Junior research scientist in epigenetics

Back to campaign's jobs listing

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 work within the Jean Pierre Bourgin Institute - Plant Science (IJPB), one of the largest plant biology research centres in Europe. The IJPB is an INRAE-AgroParisTech unit with 300 staff located on the INRAE site of Versailles. This unit is easily accessible via RER C and line N; there are also several bus lines and a cycle path. The centre has a catering service and proposes a wide variety of sports and cultural activities to its staff.
You will join the EpiARN team comprising four permanent members (two researchers, one research engineer, and a technician) and several non-permanent staff members (doctoral student, post-doctoral student, engineer under contract…).
The EpiARN team studies the RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism. RNAi eliminates endogenous or exogenous aberrant RNA during dysfunction or saturation of the RNA quality control (RQC) mechanism, leading to the silencing of functional RNA homologous to aberrant RNA. RNAi acts as a defence mechanism and spreads systemically in the case of certain exogenous sequences. The team has identified the post-transcriptional actors in RNAi. However, recent results have revealed new actors involved in the deposition, reading or removal of epigenetic chromatin marks, as well as the determining role of DNA repair proteins.
Your objective will be to determine the role of these new actors in RNAi. More specifically, you will determine (i) the contribution of DNA break and repair processes in the epigenetic marking of new DNA sequences, (ii) how these chromatin marks help instruct the silencing of the RNA transcribed by these sequences, and (iii) which actors regulate the propagation of the RNAi systemic signal within the plant and the re-initiation of the process in cells that receive it. Your project will also contribute to assessing the risks of epigenetic modifications during targeted gene editing using CRISPR technology.
Your recruitment aims to strengthen the key theme of the IJPB and to invest fully in a new field of research at the interface between RNAi, chromatin, and DNA repair. This theme is an original extension of the work of the EpiARN team.
On arrival, you will benefit from the molecular and genetic tools developed by the EpiARN team since its creation, including a collection of several hundred RNAi mutants, of which a series of new mutants impacted in the epigenetic modifications of chromatin and/or DNA repair.
You will also benefit from the extensive network of collaborators the EpiARN team has developed in France (CNRS teams IPS2, IBMP, GReD, and LGDP) and abroad (CRAG Barcelona, ETH Zurich, University of Copenhagen, University of Freiburg, University of Heidelberg, University of Queensland).

Training and skills

Competition open to candidates with a PhD (or equivalent).
Sound experience in epigenetics, plant biology/genomics, and/or practical skills in the bioanalysis of genomes, algorithms and statistical processing are highly recommended but not necessarily in the field of plants.
A good command of English and long-term international experience would 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 Guide for applicants 2026 pdf - 1.41 MB
2. I write down the profile number CR26-BAP-2
3. I apply GO