When Couples Move: New Research on Gender, Mobility and Careers

Press release from  27 July 2026
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Unemployment in Germany stands at 6.2 percent (as of June 2026) – and is rising. When local job opportunities dwindle, many couples decide to move to regions with good prospects. But not everyone has the same level of mobility: Some professions are difficult to practice in other areas due to their specific requirements. For example, marine biologists can only work in research centers located near the coast. So when men and women work in different occupational groups, this makes moving more complex and often leads to compromises.

This is precisely where Dr. Olatz Román Blanco’s research project comes in. She is investigating how the geographic distribution of jobs influences gender-specific differences in mobility and career opportunities. Are women’s career prospects limited when couples decide together to move? How can the recent decline in couples’ mobility be explained? And why do women’s incomes often rise higher than men’s when they move to larger cities?

For her project “The Geography of Jobs: Gender Gaps in Mobility and Opportunity,” Román Blanco has received Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA-PF) from the European Union. The two-year project begins in September 2027 and will be conducted at the University of Mannheim under the supervision of economics professor Michèle Tertilt, a leading international researcher in the field of gender and family economics. Román Blanco moved to Mannheim from the European University Institute in Florence in July 2025.

Methodologically, the project draws on extensive datasets from Germany and the United States. The researcher combines quasi-experimental approaches – which take advantage of changes in professional licensing regulations – with models of households’ location decisions and detailed administrative employment data.

The project’s goal is to provide scientific insights that support policy measures aimed at reducing gender-based inequalities in the labor market. In addition, the findings are intended to help employers understand the importance of work flexibility for attracting a diverse talent pool. Last but not least, the project aims to contribute to a better understanding of why some regions struggle to attract or retain skilled workers in the long term.

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship is one of the European Union’s most prestigious funding programs for outstanding early-stage researchers. It supports exceptional research projects, strengthens international mobility, and promotes the career development of postdocs.

This text was translated from German by DeepL

Contact: 

Dr. Olatz Román Blanco
Postdoc at the Chair of Macro- and Development Economy  
University of Mannheim
Phone: +49 621 181-1961
E-mail: olatz.romanuni-mannheim.de.

Yvonne Kaul 
Research Communication
University of Mannheim
Phone: +49 621 181-1266
E-mail: kauluni-mannheim.de