Stellenausschreibungen

Your Responsibilities

• Writing a dissertation in the field of environmental economics
• Environmental economics research at the Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change, within the “Economics of Climate and Environmental Change” research group and in close collaboration with the Department of Economics
• Focus on quantitative and policy-oriented research with a strong theoretical foundation
• Publication of research findings in international journals
• Presentation of research findings at academic conferences
• Independent teaching in the Economics and Environmental Systems Sciences programs
• Student support and supervison
• Cooperation on organisational and administrative tasks as well as evaluation measures

Your Profile

• Master’s or diploma degree in Environmental Systems Science with focus Economics, Economics, or a related field
• Academic curiosity in environmental economics or a closely related subfield of economics, preferably with initial research experience in climate economics
• Basic knowledge of quantitative and policy-oriented research with a solid theoretical foundation, for example acquired during a master’s thesis
• Teaching aptitude for independent instruction (desirable) in the field of environmental, climate, and/or energy economics
• Knowledge and/ or experience in one (or more) of the following areas (desirable) 
  - Net-zero transformation
  - Energy economics
  - Hard-to-abate industries
  - Institutional economics or industrial organization
• Knowledge of at least one empirical method (desirable) 
  - Computable general equilibrium modeling and simulation or
  - Econometrics or
  - Agent-based modeling
• Excellent command of English
• High personal motivation for academic excellence in research and teaching, as well as the ability to inspire colleagues and students
• Enjoyment of working with people in an interdisciplinary and internationally oriented environment
• Responsible work ethic, resilience, and problem-solving skills

Application Documents

The following documents are required for a complete application:

• Letter of motivation
• Academic CV including previous work experience and publications
• Official proof of completion of the degree program specified in the job posting
• Transcript of Records
• Abstract of the master’s thesis, along with a web link or FTP link to the electronic version of the thesis
• Proof of English or German language proficiency at level C1 or higher (certificate and/or a brief explanatory letter summarizing your experience, if not a native speaker)
• List of two individuals and their contact information who are available as references.

We offer an annual gross salary of € 52,865.40 for a fulltime position.

We Offer

• Application deadline: 23.04.2026
• Salary Category: B1 without PhD
• Salary per Year (Full Time): € 52,865.40
• Employment Start: July 2026
• Hours per week: 30 h/w
• Duration of Contract: Temporary employment
• Temporary Employment: 4 years

Contact

For further information, please contact Prof. Karl Steininger (karl.steininger@uni-graz.at; Tel.: +43 316/380-8441).

Institute Website

Offer Description

Would you like to develop your own research profile within an EU-wide Doctoral Network that advances resilient methods for the conservation of heritage architecture and sites? Are you looking for a PhD position with a competitive salary in a diverse, inspiring, and supportive environment—while living in a UNESCO World Heritage city between the Alps and the Mediterranean?

The University of Graz offers an internationally connected setting where researchers and students collaborate across a broad disciplinary spectrum to expand knowledge, address pressing societal challenges, and shape tomorrow’s world. We combine high-quality research and teaching with a strong commitment to rewarding achievement, promoting careers, and fostering social diversity—within a modern, award-winning working environment.

With around 4,700 employees, the University of Graz works collectively on future-oriented questions and solutions. Our students and researchers engage with the major transformations of our time and share their expertise with society. Our motto is clear: We work for tomorrow. Join us—and be part of it.

Institutes where the project is being carried out:

The PhD candidate will be employed at the Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change at the University of Graz, which combines climate, environmental, and socio-economic research from the global to the regional level. The Center contributes to the understanding of climate and global change, the socio-economic drivers and impacts of climate change and mitigation, and the transition to a low-carbon future. As an interdisciplinary and internationally oriented institute, the Wegener Center brings together researchers from fields such as geophysics and climate physics, meteorology, economics, transition and transdisciplinary research, as well as geography and regional research.

The Department of Geography and Regional Science will be the main supervisor for the PhD position. It acts on a broad range of research activities across six interdisciplinary research groups [two research groups within physical geography, two within human geography, geospatial technologies (GST), and geographical and socio-economic education]. The department applies different research techniques and methods in order to investigate structures and processes on local, regional, and global scales. Both the Wegener Center of Climate and Global Change and the Department of Geography and Regional Science have an inter- and transdisciplinary nature in research covering natural and social sciences, as well as humanities, with a focus on integrative strategies.

The PhD project "Social Assessment - Preservation of Cultural Heritage Sites by Integrating Socio-Cultural Perspectives for Inclusive Preservation" within the MSCA-DN project is described as follows.

Objectives: Investigation of effective strategies to engage local communities and stakeholders in the preservation of cultural heritage sites vulnerable to water-related threats. Emphasize the cultural and social value of these sites in community engagement efforts. Conduct research on the perception, value, and significance of heritage sites within local communities. Examine how heritage preservation, particularly in the context of water-related challenges, impacts the cultural identity and social cohesion of communities.

Expected Results: Develop actionable recommendations for fostering community involvement in heritage preservation, ensuring that local perspectives and values are integrated into conservation initiatives. Provide valuable insights into the socio-cultural impacts of heritage conservation, contributing to a nuanced understanding of the interconnectedness between cultural heritage and community dynamics. Offer practical and implementable conservation strategies that not only address water-related risks but also consider the broader socio-cultural context. 

Expected Output: Easy-to-use decision-making tool for social impact and participation.

