form below this job advertisement on our website. The job advertisement will remain open until the positions are filled.

If you hold an international higher education qualification, please also submit a certificate evaluation from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) with your application. If you do not yet have a transcript evaluation, please note that you may have to request one if your application is successful. For further information, please visit the website: https://www.kmk.org/zab/central-office-for-foreign-education.html

For further information or to discuss the position please contact Lennart Stern.