Junior research scientist in nitrogen-fixing symbiosis and legume defences

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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 at the Sophia Agrobiotech Institute (ISA), a reference laboratory within the “Plant Health and Environment” Division of INRAE in the field of biotic interactions in agricultural ecosystems. You will join the “Rhizobium-Legumes Interaction” team, a joint INRAE-Université Côte d’Azur group whose research focuses on nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. You will have access to the facilities and resources of the PlantBIOs joint scientific infrastructure, hosted at ISA. You will collaborate with other research teams at ISA and with partner units specialising in the disciplines required to conduct your research. You will participate in, and coordinate your initiatives within, the “symbiosis and immunity” group of the Symbiphyt network (https://symbiphyt.fr), and you will contribute to the team’s international collaborations.
The stimulation of legume “immunity” against pests by symbiosis operates through a *defence “priming” mechanism that induces systemic resistance. The study system is pea (Pisum sativum) associated with its symbiont Rhizobium leguminosarum symbiovar viciae (Rlv) and exposed to its pests and pathogens. The objective is to enhance symbiotic-driven plant resistance while maintaining a high rate of nitrogen fixation. A major challenge is to develop strategies for inoculating symbiotic microorganisms that improve pea protection against pests without the use of pesticides. You will characterise the underlying mechanisms, notably using systems biology approaches. You will design symbiote selection strategies to optimise “priming” through (1) targeted approaches based on the mechanistic knowledge of plant-symbiote-pest interactions and (2) exploratory strategies with no a priori assumption regarding genetic associations. An important step will be to confirm the benefits of “priming” under field conditions. Its consideration in the partner plant selection and the agronomical practices will be angles to be implemented in collaboration with pea geneticists and agronomists.
Ongoing work within the host team on resistance to aphids or ascochyta blight in Medicago truncatula and pea supports the relevance of the proposed strategy. The team is currently characterising the repertoire of defence-related transcripts and metabolites associated with priming in pea. The identification of markers from these resources will allow early detection of “priming” during the initial stage of pest attack. Your objective will be to deepen the characterisation of the mechanisms involved and to select symbiotic partners that optimise this trait. Your priority will be to select the bacterial partner from the host team’s collections that are representative of the diversity of Rlv. You will contribute to designing beneficial multi-microbial consortia for pea inoculation with our partners in Dijon and Toulouse, within the framework of applied coordinated efforts with biostimulant producers. Ultimately, you will develop collaborations with colleagues from the INRAE divisions “Biology and Plant Breeding” and “Agronomy and environmental science for agroecosystems” for the selection of partner plants and agronomical practices that promote defence “priming”.

Training and skills

Competition open to candidates with a PhD (or equivalent). 
A PhD in plant biology and/or related microorganisms is highly recommended.
You will need to acquire fundamental knowledge for applied objectives on biological objects of agronomical interest. Skills in biology and physiology of plant-microorganism interactions would be highly desirable. Acquaintance with molecular, cellular, organ, microbial population, and whole plant scales would be desirable. You must be able to use modern functional genomics and genetics tools applied to plant biology and bacteria. Experience in the field of mutualist interactions and/or plant defence would be desirable. Openness towards (1) integrative (scale changes) and (2) multi-disciplinary approaches (plant breeding, agronomy, ecology) would be an asset.
Candidates should have excellent written and oral communication skills in English, and long-term international experience would also be desirable. Successful candidates who have not yet acquired this experience abroad will be expected to complete an international mobility period after their probationary period (1st year).

Your future role explained in 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 Guide for applicants 2026 pdf - 1.41 MB
2. I write down the profile number CR26-SPE-1
3. I apply GO