Supervisory Committee: Supervisor: Ao.Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr.rer.nat. Wolfgang Sulzer, Department of Geography and Regional Science/University of Graz (academic); Co-Supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ilona Otto, Wegener Center/University of Graz (academic); Mentor: Dr. Andrea Jany, Wegener Center/University of Graz (academic); Thomas Höflehner, Institute of Housing Research/Graz (non-academic)

Planned secondment(s): all for surveys; Secondment 1: CERGY PARIS UNIVERSITE, France (B.Menendez), M6, 4 months; Secondment 2: POLITECNICO DI MILANO, Italy (A.Landi), M18, 4 months; Secondment 3: USTAV TEORETICKE A APLIKOVANE MECHANIKY AVCR, Praha/Czechia, (R.Sevcik) M26, 4 months

Enrolment in Doctoral degree(s): Interdisciplinary doctoral programme at the Faculty of Environmental, Regional and Educational Sciences; subject area: Geography and Regional Sciences, University of Graz, Austria

Conditions of employment: We offer a 3-year full-time PhD contract. The full-time yearly gross salary is € 52.865,40 of living allowance and 710€ of Mobility Allowance. A Family Allowance will be paid if applicable. This amount is gross, and all compulsory deductions under national law will apply, including: Social security contributions and any applicable direct taxes. The salary and terms of employment for this position will comply with the provisions set out in the Collective Agreement for Universities and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions regulations.

Skills/Qualifications

• Applicants should not have been awarded a PhD degree
• Proficiency in written and spoken English
• Be highly motivated
• Creativity and a high level of independence
• Strong interest in the built environment, transdisciplinary, and qualitative research
• Fulfill all requirements according to the curriculum of the Interdisciplinary Doctoral programme at the Faculty of Environmental, Regional and Educational Sciences at the University of Graz

Deadline: April 15, 2026

Where to apply: https://forms.office.com/e/KfMm59Buts?origin=lprLink

As Austria's largest research and technology organisation for applied research, we are dedicated to make substantial contributions to solving the major challenges of our time, climate change and digitalisation. To achieve our goals, we rely on our specific research, development and technology competencies, which are the basis of our commitment to excellence in all areas. With our open culture of innovation and our motivated, international teams, we are working to position AIT as Austria's leading research institution at the highest international level and to make a positive contribution to the economy and society.

Our Center for Digital Safety & Security is looking for new Ingenious Partner for our location in Vienna. Our Competence Unit for Cooperative Digital Technologies is leading in applied research on the development of data-based IT solutions for various application scenarios, including the design of new and innovative solutions supporting society, industry and public administration, in increasing their preparedness and sustainability. As a reliable partner of industry and public authorities, we work on digital tools to enable informed decision making and collaboration, based on current research results and in close collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders and end users.  

Our Sustainable and Resilience Society team focuses on enhancing organisational resilience by enabling collaboration across public and private sectors. we develop technological solutions for data collection, sharing, analysis, and knowledge management, supporting informed decision-making in areas like crisis management and sustainable communities. By promoting trusted data exchange and managing unstructured knowledge, we helps improve planning, response, and resilience to environmental, societal, and technological challenges. Key areas of focus include crisis and disaster management and expanding the use of data spaces and AI-driven tools for effective decision support and knowledge mining.

• You will design, implement, and maintain backend solutions for GIS-based applications and data space architectures, creating added value for our partners in building a more sustainable and resilient society.
• In coordination with experts and end-users, you will develop secure, interoperable data-sharing solutions for communities, enabling better decision-making in the context of climate change and long-term societal resilience.
• You will bring your experience in developing complex distributed software systems to conceive and implement innovative solutions, leveraging your proficiency in Python, Angular or React, or building and deploying scalable services.
• You’ll play a key role in designing and implementing knowledge graph storage, querying, and reasoning systems using technologies such as RDF, SPARQL, OWL, GraphDB or similar.
• You will integrate solutions with data spaces aligned to Gaia-X, IDSA, or similar standards, ensuring secure, interoperable, and trusted data exchange between stakeholders.
• You support ongoing communication with stakeholders.
• Your innovative solutions and methods, tailored to user requirements and distinguished by technological and scientific excellence are proven in practice and successfully used in demonstrations.
• You continuously expand your network in the national and international community and actively pass on your knowledge internally to colleagues and students.
• You publish your results in journals and present them at events and scientific conferences.

Your qualifications as an Ingenious Partner:

• Completed university degree (BSc or MSc), preferably in computer science, data science, computer engineering or similar
• Strong proficiency in Python, Angular/React, and Java for application development and deployment
• Experience with backend frameworks such as Spring Boot, Django, FastAPI, or Node.js
• Experience with geoinformation systems such as ArcGIS, QGIS
• Solid knowledge of relational (e.g.MySQL) and NoSQL databases (e.g. MongoDB) for efficient and flexible data management
• Well-developed expertise in knowledge graph technologies (e.g., RDF, SPARQL, OWL, GraphDB (Neo4j)) and semantic web standards
• Basic understanding of Machine Learning and AI concepts, such as NLP, LLMs, and vector databases
• Ability to work in a team, flexibility and commitment
• Very good knowledge of written and spoken in German and English

What to expect:

The minimum gross annual salary on a full-time basis (38,5 h / week) according to the collective agreement is EUR 59.934,--.The actual salary will be determined individually, based on your qualifications and experience. In addition, we offer company benefits, flexible working conditions, individual training and career opportunities.

At AIT diversity and inclusion are of great importance. This is why we strive to inspire women to join our teams in the field of technology. We welcome applications from women, who will be given preference in case of equal qualifications after taking into account all relevant facts and circumstances of all applications.

Please submit your application documents including your CV, cover letter, certificates and contact details of at least 2 references, online.

For further information please contact: DI Ghazal Etminan, Ghazal.Etminan@ait.ac.at