PhD Scholarship inApplied Economics on "Firm Closures,Layoffs, and Their Impacts on Workers and Families" (Melbourne, Australia)
Job No :
Location : Caulfield campus
Employment Type : Full-time
Duration : 4.5-year fixed-term appointment
Remuneration : A generous scholarship covering tuitionfees and a tax-free stipend at current value of $39,000 AUD per annum (up to$49,000 AUD per annum for outstanding students).
Additional financial support is available through research and teachingassistance work.
The Opportunity
This PhD offers the opportunity to work on a project at the intersection oflabour economics, health economics, industrial organisation, and publicpolicy. When firms close or downsize, the economic shock extends farbeyond the workplace, affecting workers' mental health, financial security,family relationships, and children's long-term outcomes. Yet, despite therising frequency of economic shocks – from natural disasters and monetarytightening to trade disruptions and geopolitical tensions – we still knowsurprisingly little about how firms adapt, how their decisions cascadethrough households and communities, and which policies can buffer theseimpacts.This project addresses that gap. It will generate the first comprehensive,population-level evidence on how firms manage periods of economic crisisand how their responses shape health, employment, and wellbeingoutcomes for individuals and families.
The successful candidate will join a highly collaborative research teamusing linked employer–employee administrative data, including healthcareuse data, and state-of-the-art econometric methods to generate causalevidence on these issues. Your work will produce insights directly relevantto labour-market policy, family services, and social protection systems. Thisis an opportunity to influence national policy debates while advancingacademic knowledge in applied microeconomics and labour, health, andindustrial economics. You will work closely under the PhD supervision ofAssociate Professor Sonja de New and Professor Dennis Petrie. You willalso have the opportunity to work with other leading Professors from theUniversity of Melbourne, University of Michigan and Free University of Amsterdam, who are collaborators on this project.
Who we're looking for
This project is an excellent fit for researchers who want to apply rigorousempirical methods to questions of real social importance. It will suitsomeone with strong empirical skills who enjoys working with largedatasets, engaging deeply with research design, and collaborating withinan interdisciplinary team.
Applicants should have completed an Honours degree, a four-yearbachelor's degree, or a master's degree with excellent results and a research component in economics or econometrics. A background orstrong interest in applied economics, microeconometrics, labour economics, industrial organisation, health economics, or public policy willbe valuable.
We also welcome applicants from other quantitative disciplines – such asdata science, mathematical statistics, actuarial science, public health, orpsychology – who have strong quantitative skills and an interest in causalinference.
PhD Program
The project is based in the Centre for Health Economics, a large and activeeconomics research group within the Monash Business School inMelbourne, Australia.
As a candidate in theCHE Integrated PhD Program, you will receiverigorous training in advanced health economics, econometrics, and relatedstudies.
The Integrated Program starts with 1 year of advanced coursework and research training including a minor thesis packaged into a Master ofCommerce (MCom) degree. Provided you meet the agreed requirements,you will then progress to the PhD project component, which involves highquality research training and career development, culminating in a writtenthesis on the topic outlined above. The PhD research stage will typicallytake three and a half years to complete. You will also enjoy opportunitiesfor domestic and international research visits and conference travel.
PhD Program entry requirements and scholarship eligibility
Applicants to enter the 4.5-year Integrated PhD program should havecompleted an Honours degree, a 4-year Bachelor's degree or a Mastersdegree with top marks and a research component in Economics,Econometrics or a related quantitative discipline as outlined above.
You can check your eligibility with the PhD readiness tool.
For full information on eligibility and English language requirements, pleasevisit the Monash Business School Integrated PhD Program page.
Applications
Before applying, note the following :
When prompted, select "Health Economics" as your area of specialisation
To apply, please follow the Integrated PhD Program application process.
All eligible applications will be assessed, and shortlisted candidates will becontacted to meet with the supervisory team and discuss mutual fit for theproject.
Application dates for the commencement of the Integrated PhDprogram in July / August 2026 :
Application round is currently open.
Applications Close : Sunday 1 February 2026, 11 : 55 pm AEDT
About Monash and the Centre for Health Economics
The Centre for Health Economics is one of the world's leading researchgroups in the economic analysis of health and health care. We have thehighest concentration of economists working in health in the Asia-Pacificregion and the largest Health Economics PhD program in Australia,reflecting the reputation of our researchers and the quality of theirmentorship.
Monash is one of the top 50 universities in the world, ranked top in healtheconomics in the Asia-Pacific region. As a PhD student of the Centre, youwill be part of a team of researchers at the cutting edge ofimpactfulinternational researchacross research themes including : disadvantage andhealth;global and environmental health economics;economic behaviour, incentives and preferences in health; and,economic modelling of healthpolicies and technologies.
Employment prospects
PhD graduatesfrom the Centre for Health Economics typically findemployment as researchers in leading universities and consulting firmsaround the world. For instance, ourprevious graduateshave beensuccessful in gaining positions at the London School of Economics, the
University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, the University of Illinois,the University of York, the University of Melbourne, Australian NationalUniversity, Ernst & Young, the World Bank and government healthdepartments.
Enquiries
For questions related to the application procedure, please contact
For questions about the project or to discuss whether the project is a goodfit for you, please contact :
Associate Professor Sonja de New at
Supporting a diverse workforce
Monash University recognises that its Australian campuses are located on he unceded lands of the people of the Kulin nations, and pays its respectsto their elders, past and present.
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