Junior Research Scientist in bacterial interactions, intercellulaire and interspecies communication

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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

You will be assigned to STLO, a joint research unit (Science and Technology of Milk and Eggs, UMR1253, INRAE Institut Agro) located in Rennes and comprising around 140 persons (including 80 tenure staff). STLO studies milk and egg components and their processing, including bacterial fermentation. The inclusion of plant ingredients makes it possible to explore a better balance between animal and plant proteins or to reduce the environmental impact of foodstuffs. In this way, it contributes to innovation for safe, healthy and good food that respects the environment and the needs of specific populations. STLO is organized into three research teams. Your activity will be carried out the MicroBio team, which is composed of around thirty people (25 tenure staff, including 13 scientists) working mainly on bacterial adaptation and the interactions between bacteria, their environment and the host. The microBio research aims at understanding these interactions in order to control and drive them towards targeted functionalities, related to the techno-functional, organoleptic, sanitary and nutritional quality of foodstuffs, and the health and well-being of humans and animals. These studies are mostly carried out in the context of the dairy production chain to produce healthy, safe, sustainable and functional fermented foods.

Your project will consist in studying bacterial intercellular communication (bacteria-bacteria and bacteria-eukaryotic cells) with the aim of determining the mediators and effectors of the intercellular communication (surface compounds, metabolites, extracellular vesicles), identifying the signaling pathways involved and the genes/functions targeted, and characterizing the mechanisms that govern communication and intra- and inter-species interactions. To do so, you will develop work on the role of extracellular vesicles produced by Propionibacterium freudenreichii, a bacterium of technological interest with probiotic properties, as mediators of intra- and inter-species communication, including host cells, and the fucntioning of model bacterial communities. This work will be carried out as part of the team's research into the rational design and management of bacterial communities for targeted functionalities.

You will benefit from a favorable environment for the development of your research theme, with strong study models, appropriate scientific, technical and infrastructural resources and a rich partnership at both academic and industrial levels. In addition, you will have the opportunity to get involved in interdisciplinary projects using innovative approaches (e.g. ANR, PIA4, PEPR), particularly for the study and exploitation of extracellular vesicles in human health.

Training and skills

Candidates must have a PhD or equivalent.
Skills in microbiology and molecular biology are highly recommended.

Complementary skills in cellular microbiology or cellular biology would be an asset. Good knowledge of bacterial physiology and metabolism and comparative and functional genomics, as well as the ability to produce and analysis will be appreciated. An open and rigorous mind, organisational skills, autonomy and the ability to work in a team environment are essential qualities for this position.

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.