Postdoctoral Researcher - Behavioral Design
Posted date [2026-06-02]
(ID: 45865)
 |
New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) is a globally recognized institution pioneering a transformative model of higher education. As part of the prestigious NYU global network, NYUAD offers an exceptional liberal arts and sciences education, fostering intercultural understanding and leadership.
Located in the heart of Abu Dhabi, NYUAD is dedicated to groundbreaking research and graduate education, addressing critical local and global challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration. It plays a vital role in shaping a sustainable, knowledge-based economy in the UAE and advancing NYU’s mission as a model university for the 21st century. NYUAD maintains the highest standards of academic excellence, innovation, and inclusivity, welcoming students and faculty from around the world. The university provides a dynamic environment for learning, research, and professional development in one of the world’s fastest-growing educational and cultural hubs. For more information on career opportunities at NYU Abu Dhabi, visit the official website: http://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/ You can now provide the first NYU Abu Dhabi job post for improvement.... |
Job Description and Requirements
Postdoctoral Researcher - Behavioral DesignJob Snapshot
Role: Postdoctoral Researcher - Behavioral Design
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Higher Education
Function: Research
Experience: PhD in economics or a related field
Job Type: Full-time
Position Overview
Postdoctoral Researcher - Behavioral Design in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates is a high-impact Higher Education research opportunity focused on human behavioral diversity, empirically informed behavioral models, institutional design, social welfare, and policy innovation. This role is suited for an ambitious early-career scholar who can contribute to advanced research at the Center for Behavioral Institutional Design while working independently and collaboratively with an international team of researchers.
Job Details
Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Abu Dhabi
Industry: Higher Education
Function: Research
Salary: 22000-35000
Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.
Gender: Any
Candidate Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time
Role Context
The Postdoctoral Researcher - Behavioral Design will join the Center for Behavioral Institutional Design at New York University Abu Dhabi to explore how human behavior varies across individuals, groups, and social environments. The role supports research that connects economics, behavioral science, institutional design, experimental methods, empirical analysis, theory, and public policy. The selected researcher will contribute to projects that aim to improve social welfare through better institutional structures, evidence-based models, and innovative policy design.
Key Responsibilities
* Conduct original research on human behavioral diversity, behavioral economics, institutional design, and social welfare.
* Develop empirically informed models of human behavior using experimental, empirical, theoretical, or mixed research methods.
* Work individually on independent research projects that can lead to publication in respected peer-reviewed journals.
* Collaborate closely with the C-BID research team, including Olivier Bochet, Nikos Nikiforakis, John Wooders, fellow postdoctoral researchers, and visiting scholars.
* Design research questions, build models, analyze behavioral data, and interpret findings with strong academic rigor.
* Prepare high-quality manuscripts for leading social science journals and interdisciplinary academic publications.
* Participate actively in seminars, workshops, conferences, and academic events hosted by the Center.
* Present research findings to multidisciplinary audiences and contribute to scholarly debate within the research community.
* Support collaborative research that examines how institutions and policies can promote cooperation, fairness, efficiency, and social welfare.
* Engage with international scholars and academic partners to strengthen research visibility and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
* Maintain strong research documentation, ethical standards, reproducibility, and careful handling of data and analysis.
* Contribute creative scientific ideas that expand the Center’s work in behavioral institutional design.
Ideal Profile
* PhD in economics or a closely related field.
* Candidate should be within the first 5 years after receiving the PhD.
* Strong training in experimental, empirical, or theoretical research methods.
* A combined background across multiple research methods is highly valuable.
* Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality academic research suitable for leading peer-reviewed journals.
* Strong interest in behavioral economics, institutional design, human behavior, social welfare, public policy, or interdisciplinary social science research.
* Highly ambitious, self-motivated, disciplined, and capable of managing complex research goals.
* Able to work independently while contributing effectively to a collaborative research team.
* Excellent communication skills in English.
* Scientific creativity and the ability to develop original research ideas.
* Willingness to relocate to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for the appointment.
* Ability to submit required application documents, including cover letter, job market paper, curriculum vitae, research statement, transcript, and at least three reference letters.
Skills Set
* Behavioral economics
* Institutional design
* Human behavioral diversity
* Social welfare research
* Experimental economics
* Empirical research
* Theoretical modelling
* Policy design
* Social science research
* Data analysis
* Research methodology
* Academic writing
* Peer-reviewed publication
* Research presentation
* Multidisciplinary collaboration
* Scientific creativity
* Quantitative analysis
* Economic modelling
* Behavioral modelling
* Conference participation
* Research statement development
* Journal manuscript preparation
* Independent scholarship
* Team-based research
* Institutional policy research
Why Join Us
This role offers a strong platform for a Postdoctoral Researcher - Behavioral Design who wants to advance an academic career in Abu Dhabi while contributing to influential research in behavioral science and institutional design. The position provides a salary above internationally competitive postdoctoral rates, generous housing support, transportation and travel allowances, educational subsidies for children, health insurance, retirement contributions, and the advantage of working in a no personal income tax environment. Researchers also benefit from a world-class seminar series, workshops, conferences, an international scholarly network, and the possibility of renewal for at least one additional year after the initial two-year appointment.
About the Company
New York University Abu Dhabi is a globally connected research university in the UAE, offering advanced scholarship across social sciences, sciences, engineering, humanities, and the arts. Through its Center for Behavioral Institutional Design, the university supports high-level research on human behavior, institutions, economics, policy, and social welfare. NYU Abu Dhabi provides an international academic environment where researchers can collaborate with leading scholars, publish impactful work, and contribute to knowledge creation from Abu Dhabi.
