Junior research scientist on legume ecophysiology

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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

The Agroecology joint research unit conducts its research around two main scientific themes: (i) biodiversity and biotic interactions, and (ii) transitions towards sustainable, multifunctional agricultural systems. It is organized into four research divisions including the LEGae (Legumes Ecophysiology and Genetics for agroecology) group. LEGae promotes agroecological and food transitions by contributing to the development of grain legume crops in agricultural systems. Your research will be part of LEGae's EcoLeg team (Ecophysiology of legumes). Increasing the production of seed legumes and guaranteeing the quality of their seeds in a context of agricultural and environmental changes requires the exploration of adaptation levers under multiple stresses. Your aim will be to understand and model the coupling between carbon, nitrogen, and water flows in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum in response to multiple abiotic stresses taking into account plant genetic variability. You will adopt a research approach that combines experimentation and modelling to develop a structure-function model of the nodulated root system. This model could be coupled with other models representing the functioning of the aerial parts and the soil (e.g. microbiology, hydrodynamics, and mineralization) to predict the plasticity of the nodulated root system in both its structural and functional dimensions. The knowledge generated will contribute to the design of legume ideotypes adapted to the agroecological transition and climate change. You will be able to draw on the extensive experimental data previously acquired on several legume species and genotypes within the host team (root and nodule morphological data, C and N compound exudation data, water and mineral sampling data).

The activity may occasionally involve special working hours during the week or at the weekend, depending on the constraints of the experiments.

Training and skills

Competition open to candidates with a PhD (or equivalent). Specialization in dynamic modelling of complex biological systems and in plant ecophysiology and/or agronomy is desirable. 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).

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-4
3. I apply GO