Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), Halle

The Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO) in Halle (Saale), Germany, invites applications for a

1 Doctoral Scholarship on "Agent-based Analyses of Structural Change and System Resilience in EU and Ukrainian Agriculture”

The doctoral researcher will work at the intersection of agricultural economics, system modelling, and policy analysis. Core analytical tool will be the agent-based model AgriPoliS (Agricultural Policy Simulator), developed at IAMO to investigate long-term structural change in agriculture under varying market, policy, and environmental conditions.

The scholarship is thematically linked to the Horizon Europe projects AgEnRes (Agricultural Enterprises and Resource Efficiency) and SecureFood (Enhancing Food System Resilience), where AgriPoliS is used to simulate responses of farm structures to energy shocks, climate extremes, and policy interventions. The case study regions include Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Ukraine.

While the research will be conceptually embedded in these projects, the doctoral researcher will have the freedom to develop their own research focus within the broader thematic and methodological framework.

Potential thematic areas include:

• Structural change and sustainability in EU agricultural systems under increasing uncertainties (e.g. fertilizers, energy)
• Resilience of farm structures in regions under crisis (e.g. war, climate extremes)
• Enhancement of AgriPoliS with new decision rules, behavioral components, or spatial interactions.
• Policy scenario analysis related to environmental targets, resilience measures, or green technologies

We expect

• Master’s degree in agricultural economics, environmental/resource economics, industrial engineering, business informatics, or a related field
• Demonstrated interest in agent-based or simulation modelling, agricultural policy, and structural change
• Programming experience (e.g. C++, Python, or NetLogo) and/or knowledge of optimization techniques is advantageous
• Strong analytical and writing skills
• Good command of English (written and spoken)
• Knowledge of Ukrainian or Polish may be beneficial for fieldwork
• High degree of initiative and willingness to collaborate in multicultural and interdisciplinary teams
• Availability to spend time at IAMO and possibly in the case study regions for data collection or workshops (regarding fieldwork in Ukraine depending on safety conditions).

We offer

• A scholarship for a duration of 36 months, starting from November 2025 (or later by agreement)
• Daily supervision and support for developing research, analysis and dissertation write-up
• Access to resources and support for designing own doctoral research project within the AgriPoliS group
• Opportunity to join the IAMO Graduate School and to participate in the German Doctoral Certificate Program in Agricultural Economics (www.agraroekonomik.de)
• A stimulating research environment within a renowned international institute
• Financial support for field visits, conferences, and publications
• Monthly stipend of 1,650 EUR, plus 100 EUR lump sum and up to 100 EUR health insurance subsidy

Application

Interested candidates should send a set of application documents in English language that include:

1. Letter of motivation (maximum 1 page)
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Copies of all relevant transcripts and certificates of bachelor, master or equivalent courses as well as English language certificates, if the MSc thesis was not written in English (a foreign degree must be recognized as equivalent in Germany in order to be admitted to a doctoral program.)
4. A short outline of your research interest in relation to AgriPoliS (max. 2 pages)
5. Names and contact information of two academic referees

This set of application documents should be sent by email as a single pdf-file to application.structuralchange(at)iamo.de. Application deadline: 15 September 2025. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Questions regarding this doctoral scholarship can be sent to Dr. Franziska Appel via e-mail: appel(at)iamo.de

About us

IAMO is a research institute, a foundation under public law, that pursues basic and applied research in the field of agricultural economics with a focus on the formerly centrally planned economies of Europe and Asia. It offers an excellent infrastructure and a stimulating research environment in an international, ambitious, and multidisciplinary team. IAMO is a member of the Leibniz Association, a German network of non-university research institutes. The city of Halle is located in Eastern Germany, near Leipzig, and offers an attractive and affordable living environment. Equality of opportunity is part of our personnel policy. Female researchers are strongly encouraged to apply. Persons with severe disabilities and persons with equivalent status will be given preferential consideration if they are equally qualified in accordance with legal requirements (please enclose proof). We particularly welcome applications from our IAMO study regions.