The Thema research unit invites applications for a fully funded PhD position in Economics focusing on motivation, incentives, and performance in teams. The project aims to contribute to the growing literature on team production, behavioural economics, personnel economics, and organizational economics by combining rigorous theoretical foundations with innovative experimental methods. The doctoral work will be conducted in partnership with a private company. The project will primarily rely on experimental economics methods, including primarily laboratory experiments and field experiments that will be conducted with the partnering company. The candidate is expected to design and conduct original experiments aimed at understanding motivational mechanisms in team settings. The PhD will be supervised by Angela Sutan (Thema, ESSEC) and Béatrice Boulu-Reshef (Thema, CY Cergy Paris Université).
Host Institutions: Thema, ESSEC Business School & CY Cergy Paris Université
Location: Cergy-Pontoise, France
Starting Date: Autumn 2026
Duration: 3 years
Research Environment
The successful candidate will have access to experimental laboratories, international research networks, seminars, workshops, and conferences.
Candidate Profile
Applicants should possess:
- A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Economics before the start date
- Strong training in microeconomics and quantitative methods
- Demonstrated interest in experimental and behavioural economics
- Analytical and statistical skills
- Experience with statistical software such as R, Stata, Python, or equivalent
- Excellent written and spoken English
- French proficiency is appreciated
Previous experience in experimental design, behavioural economics, or organizational research will be considered a strong asset.
Application Procedure
Applicants should submit:
- A detailed CV
- A cover letter describing research interests and motivation
- Academic transcripts
- A writing sample (Master’s thesis, research paper, or equivalent)
- Contact information for two academic references
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Contact information
Angela Sutan (sutan@essec.edu) and Béatrice Boulu-Reshef (beatrice.boulu-reshef@cyu.fr)
Equal Opportunity Statement
THEMA and ESSEC Business School are committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity in recruitment and research.
