Junior research scientist on landscape agronomy

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INRAE presentation

INRAE, the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, is a public research organization bringing together 12,000 employees across 272 units in 18 centers across France. As the world’s leading institute specializing in agriculture, food, and the environment, INRAE plays a key role in supporting the necessary transitions to address global challenges.

Faced with population growth, food security challenges, climate change, resource depletion, and biodiversity loss, INRAE is committed to developing scientific solutions and supporting the evolution of agricultural, food, and environmental practices.

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

Work environment, missions and activities

You will join the ‘Environnement Méditerranéen et Modélisation des Agro-Hydrosystèmes’ (EMMAH) unit, which develops research aimed at understanding and modelling the functioning of agrosystems in interaction with underground hydrosystems. You will be working in the ‘Dynamique des teRritoires, fonctionnement des Espaces Agricoles et Modélisation’ (DREAM) team, whose work focuses on the spatial modelling of crops to characterise their water requirements, production, and water flows contributing to the recharge of aquifers. This work is carried out on a regional scale, characterised by a heterogeneous environment and a diversity of cropping systems with evolving properties linked to global change and the agroecological transition. 

The aim of your research will be to develop territorial modelling to assess water requirements for irrigation and agricultural production to propose cropping systems that are sustainable in the context of climate change and pressure on resources (water, soil), and acceptable in terms of farm profitability. The focus will be on Mediterranean agrosystems, which are characterised by a wide variety of cropping systems. The modelling approach to be developed must be capable of representing all the cropping systems present in the area. It may involve improving the representation of crop water requirements and water stress-production interactions for certain crops such as orchards and market gardening. 

It will also seek to enhance crop functioning models to simulate innovative cropping systems resulting from the implementation of agroecological practices. The approach will make use of spatial information layers (distribution of cover crops, climatic data, soil maps) and may be based on data acquired as part of the observatories monitored by the unit and on experiments to be designed and implemented. The implementation of modelling on a territorial scale raises the issue of characterising cropping systems, associated technical itineraries, and soil and climate variables on all the functional entities (agricultural plots). The aim is therefore to develop parameterisation strategies based on conceptual representations of the heterogeneity of the environment and the diversity of farming practices and/or using data from a variety of sources (remote sensing, administrative databases, agronomic surveys, etc.). 

The results will also need to be assessed by devising metrics tailored to the scale and issues of the project. The aim of your work will be to help stakeholders adapt to the changes brought about by global change and the implementation of agroecological practices. You will contribute to the co-construction of such transition scenarios by providing tools for assessing the options explored.

Training and skills

Competition open to candidates with a PhD (or equivalent). A specialisation in agronomy or geosciences on the functioning of the critical zone in relation to ecosystems would be desirable. Specific skills in biophysical modelling, remote sensing, and spatial data analysis techniques are recommended. Candidates should have a good command of English (both written and spoken), and long-term international experience would also be desirable. Successful candidates who have not yet acquired this experience abroad will be required to do so after their probationary period (1st year).

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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. 

How to apply

1. I download the applicant guide Application guidelines CRCN 2025 pdf - 3.93 MB
2. I write down the profile number CR-2025-AGROECOSYSTEM-1
3. I apply GO