Junior research scientist in forest tree biomechanics

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INRAE presentation

The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE) is a major player globally in research and innovation. Gathering a community of 12,000 people with 272 units including fundamental and experimental research, spread out throughout 18 regional centres in France.

Internationally, INRAE is among the top research organisations in agricultural and food sciences, plant and animal sciences, as well as in ecology and environmental science. It is the world’s leading research organisation specialising in agriculture, food and the environment.  

Faced with a growing world population, climate change, the depletion of resources and declining biodiversity, the Institute has a major role to play in providing the knowledge base supporting the necessary acceleration of agricultural, food and environmental transitions, to address the major global challenges.

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

Work environment, missions and activities

The SILVA Joint Research Unit (University of Lorraine, AgroParisTech, INRAE) is a multidisciplinary unit with around 150 staff. It studies the functioning of forest ecosystems in the context of global change, with a particular focus on the multiple risks associated with combinations of different hazards (wind, drought, flooding) to propose management and adaptation solutions. You will develop a research project aimed at integrating the biomechanical signal received by trees into forest dynamics models.

The growth allocation inside the tree is under strong mechanosensitive control with considerable consequences on forest dynamics. The perception of the mechanical signal by living cells is well-known in biology but less in forestry even though it is an essential factor in the environmental control of tree growth and the active response of trees to stress (acclimation). The response to this signal shapes the trees and, consequently, their resource acquisition and resistance or resilience traits to different stresses. It therefore determines the services provided by forest ecosystems, including carbon storage, whether underground or above ground. Integrating the response to the biomechanical signal into forest dynamics models is a major challenge if we are to make realistic predictions for forests subject to multiple hazards and multiple growth regulation factors. You will develop a conceptual framework emerging in international communities, combining the mechanical approach to wind risk on a tree structure and the mechanobiology of growth. 

To do this, you will formalize the integration of physiological and ecophysiological mechanisms in the computation of tree performances (wind resistance, righting capacity, self-support) and for predicting the temporal trajectories of the latter on the scale of forest stands in the context of global change. You will draw on knowledge and approaches from material and structural mechanics, as well as from forest biology. You will compare this framework with the problems of assessing the risks to which forest stands are exposed, as addressed by the Silva joint research unit. You will be able to draw on the metrology and growth modelling skills of your colleagues in the unit, and access to the forest stand monitoring systems managed by the UMR Silva, national forest experimentation and observation infrastructures (In Sylva France, AnaEE and ICOS), as well as the Silvatech analytical platform for characterizing the anatomical and mechanical properties of wood and the CAPSIS modelling platform.

Experimentation in the forest. Teamwork. Driving licence category B required.

Training and skills

Competition open to candidates with a PhD (or equivalent). In-depth knowledge of (bio)mechanics and experience (or strong interest) in ecophysiology or functional ecology or in-depth knowledge of ecophysiology/functional ecology and experience (or strong interest) in plant biomechanics are highly recommended. The ability to combine field research and modelling, ecological theories and applied forestry issues and work in an interdisciplinary network would be appreciated. Experience in forest tree biomechanics would be an advantage. 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-ECODIV-1
3. I apply GO