The empirical literature in urban economics draws largely on cities in the United States and Europe. Mexican cities depart from several of its central findings, and the data required to study them — administrative, cadastral, and mobility records — remains largely unexploited.

The Center for the Future of Cities (CFC) at Tecnológico de Monterrey invites applications for a Professor-Fellow position in Urban Economics. We seek candidates completing their Ph.D. in the 2026–27 academic cycle, as well as postdoctoral researchers and early-career faculty, interested in developing a research agenda on open questions with direct relevance for urban policy in Latin America.

Tecnologico de Monterrey is the largest private university in Mexico and among the most highly regarded in Latin America, and it is currently undertaking a major institutional investment to consolidate its position as a leading research university in the region. Within this context, the CFC is an interdisciplinary research center that brings together economists, data scientists, and urban planners under a shared premise: that rigorous research should inform not only the academic literature but also the governance of cities. The Center maintains formal collaborations with municipal and metropolitan planning agencies, and its projects are designed to produce both peer-reviewed publications and measurable influence on public policy.

This is an open-rank search. We welcome candidates at all career stages — from recent Ph.D. graduates with an outstanding research trajectory to established scholars at the Associate or Full Professor level, or an equivalent research position in academia, a think tank, or a multilateral institution.

What we offer:

• Access to rich administrative, cadastral, geospatial, and mobility datasets for Mexican metropolitan areas, much of which has not previously been used in academic research.
• Direct engagement with policy processes: research projects are developed in collaboration with government agencies, and findings are presented to decision-makers as well as published in academic outlets.
• A research-oriented position with protected time for publication. Teaching responsibilities are optional and defined according to the candidate's profile and interests, and would be held in the Department of Economics.
• Collaboration with an interdisciplinary team working on urban simulation, land use, and transport modeling.
• Competitive compensation according to career stage and international standards
• Access to research funds, cloud computing infrastructure, and active international collaborations with partner universities in North and Latin America.
• The opportunity to develop an independent research agenda while contributing to the Center's large-scale applied projects, and to build and lead a team.
• A joint appointment (25%) with the Department of Economics, with a teaching load of one class per term.

Research areas of interest:

• Affordable housing models and housing production.
• Impacts of land-use regulation on housing costs.
• Property tax and municipal public finance.
• Infrastructure and fiscal costs of urban expansion and sprawl.
• Effects of transportation systems on land values.
• Spatial and general equilibrium models of land, zoning, and taxation.

Qualifications:

Candidates should have strong quantitative training and demonstrated experience in one or more of the following: urban economics, spatial analysis, econometrics, or general equilibrium modeling. We will consider candidates who complete their Ph.D. by Summer 2027, as well as postdoctoral researchers and early-career faculty. A strong publication pipeline, or clear potential for high-impact publishing, is highly valued. Working proficiency in Spanish is required.

Application instructions:

Applicants should submit the following documents in PDF format through the website application:

• A cover letter, including the candidate's motivation to conduct research on Latin American cities.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Job Market Paper in any of the following fields of urban economics: spatial patterns of jobs and housing location; property taxes; housing finance and economics; spatial segregation; cost of sprawl; housing prices and cost; and other related subfields, excepting transportation.
• Research statement for the next three years (no longer than three pages).
• Three letters of recommendation written within the last year. For early-career scholars, at least one letter should come from the Ph.D. advisor.

Early applications are encouraged: submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and Zoom interviews will be scheduled as strong candidates are identified. Candidates who advance will deliver an online job talk. Finalists will be invited to an in-person campus visit. 

Tecnológico de Monterrey is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities. Our institution does not discriminate against job candidates on the basis of actual or perceived gender, gender identity, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or religion.

We appreciate your interest in our job opportunities. If you are not contacted by the Talent Attraction team, we encourage you to continue exploring new opportunities through the Growth Opportunities portal if you are a Tec de Monterrey employee, or at jobs.tec.mx if you are an external candidate, and apply to those that best match your profile.