Offer Description
The Institut de Recherche en Gestion et Économie (IREGE) is a research unit of Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB). The researchers at IREGE, combining expertise in management and economics, pursue investigations around a unifying theme: “Environmental and Innovation Choices”, organised into two main interdisciplinary axes: Environment, Sustainable Consumption, Tourism (ECDT) and Innovation & Organisational Development (IDO). These research areas aim to improve our understanding of how…
innovative and responsible approaches are adopted at individual, organisational, and societal levels, and to assess their impacts, particularly when driven by public policy. The EIOSE project, funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR), aligns closely with these research themes and involves both IREGE and USMB as partners.
Climate change is modifying the environment and affecting humans. In some regions, physical events (e.g., droughts, flooding, or high temperatures) directly impact humans (Patz et al., 2005), modify life environments (IPCC, 2022), and increase environmental risk (World Meteorological Organization, 2024). Societies must therefore make trade-offs between adaptation and mitigation, leading individuals either to reduce their vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change or to adjust their behaviors to act on its causes and reduce their carbon footprint. (Frankhauser, 2017).
Beyond lifestyle changes, climate change directly affects human health. While the physical impact of climate change on human health is well-identified (McMichael et al., 2006; Romanello et al., 2022), effects beyond physical trauma remain understudied and are a growing research area (Clayton et al., 2021). Researchers are exploring the impact of climate change on mental health (Clayton, 2021), which can manifest through two channels (Berry et al., 2010; Palinkas and Wong, 2020). Climate change can directly impact mental health following major climatic events such as floods, heatwaves, and hurricanes. Direct effects are generally associated with acute manifestations of mental health disorders, including psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Additionally, climate change can indirectly affect mental health through the emergence of physical health problems or via the degradation of the social and community environment. Witnessing the effects of climate change on others can also indirectly impact individuals' mental health (Clayton, 2021). These indirect effects are typically described by Berry et al. (2010) as more chronic and insidious in nature.
This has led to the development of a new term: eco-anxiety or climate anxiety (Boluda-Verdu et al., 2022). It is described as an emotional response characterized by concern, worry, anxiety, and fear in reaction to the threats posed by climate change and environmental degradation. However, there is no standardized definition. Clayton et al. (2017) describe it as a "chronic fear of environmental doom" and Duggal (2022), defines it as "extreme worry about current and future harm to the environment caused by climate change." Overall, eco-anxiety or climate anxiety can be perceived either as a normal and adaptive response that fosters pro-environmental behavior or as a source of psychological distress. The literature indicates that, among other determinants, psychological factors influence pro-environmental behaviors (Blankenberg & Alhusen, 2019). From a theoretical perspective, the concept of eco-anxiet yor climate anxiety has yet to reach a consensus. It calls for further research to explore its dual dimensions, ranging from an adaptive response that may or may not foster pro-environmental behaviors to a genuine source of psychological distress. Moreover, economics has only marginally engaged with this issue, despite the fact that environmental perceptions and emotions significantly influence individual behaviors and the acceptability of public policies.
From an empirical perspective, while the literature has established significant correlations between manifestations of climate change and mental health outcomes, few studies have rigorously identified a causal relationship with a high level of external validity. Case-specific studies limit the generalizability of findings to broader populations. Furthermore, interventions aimed at mitigating the negative impact of eco-anxiety or climate anxiety remain underexplored and have been rarely assessed through experimental evaluation. Then, the relationship between manifestations of climate change and mental health warrants further research, as it raises critical and urgent questions in our societies experiencing a mental health crisis and greater environmental risks (Acemoglu, 2024). Firstly, the public health challenges associated with this issue are of paramount importance in a world where good health and well-being are defined as a Sustainable Development Goal. Secondly, addressing climate change will require public engagement and, consequently, the acceptability of public policies, which is known to be closely linked to individuals' perceptions and experiences.
The post-doctoral position objective will be to study the tenants of climate anxiety or eco-anxiety and its’ underlying effects on economic behavior and preferences.
The post-doctoral researcher will be expected to significantly contribute to the environmental risk and mental health chair ongoing research projects as a co-author. This will involve, but is not limited to, collecting data through surveys and economic experiments, analyzing data with advanced statistical methods (i.e., econometrics), and drafting research papers. The post-doctoral researcher will also lead a Many-Researcher collaborative project. In addition, the post-doctoral position will also involve supervising interns who may contribute to the project.
The postdoctoral researcher will be expected to work full-time on projects related to the position and to the ongoing research projects of the Chair on Environmental Risks and Mental Health, with the objective of advancing and making a significant contribution to at least two priority projects. Any independent research should be conducted outside regular working hours and managed in a way that does not interfere with the researcher’s active contribution to EIOSE projects, thereby avoiding any conflict of commitment.
Where to apply
E-mail: job-ref-whonjkgsqr@emploi.beetween.com
Requirements
Research Field: Economics
Education Level: PhD or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
- PhD in economics, statistics, psychology, decision sciences, political science, or any other relevant scientific field or discipline.
- Proven research activity (publications or working papers).
- Knowledge and experience with Open and Meta Science practices (e.g., Pre-registration and Registered Reports).
- Strong quantitative and data analysis skills. Interest and experience with training/fine-tuning machine learning models would also be appreciated.
- Interest and knowledge of economic theoretical modelling would be a plus.
- Strong coding skills and experience with statistical software languages (R, Stata, or Python).
- Leadership and excellent communication skills, with strong adaptability and initiative skills.
- Excellent English proficiency.
Languages: ENGLISH
Level: Excellent
Additional Information
Website for additional job details: https://www.univ-smb.fr/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/offre-emploi-post-doc_iregeresm.pdf
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: USMB / IREGE
Country: France
City: Chambéry
Street: Rue Marcoz, 27
Postal Code: 73000
Contact
E-Mail: Recrutement-Postdoctorant.Rh@univ-savoie.fr
Website: https://www.univ-smb.fr, https://www.irege.univ-smb.fr/