Junior research scientist in molecular mechanisms of plant iron homeostasis

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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 Institute for Plant Sciences of Montpellier (IPSiM) conducts research aimed at elucidating the fundamental mechanisms of the development and hydro-mineral nutrition of plants in response to abiotic environmental constraints, particularly in the context of climate change. 
The aim of this research is twofold: (1) to gain a better understanding of the organization and functioning of living organisms, and (2) to contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture that uses natural resources sparingly and respects the environment. 

IPSiM is supported by INRAE, CNRS, the University of Montpellier and the Institut Agro. 
Within this institute, the “Mineral nutrition and oxidative stress (FeROS)” team (3 researchers, 1 teacher-researcher, 1 engineer) studies the molecular mechanisms controlling iron homeostasis in plants. Iron nutrition in plants is a major determinant of crop yields and the quality of their by-products. Plants are also the main source of iron in the human diet. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that control iron homeostasis in plants is therefore a major challenge for agriculture, food and the environment. 

The aim of your research project will be to analyze how a major environmental stimulus, iron availability, induces profound transcriptional reprogramming in plants by acting on gene regulatory networks. More specifically, the control of iron homeostasis is a complex mechanism involving numerous transcription factors. The host team (FeROS) has recently demonstrated that the transcription factors ILR3, PYE and bHLH121 play a central role in this process. 
Your mission will be to decipher how these transcription factors interact with each other at the genetic and molecular level to regulate iron homeostasis in time and space. The coordination of plant growth and development according to the availability of iron in the soil relies on long-distance (phloem) signals between the aerial parts and the roots. You will also be tasked with establishing the nature of these mobile signals. 

In this context, it will be important to establish whether small peptides are involved in this process, as suggested by recent work. Your work will lead you to study how this regulatory network controlling iron homeostasis is impacted by different environmental constraints (e.g. elevated atmospheric CO2, nitrogen nutrition, microbiota). 
Your project will be developed within the FeROS team and will rely on collaborations established within the unit (SIRENE and SYSTEMS teams) or outside (IPS2, France; National Taiwan University, Taiwan).

Training and skills

Competition open to candidates with a PhD (or equivalent).
You will need solid skills in molecular biology and genetics. Experience in computational analysis and exploitation of large-scale genome data (transcriptomics, ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq) in response to environmental stimuli is also desirable. Skills in cell biology, biochemistry, proteomics, peptidomics and/or interactomics would be a plus. A background in plant biology is desirable, but not mandatory. 
Fluency in English is recommended, as is medium- to long-term international experience: successful candidates who have not already had such experience will be required to spend a year abroad at the end of the internship year.

Let’s talk about your future job in a video!

 

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-BAP-5
3. I apply GO