Postdoc position: Political Economy of Low-Carbon Technologies

ETH Zurich’s new Political Economy of Technology (PET) group at the Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences
, led by Prof. Dr. Lukas Fesenfeld, is seeking a postdoc to join its research team studying the political economy of low‑carbon technologies (LCTs) and climate policy. The PET group adopts an interdisciplinary, mixed‑method approach grounded in political economy and public policy research to explore the political, economic, and social dimensions of technological change, particularly at the intersection of technology, politics, and policy.

This position is part of the ERC Starting Grant project “The Politicization of Low‑Carbon Technologies (Pol Tech)” funded by the European Research Council. The Pol Tech project aims to explore the drivers and impacts of technology politicization. Specifically, it studies the technology‑politics interaction in the context of various LCTs, such as solar PV, wind turbines, electric vehicles, heat pumps, and more.

These LCTs are crucial for achieving global climate change mitigation targets, but their adoption is often affected by intense politicization. The project examines how varying levels of LCT politicization affect technology adoption, industrial development, policy design, and its socio‑technical and political feedback effects.

The project is embedded within ETH Zurich’s new Einstein School of Public Policy
, providing excellent opportunities for collaboration with leading scholars at ETH Zurich, EPFL, Technical University of Munich, Stanford University, and others, as well as policymakers in Switzerland, the EU, and other OECD countries.

• The postdoc will have the opportunity to develop an innovative research agenda in the field of political economy, climate policy and technology politics, using, among others:
  • Econometrics, field and survey experiments, and quasi‑experimental causal inference methods,
  • Natural language processing (NLP), and
  • Comparative case studies
• As part of the ERC Starting Grant, the postdoc will have the opportunity to assess:
  • The drivers of low‑carbon technology (LCT) politicization, using, for instance, NLP‑based analyses of media and parliamentary speeches to develop a new LCT politicization index
  • The impacts of LCT politicization on policy and socio‑technical change, and its elite and mass political feedback, using, for instance, experimental and mixed‑method approaches to study how LCT politicization - across different technologies and institutional contexts - affects policy design, technology deployment, industry development, and voting behaviors, among others
• Embedded in the new ETH Einstein School of Public Policy, the postdoc also has the opportunity to create policy‑relevant insights for decision‑makers on how to manage political risks and opportunities associated with different LCTs and climate policies

Postdoctoral researchers at ETH Zurich are employed on a full‑time basis (100%). Part‑time employment may be considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as childcare or family responsibilities, or in combination with other projects or professional commitments.

• We are looking for candidates with a PhD (or close to finishing their PhD) in political science, public policy, political economy, economics, sociology, computational social sciences, or a related field
• Strong knowledge of advanced quantitative methods is essential (e.g., econometrics, causal inference methods such as experiments and quasi‑experiments).
• Experience with natural language processing (NLP) and comparative qualitative case studies is an advantage
• The ideal candidate should have an interest in climate policy, low‑carbon technologies, and sustainability transitions
• The candidate should be highly motivated to conduct scientifically rigorous work that is relevant to both academic audiences and policymakers
• Fluency in English is required, and experience in interdisciplinary and international collaborations is a plus

The new Political Economy of Technology group at ETH Zurich offers a dynamic and collaborative research environment with ample opportunities for academic growth.

• The postdoc will have the…