Assistant Professor, Climate Economics

Division of Environmental Social Systems, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University

Job Location: Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham NC, United States

Apply now: AcademicJobsOnline. See Job 28359

Anticipated start: July 1, 2025

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Division of Environmental Social Systems (ESS) invites applications for a tenure-track position in climate economics at the assistant professor level. The position emphasizes applied, solutions-oriented research that has the potential to contribute to mitigating or adapting to climate change. It will be based on Duke University’s main campus in Durham, North Carolina in the United States. The successful applicant will join faculty in the Nicholas School and across Duke University whose research and teaching focus on climate change as part of the Duke Climate Commitment. Applicants with experience or interest in collaborating on interdisciplinary research projects are especially encouraged to apply.

The successful applicant will have a background in an applied field of economics, including but not limited to environmental economics, resource economics, energy economics, industrial organization, political economy, international economics, development economics, and agricultural economics. The successful applicant will be expected to establish a distinctive, innovative research program that is widely recognized by scholars in their field and is supported by external funding at an appropriate level given the nature of the research. Examples of relevant research topics include impact evaluations of climate policies and programs, valuation of climate impacts on ecosystem and economic productivity, climate finance, and climate justice. Methods can range from econometric analysis of survey-based microdata or large secondary datasets, to field and lab experiments, to simulation or numerical optimization techniques applied to systems models. 

The successful applicant will teach 2.5 courses per year. Their teaching will primarily serve the Nicholas School’s professional Master of Environmental Management (MEM) and Master of Forestry (MF) degree programs and secondarily Duke University’s PhD Program in Environmental Policy (UPEP), which is administered jointly by the Nicholas School and the Sanford School of Public Policy. One course will be a master’s-level course on climate economics. The remaining courses will be assigned by the ESS Division chair and could include a doctoral-level course. The successful applicant will also serve as a coursework advisor and Master’s Project advisor for students in the MEM and MF programs and will participate in doctoral training through UPEP. Service expectations beyond student advising will be limited during initial years of the appointment to enable the successful applicant to establish their research and teaching programs.

The Nicholas School and ESS Division will expect the successful applicant to demonstrate outstanding performance in both research and teaching by the time they are reviewed for tenure.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic qualification

Ph.D. or equivalent degree in economics, a field within economics, or a related field such as public policy received no later than June 2025.

Preferred qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate outstanding research ability and plans to develop an innovative, distinctive research program that will advance knowledge on climate economics and support the development  of solutions to climate challenges. Applicants should show potential to become outstanding teachers and advisors who can effectively teach and mentor students from diverse educational and socioeconomic backgrounds.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. A one-page cover letter that highlights the applicant’s primary reasons for interest in the position and principal qualifications for it.
2. A current curriculum vitae.
3. A two-page statement of research accomplishments and future research plans, with reference to knowledge frontiers in climate economics.
4. A two-page statement on teaching and mentoring philosophy that includes concrete examples of how the applicant has put their philosophy into practice. The statement should include, if available, evidence on teaching effectiveness and examples of teaching or mentoring students from diverse educational and socioeconomic backgrounds.
5. Job-market paper or other representative recent publication. Applicants may include up to two additional publications.
6. Three letters of reference.

Applications should be submitted to AcademicJobsOnline. See Job # 28359.

Questions regarding this position can be addressed to the Search Committee Chair: Dr. Jeffrey R. Vincent, Division of Environmental Social Systems, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University; Jeff.Vincent@duke.edu.

TIMELINE

The search committee will begin reviewing applications on November 11, 2024. It will send invitations for virtual interviews on December 5, 2024. It will arrange on-campus interviews, including job talks, during the weeks of January 6 and 13. 

WHO WE ARE

The ESS Division is home to tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty in the social, policy, and management sciences. Division faculty are at the forefront of generating new disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge on a range of environmental topics, including climate change, energy, forests, water, pollution, sustainable business, and environmental justice, both in the U.S. and internationally. Their fields include, among others, economics, political science, finance, management science, human geography, anthropology, engineering, and hydrology. The Division values faculty engagement with governments, private companies, international organizations, nonprofit civil society organizations, and local communities that promotes more sustainable use of environmental resources. The Division and the Nicholas School are committed to supporting the ‘whole person’, whether faculty, staff, or student. This includes addressing the broader needs of faculty, including dual career couples and primary care givers. 

Duke University is strongly committed to advancing inclusive excellence throughout our research, teaching, and service activities. A diverse faculty – defined broadly as representing a wide range of identities, lived experiences, and perspectives – is a prerequisite for excellence and is essential to driving innovation within our scholarly community. To achieve these goals, it is essential that all members of the community feel valued and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community are expected to uphold these values, and we seek to hire faculty who are passionate about increasing the participation and success of individuals from all different backgrounds and communities.  

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.