PhD opportunity as external doctoral candidate (m/f/d): blockchain technology, crypto assets, DeFi
The Technical University of Munich is one of the best universities in Europe. Top performance in research and teaching, interdisciplinarity and talent promotion are its hallmarks. The Chair of Strategy and Organization (Prof. Dr. Isabell M. Welpe) offers a PhD opportunity together with the Frankfurt School Blockchain Center (Prof. Dr. Philipp Sandner). The Frankfurt School Blockchain Center is one of the leading think tanks in the field of Crypto Assets, Decentralized Finance (DeFi), digital Euro and digital securities. The Frankfurt School of Finance & Management is a research-oriented university with a focus on economics and certain areas of business informatics. Job-ID: BEXT02
The Team
We work in a collaborative and interdisciplinary team on current and internationally relevant research questions in the areas of decentralized finance (DeFi), on-chain data analytics, sentiment indicators, crypto assets, token issuance, smart contracts, and NFTs. In our research, we work with quantitative empirical methods. We publish the results of our research in leading scientific journals and present them at international conferences. We provide our students with the latest scientific and practice-oriented findings. More information about us can be found here:
The Research Project
The relevant topics of Decentralized Finance (DeFi), Non-Fungible Token (NFT) and On-Chain Data Analytics represent modern application possibilities of Blockchain technology. Both in academia and in practice, there is great interest in insights from on-chain data analytics. Especially valuation methods, adoption factors or new application areas based on on-chain data analytics (e.g. Dune Analytics, Anyblock, Glassnode) are insufficiently empirically researched so far.
Your Tasks
You will conduct theory-driven and quantitative research on the topic of blockchain on current issues in the areas of decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFT) and on-chain data analytics. This is done in close exchange with members of a research group. Within the research project, there are different research focuses e.g. on the following topics: Risk Valuation in DeFi, Centralized Finance vs. Decentralized Finance, Applying traditional Performance Indicators to DeFi products, Price structure of NFTs, Auction Theory applied to NFT marketplaces. Your tasks will include the identification, integration and analysis of different data sources for scientific questions within this project.
Your Profile
- Above-average degree in computer science, business information systems, economics, or a related field (e.g., data science, data analytics).
- Knowledge of decentralized protocols, smart contracts, and transaction mapping and identification of transaction parameters on blockchain systems, where applicable.
- Knowledge and experience in identifying, integrating, analyzing diverse and large-scale data sources
- Knowledge and experience in building and using complex databases
- Knowledge and experience in quantitative research and statistical data analysis using R and/or Python, knowledge of machine learning desired
- Very high general enthusiasm for technology and data
- High interest in research and high motivation to write scientific articles for publication in international journals
- Very high commitment and willingness to learn
- Strong analytical skills
- The ability to work independently and on one’s own responsibility in an interdisciplinary team
- Very good command of written and spoken English
- Applications from management consultants for promotion in Leave are welcome
We offer
- Research in an interdisciplinary, motivated and successful research team in the fields of computer science and economics
- Close involvement in quantitative-empirical research and intensive supervision
- Participation in international research conferences and, if suitable, stays abroad possible
- Cooperation with renowned scientists in Germany and abroad as well as with well-known companies
- A broad spectrum of research areas in the fields of strategy, blockchain, innovation and digitalization
- Workplace in a central location in Munich
- Possibility of part-time employment (25–50%) upon agreement, if applicable.
- The TU Munich aims to increase the proportion of women, qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply
- With appropriate commitment and dedication, to complete a doctorate, e.g. in the period of leave from a management consultancy, within ~2 years
Application
We look forward to receiving your application documents (cover letter, curriculum vitae, high school diploma, university transcripts, proof of academic achievement, internship/work references, master’s thesis — if available — otherwise bachelor’s thesis) by February 14, 2022, and send them by e-mail in a single pdf file to bewerbungen@strategy.wi.tum.de. Please refer to the Job-ID: BEXT02.
Remarks
Disabled persons will be given preference if their suitability and qualifications are otherwise essentially the same.
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Do you want to learn more about how blockchain will change our world?
- Blockchain knowledge: We wrote a Medium article on how to acquire the necessary blockchain knowledge within a workload of 10 working days.
- Our two blockchain books: We have edited two books on how blockchain will change our society (Amazon link) in general and everything related to finance (Amazon link) in particular. Both books are available in print and for Kindle — currently in German and soon in English. The authors have been more than 20 well-known blockchain experts in startups, corporations and the government from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein — all contributing their expertise to these two books.
Authors
Prof. Dr. Philipp Sandner has founded the Frankfurt School Blockchain Center (FSBC). From 2018 to 2021, he was ranked among the “top 30” economists by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), a major newspaper in Germany. He has been a member of the FinTech Council and the Digital Finance Forum of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Germany. He is also on the Board of Directors of FiveT Fintech Fund and Blockchain Founders Group — companies active in the field of blockchain startups. The expertise of Prof. Sandner includes crypto assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, decentralized finance (DeFi), the digital euro, tokenization of assets, and digital identity. You can contact him via mail (m@philippsandner.de) via LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter (@philippsandner).
