Junior research scientist on holobionts and proteolytic balance engineering in health

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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

You will conduct your research in the Micalis unit, comprising 22 teams, and whose objective is to develop innovative research in the field of Food Microbiology for Health.
The position is available within the MIHA team (Interactions of the Microbiota with Humans and Animals), which studies interactions between the intestinal microbiota and its host, and its role in digestive inflammation.
The team comprises two permanent INRAE research directors, 2 Oniris lecturer-researchers, and support staff. MIHA has redefined its research project around intestinal proteolytic homeostasis in inflammatory digestive conditions, with opportunities the successful candidate could seize to build their own research positioning on questions concerning the relationships between food and proteolytic balance or the importance of this balance in other chronic diseases involving an imbalance in host-microbiome relations. The team is involved in national and international projects with public and private partners.
MICALIS, where you will be conducting your research, is classified as a Restrictive Regime Zone (ZRR) and requires prior authorisation from the Senior Defence and Security Officer to work there.
You will contribute to the team’s work on intestinal proteolytic homeostasis aimed at understanding the modes of action of microbial and food proteases and anti-proteases on the holobiont/intestinal health, a matter of interest given the results obtained on preclinical models of which the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. You will be in charge of building responses to 2 scientific questions: (1) what impact do microbial proteases involved in Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) have on the holobiont (man+microbiome)? and (2) what food can help reduce intestinal inflammation by rebalancing man-microbiome symbiosis?
Using in vitro and in vivo preclinical models and the appropriate omics approaches, you will determine the host responses to (i) microbial proteases inducing inflammation to identify the signalling pathways activated, and (ii) microbial and food anti-proteases to characterise their effects on these pathways.
You will ensure the coordination of existing projects in this field and supervise the staff assigned to them. Furthermore, you will gradually take on the drafting projects and related publications in this field. You will contribute to current international collaborations and ensure their efficacy. You will participate in discussions on the strategic orientations and will be a driving force for scientific developments.
You will be in charge of developing a research theme initially aimed at answering two research questions (cf. missions) within the Micalis unit and the MIHA team with all the activities expected of a research scientist: scientific monitoring, supervision, task/work package management within the framework of projects, collaborations, integration and development of networks, writing reports, publications and replies to calls for projects, contribution to the scientific leadership of the team, participation in and contribution to the organisation of scientific events, enhancing team visibility, advancing scientific issues based on the knowledge… These activities will be developed gradually according to the candidate’s experience with the support of and in collaboration with the team managers.

This position requires performing all or part of the duties in a restricted access zone (ZRR). This implies obtaining access authorization, issued after a favorable opinion from the relevant bodies of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. An unfavorable ministerial opinion for a position located in a ZRR unit would result in the cancellation of the planned recruitment.

Training and skills

Competition open to candidates with a PhD (or equivalent).
You have worked on scientific questions relating to microorganism-host interactions, more particularly in the context of chronic diseases. You have studied and/or are interested in the functioning of animal or human holobionts, the intestinal microbiota, its symbiosis with the host, and functional studies. In this regard, experience with preclinical models such as organ-on-chip systems, SHIME and animal models would be appreciated, as well as contributions to the characterisation of microbiome and host responses. Knowledge in biochemistry will also be highly recommended for this project. You enjoy teamwork, have prior experience in project supervision and development that you wish to strengthen, and appreciate scientific and human interactions.
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-MICA-1
3. I apply GO