Research Economist - Postdoctoral, Crime and Justice

IFS; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) invites applications for a postdoctoral economist to join its justice research team. The role centers on applied microeconomics within policing, courts and prisons, with collaboration across IFS senior researchers.

We seek candidates with a strong publication record, excellent communication, and the ability to work with large administrative datasets. The appointment is a three-year postdoctoral position, with visa support where needed and eligibility to

Qualifications

• Excellent academic background with a track record of high-quality economic research.
• Interest in crime and justice with applied microeconomics.
• Experience with large administrative datasets an advantage.
• Candidate expected to complete PhD in 2027.
• Strong communication skills from research dissemination.

Responsibilities

• Develop and advance the research agenda in policing, courts, prisons and the justice system.
• Collaborate with IFS staff, fellows and external researchers to publish in top international journals.
• Contribute to policy-relevant analysis and dissemination for policymakers and the public.
• Mentor and train junior researchers within the IFS justice research team.

Skills

Applied microeconomics

Academic writing

Communication skills

Data analysis with large datasets

Education

PhD in Economics

Job description

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is recruiting an outstanding postdoctoral economist to join its research team working on the justice system.

IFS is Europe’s leading centre for microeconomic research and is an authoritative, independent commentator on a wide range of policy issues, aiming to bridge the gap between academia and the wider public.

The Director is Helen Miller and the Research Director is Imran Rasul. Research at IFS is led by a large number of Co-Directors including James Banks, Richard Blundell, Aureo de Paula, Eric French, Francois Gerard, Rachel Griffith, Attila Lindner, and Fabien Postel-Vinay.

The postdoctoral fellow will join the IFS justice research team. The team’s work covers policing, courts, prisons and the wider justice system, and it works closely with government and the policy community. The fellow will work with a mix of IFS research staff and leading academics within our network of research associates and fellows. We will work with the successful applicant to develop their research agenda, with a particular focus on academic publication in top international journals.

This is a three-year postdoctoral position, offering the researcher time, flexibility and support to build their career.

Candidates should have an excellent academic background, a track record of producing high-quality economic research, and first-rate communication skills. We welcome applications from candidates working in applied microeconomics with an interest in crime and justice. Experience of working with large administrative datasets would be an advantage.

We welcome applications from students expecting to complete a PhD in 2027.

Applications are open to candidates from the UK and abroad. The post is eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa: IFS will support the application where needed for successful candidates. Any offer of employment is subject to the eligibility to work in the UK.

If you have any queries, please email [e-mail].

Additional Information

• Salary: The salary advertised reflects 2026 rates; these will be uplifted from April 2027 in line with inflation and cost-of-living adjustments, meaning the actual salary on appointment will be higher than the figure shown.