Junior Research Scientist in microbiology: prophages and homeostasis of the intestinal microbiota

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INRAE presentation

The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (INRAE) is a public research establishment under the dual authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Research.

INRAE is recruiting researchers by open competition and offering permanent position.

It is a major player in research and innovation created on 1^st of January 2020. INRAE is a research institute resulting from the merger of INRA and IRSTEA. It is a community of 12,000 people with more than 200 research units and 42 experimental units located throughout France.

The institute is among the world leaders in agricultural and food sciences, in plant and animal sciences, and is 11^th in the world in ecology and environment. INRAE’s main goal is to be a key player in the transitions necessary to address major global challenges. In the face of the increase in population, climate change, scarcity of resources and decline in biodiversity, the institute develops solutions for multiperformance agriculture, high quality food and sustainable management of resources and ecosystems.

Work environment, missions and activities

MICALIS is a large microbiology research unit (350 persons) whose 20 teams study the role of microbes throughout the food chain, including the intestinal microbiota.
The Phage Genome Dynamics team (10 persons), part of MICALIS, studies phages in the intestinal microbiota using a combination of molecular and ecological approaches. The objectives of the person recruited to this team will be to characterise the prophages in the microbiota, focusing on the signals responsible for their induction, and on the consequences of such inductions for their bacterial hosts as well as for the whole microbiota. Three main categories of signals will be investigated: those provided by the diet, those generated by the microbiota, and those originating from host cells.
To carry out this research, the person recruited will have access to germ-free mice at MICALIS (ANAXEM platform), with which the researcher will be able to choose the simplified microbiota model best suited to his questions. He will also have access to anaerobic fermenters in continuous culture to isolate the simplified microbiota from its host and better characterise the effects of feeding. More broadly, the environment provided by MICALIS, with its various teams specialising in the study of the microbiota as a whole, or through its key species, will offer to the hired researcher the best ecosystem to develop his research area and will foster the emergence of his collaborative network.

Training and skills

Job offer open to candidates with a PhD (or equivalent).

You are a microbiologist with a passion for bacteriophages, and a keen interest in studying them in a natural setting. If you already have carried out experiments in mouse models or if you are comfortable with handling deep sequencing data, this will be a bonus, although it is not requested to apply.

INRAE's life quality

By joining our teams, you benefit from:

- 30 days of annual leave + 15 days "Reduction of Working Time" (for a full time);
- parenting support: CESU childcare, leisure services;
- skills development systems: training, career advise;
- social support: advice and listening, social assistance and loans;
- holiday and leisure services: holiday vouchers, accommodation at preferential rates;
- sports and cultural activities;
- collective catering.

For international scientists: please visit your guide to facilitate your arrival and stay at INRAE.