Job Description

The research group of Distributed Ledger Technology and Fintech (Prof. Fabian Schar) of the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Basel invites applications for a PhD position with a 60% appointment.

Research Group

The research group is dedicated to researching practical issues in the fields of Blockchain, Cryptoassets and Smart Contracts. We investigate the potential that these new technologies have and assess the extent to which they will affect financial markets, industry, and society.

Start date: October 2025 or by agreement

Your position

Enrolment in the departmental PhD program (https://wwz.unibas.ch/de/gsbe/phd/) You will conduct research towards a doctoral degree and assist and participate in research, teaching and administrative tasks. The position is funded for 4 years with an initial contract for 1 year. At the end of the first year, an assessment based on performance and a detailed research proposal is made. In case of a positive assessment the contract is expanded to 4 years.

Your profile

A Master's degree in Economics or related disciplines You have a background in finance, financial economics and/or macroeconomics and a strong knowledge of Data Science, Empirical Analysis and/or Quantitative Methods Technical understanding of Blockchain is required Some exposure to Computer Science is a plus You are fluent in English; knowledge of German is not a requirement but an asset

Research Focus

You are interested in one or more of the following research areas and would like to explore them in greater depth as part of your doctoral thesis. You already have some initial research experience in one or more of the below-mentioned research areas.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Permissionless Blockchains Financial Market Infrastructure (Tokenization, Exchanges and Lending Protocols) Blockchain Governance MEV & Transaction Sequencing / Transaction Ordering Blockchain Scaling

We offer you

With the Center for Innovative Finance and the Chair for Distributed Ledger Technologies/Fintech, the University of Basel makes a decisive contribution to the research and application of future-oriented technologies. We offer the opportunity to conduct high-quality research in a dynamic, innovative scientific working environment. Conditions of employment and salary are governed by the personnel and salary regulations of the University of Basel.

Application / Contact

Are you interested? Then we look forward to your complete online application consisting of the following documents:

a letter of motivation including your research interests / your preferred research focus your CV including references your diplomas with transcript of grade from the master's degree a sample of academic writing (e.g., master thesis, term paper, research paper)



Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Please note that applications via e-mail or mail will not be considered.

For further information, please contact Prof. Dr. Fabian Schar, Professor for Distributed Ledger Technology/Fintech and Managing Director of CIF at the faculty of Business and Economics.

https://wwz.unibas.ch/de/dltfintech/
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