Junior research scientist in social marketing for soberer consumption

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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

Montpellier Interdisciplinary Centre on Sustainable Agri-food Systems (MoISA) is a multidisciplinary research unit in social sciences and nutrition formed by CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, Ciheam-Iamm, and IRD, with more than 80 members. MoISA aims to contribute through its research to the transition towards more sustainable agri-food systems, with a particular focus on food and nutritional security for the most vulnerable, equity in food chains, and environmental preservation.
Your research will aim to understand how to enable and sustain the development of dietary sobriety, defined as consuming less in order to consume ‘better’ from an ethical perspective of respect for nature and fairness. Your research programme will draw on the marketing literature on consumer behaviour, practices, and consumption value, as well as the social marketing literature on changes in behaviour. The aim will be to enrich the behavioural models used in social marketing and identify ways of promoting sufficiency in order to develop and test strategies for changing food-related behaviour and practices.
You will work in the MoISA unit, within the Organisation and Stakeholder Strategies division, which has around twenty scientists in management science. You will benefit from long-standing collaborations with the Montpellier Research in Management research unit and participate in monthly marketing group meetings. Initially, you will join INRAE's Waste and Losses network and participate in ongoing projects on the collection and recovery of bio-waste in cities or on the use of bio-based dyes in food and textiles.

You will have an office on the Gaillarde campus of the Institut Agro in Montpellier, in a renovated building that is well equipped with computers and telecommunications facilities. INRAE staff in the MoISA unit are entitled to three days of teleworking per week, up to a maximum of 100 days per year.

Training and skills

Competition open to candidates with a PhD (or equivalent).
A PhD in management science is highly recommended. A solid background in social marketing and the study of consumption behaviour and practices is highly recommended. Good skills in individual data collection methods (qualitative: interviews, observations, focus groups; quantitative: surveys, experiments) and qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods would be highly desirable, as well as excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment. Previous experience in the study and adoption of frugal behaviours in bioeconomic systems would be appreciated.
Candidates should have a good command of English, 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 Guide for applicants 2026 pdf - 1.41 MB
2. I write down the profile number CR26-ECOSOCIO-1
3. I apply GO