PhD Studentship: Linked Administrative Data Research

The White Rose DTP at the University of Sheffield is inviting applications for a Doctoral Studentship in association with ESRC/ADR UK to commence in October 2023. The student will be based in the Department of Economics.

This PhD studentship will use ADR UK’s flagship datasets to answer policy-relevant research questions. Amongst the key research questions that the student will address are:  How do the early labour market experiences of individuals affect their subsequent wage progression?; and how do early labour market experiences impact on the incidence of in-work poverty, both in the short- and long-run? They will evaluate the impact of personal/family effects and employment shocks (for example an examination of job loss through plant closure). They will also examine how these effects are influenced by macroeconomic factors (e.g. progressing from education to employment during a recession). They will investigate how outcomes differ across demographic outcomes such as gender and disability, and the extent to which differences between demographic groups can be explained by differences in occupations and sectors. 

The primary data source that will be used in this analysis will be the Wage and Employment Dynamics (WED), which links data on earnings to firm data, with additional demographic data being added from the Census. This data is ideal for studying the wage progression of individuals over a long time span. 

The student will be embedded in a larger UKRI funded project “Transitions of young workers in the UK labour market: consequences for careers, earnings, health and wellbeing” (https://sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.uk/transitionsofyoungworkers/home). This will allow the student to benefit from the team’s expertise regarding relevant literature and methodology as well as datasets, and it also means that the student can attend meetings with stakeholders or relevant networking events. 

The successful student will be supervised by Professor Peter Wright, Dr Bert Van Landeghem (Economics) and Professor Jason Heyes (Management). Interested candidates may contact Professor Wright (p.wright@sheffield.ac.uk). 

How to apply 

Please apply through the University of Sheffield Postgraduate Application System. Your application should include: Supporting statement/cover letter; Transcripts (previous qualifications); Two academic references; Curriculum Vitae. 

The studentship is available as a 1+3 or +3 award, available on both a full time or part time basis, and open to home and overseas candidates who meet the ESRC eligibility criteria. The student needs to commence their studies on 1st October 2023. 

The studentship entails a standard UKRI stipend for each year of the award, pro-rata for part-time study; and full tuition fees for the duration of the award, payable at the home or international rate as appropriate. The WRDTP will meet the costs of the stipend and tuition fees in full, including the international fee difference.

A strong economics background is essential. Applicants for 1+3 should have a 2:1 or 1st class honours degree in Economics or an appropriate subject. Applicants for +3 should have, or expect to obtain, a Masters degree with Merit (or international equivalent). 

All applicants must have excellent spoken and written English. Applicants whose first language is not English and who do not hold a degree from an English-speaking university will need to take an English language test. The scores currently required are: 6.5 in IELTS with at least 6 in each component and 90 in the Internet-based TOEFL (iBT). 

The deadline for applications is 6th March 2023.

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