EPIC Launches Brandt Research Fellowship and 2026–27 Pre-Doctoral Research Professional Roles in Climate & Energy Economics

The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) has announced a major expansion of its early-career research opportunities with the launch of the Brandt Research Fellowship, alongside multiple full-time pre-doctoral Research Professional positions for the 2026–27 academic cycle. These opportunities are designed to strengthen global research and policy impact in climate change, energy markets, and environmental economics.

The Brandt Research Fellowship is supported by a generous gift from Ted Brandt, MBA ’87, founder and CEO of Marathon Capital, a clean-economy-focused advisory firm. The fellowship operates within EPIC’s highly regarded Pre-Doctoral Fellows Program, which serves as a bridge between undergraduate or master’s education and doctoral study.

Brandt emphasized the importance of rigorous energy research in today’s global economy, noting that energy economics and geopolitics influence nearly every sector. Through this fellowship, EPIC continues to ask critical policy questions and deliver evidence-based solutions that shape decision-making worldwide.

About the EPIC Pre-Doctoral Fellows Program

Brandt Research Fellows join EPIC for one or two years, working closely with EPIC-affiliated faculty and researchers. Fellows gain hands-on experience across all stages of the research process, including project management, data collection and analysis, manuscript preparation, and policy engagement. Research spans energy markets, climate impacts, environmental externalities, and public policy, often using quasi-experimental and experimental methods with large-scale global datasets.

EPIC pre-doctoral alumni have gone on to top PhD programs worldwide, and several have received highly competitive National Science Foundation grants. Fellows leave the program with advanced technical skills, strong professional networks, and deep exposure to policy-relevant research.

Research Focus and Methodology

Research projects typically involve environmental and energy data from the United States, India, China, and other regions. Fellows apply advanced quantitative methods, computational modeling of energy markets, and policy evaluation techniques. In addition to research responsibilities, fellows participate in seminars and classes at EPIC, the University of Chicago, and partner institutions.

Open Positions for the 2026–27 Academic Cycle

EPIC is currently recruiting for multiple full-time, benefits-eligible Research Professional (Pre-Doctoral Fellow) roles beginning in Spring–Summer 2026:

Research Professional – Climate Impact Lab (Michael Greenstone)

Fellows will work under the direction of Michael Greenstone, contributing to globally influential research that quantifies climate change impacts across sectors such as health, agriculture, labor, energy, conflict, migration, and coastal systems. This work supports the development of empirically derived estimates of the social cost of carbon.

• Salary range: $55,000–$62,000 annually

• Additional $2,000 professional development fund

• Duration: 1–2 years

• Expected start date: Spring–Summer 2026

• Applications reviewed on a rolling basis

Research Professional – Fiona Burlig, Erin Kelley & Greg Lane

This role focuses on experimental and data-intensive research in developing-country agriculture, climate adaptation, insurance markets, and climate risk forecasting, including randomized controlled trials in India.

• Salary range: $55,000–$62,000 annually

• Additional $2,000 professional development fund

• Expected start date: July 1, 2026

• Duration: 1–2 years

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Application Timeline and Deadlines

• Fall application cycle: Mid-November, with final decisions in mid-December

• Winter application cycle: Early March, with final decisions by late March

Applicants must have completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree by June of the year of application and demonstrate strong quantitative and programming skills. EPIC offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and an exceptional research environment that prepares fellows for top-tier doctoral programs.