Careers at the ifo Institute
Our goal is to help shape the economic debate. That is why we are looking for female and male economists who want to achieve research excellence. We will help you reach your goals by providing excellent research conditions plus graduate schools and collaborations with Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich, TU Dresden, and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. In addition, we offer a mentoring program for female economists, and our CESifo network, which gives you access to international researchers from all over the world. You can also further your career outside of research – because we systematically support the professional development of our staff through workshops, seminars, and further training.
ifo Benefits at a Glance
Why Join Us?
Excellent research thrives best when economists feel at ease, can exchange ideas with each other, and have many opportunities for discussion to third-party professionals. Our international CESifo network organizes many conferences with top-class guests, and guest researchers regularly visit the Institute. We think it’s important to include scientific perspectives and facts in the economic debate. We see ourselves as a team that creates knowledge together – and that’s what makes us special.
Family Is Close to Our Hearts
We realize how important it is for employees, both in the academic and non-academic areas, to achieve a healthy work-life balance. That’s why we offer parents flexible working hours, attractive home office arrangements, and training opportunities even during parental leave. In addition, children are always welcome at our in-house parties. As part of the Bavarian Family Pact, we are in continuous talks with other organizations on how we can develop our family-friendly approach.
Optimum Working Conditions
Doctoral students, postdocs, and non-academic staff can continue to gain further qualifications with us, which means that we are able to provide high-quality work in both academic and non-academic areas.
DIVERSITY Writ Large
Our credo is diversity and equality: the ifo Institute values diversity and actively promotes equal opportunities for all employees regardless of their origin, religion, belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation. We welcome open-minded people who enjoy working as part of a diverse team. We strive for a gender balance and focus on internationality when recruiting. Female doctoral students receive special training opportunities and are assigned a female mentor. ifo also supports female postdocs to take part in the Leibniz Mentoring Programme. These measures are regularly TÜV-certified.
HR Excellence Award (EURAXESS)
In 2019 we received the "HR Excellence in Research" award from the European Commission. This marks our success in creating an ideal working environment for excellent research.
Career Opportunities at the ifo Institute
Career Opportunities for (Young) Scientists
Top-class economists are welcome to join the ifo Institute at any point in their career. They can start their career as an intern or (student/academic) assistant and continue or start as a doctoral student. They can also kick off or continue their career as a researcher after completing their doctorate. Thanks to its close connection to the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich (LMU), economists at ifo have access to first-class research and career opportunities.
Career Opportunities for Non-Scientists
The ifo Institute offers jobs in the fields of finance, human resources, communication or information technology. We employ assistants and offer training in office management. Assistants work in the infrastructure and research departments. Subject officers are the interface to research and support scientists in their work.
Doctors, Postdocs, Alumnis
ifo Doctoral Program
Young economists who have completed their university studies with a top result will find attractive opportunities for further scientific qualification at the ifo. With an empirically oriented doctorate, ifo doctoral candidates receive an excellent basis for successfully continuing their professional career at a university or in a non-university setting.
ifo Postdoc Program
Together with the Ludwig Maximilian University Munich (LMU), the ifo Institute offers a postdoctoral program. This Junior Development Program supports young scientists, for example, in planning their own careers, developing leadership skills or communicating their research results to the public.
ifo Alumnis
The ifo Institute remains in contact with its former doctoral students and researchers. After earning their doctorate at ifo, more than 60 percent of graduates pursue a career outside the Institute. The breadth of their experience makes them attractive to different kinds of employers. Many stay in research, while others are drawn to ministries, international organizations, or companies.
Job Offers
ifo Postdoctoral Researcher / Economist (f/m/d): Public/Behavioral Economics
To strengthen our team and join our junior faculty, we are looking for a Postdoctoral researcher / Economist (f/m/d), starting in the next year or earlier.
PhD student (f/m/d) (75%) for the ifo Center for Energy, Climate, and Resources
To strengthen our team, we are looking for a doctoral candidate for a doctorate in economics at the chair of Prof. Dr. Karen Pittel at the LMU as well as for cooperation in research projects in the field of climate and energy economics.
Applied Data Scientist/PostDoc (f/m/d) for ifo focus area “Big Data Economics”
To strengthen our growing ifo-wide team working on “Big Data Economics”, we are looking for a Data Scientist at the postdoc level for up to six years, starting in June 2024 or at the earliest possible. She/he will contribute to ifo’s main research topics with his/her independent research applying a combination of state-of-the-art machine learning and causal inference methods to innovative and unconventional data from various sources and of various types (firm, text, images, administrative, etc.) answering policy relevant economic questions.
Student Assistant (f/m/d) for the ifo Center for Macroeconomics and Surveys
The ifo Institute is looking for a Student Assistant with immediate effect to support the ifo Center in its research work in the field of microsimulation.
Interns (f/m/d)
The ifo Institute always employs interns for a period of six weeks to three months. The prerequisite for an internship is enrolment at a university or college.
Interns (f/m/d) (Economics, Business Administration)
The ifo Institute employs interns for a period of six weeks to three months. The prerequisite for an internship is enrolment at a university or college.
Student Assistant (w/m/d) for the Field of Visual Communication
The ifo Institute is looking for a Student Assistant (m/f/d) for Visuals Team in ifo Communication.
Student Assistant (f/m/d) (CESifo)
CESifo (registered as: Münchener Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wirtschaftswissenschaft - CESifo GmbH) links the ifo Institute and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) in Munich, with the international research community. We are currently hiring a student assistant.
