Temporary position OT-25493
Project manager in semantic interoperability, ontologies and data spaces
34000, Montpellier
INRAE presentation
The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (INRAE) is a public research establishment. It is a community of 12,000 people with more than 200 research units and 42 experimental units located throughout France. The institute is among the world leaders in agricultural and food sciences, in plant and animal sciences, and ranks 11th globally in ecology and environment. INRAE’s main goal is to be a key player in the transitions necessary to address major global challenges. In the face of increasing population, climate change, resource scarcity, and biodiversity loss, the institute develops solutions for multiperformance agriculture, high-quality food, and sustainable management of resources and ecosystems. INRAE is committed to open science and the adoption of the FAIR data principles. The institute has been actively involved in multiple European projects contributing to the development of the European Open Science Cloud. As a leading actor on the challenges of agri-food data, INRAE is also involved actively in the development of the the Common European Agricultural Data Space (CEADS) and participates in the Agriculture of Data Partnership.
Work environment, missions and activities
INRAE, through its MISTEA research unit and the MathNum department, participate in establishing the Common European Agricultural Data Space (CEADS), a strategic initiative for the future of agricultural data governance in Europe, funded by the Digital Europe program (see previous project: https://agridataspace-csa.eu/). INRAE contributes its expertise in semantic technologies, data interoperability, and research & innovation data management to support the development of a FAIR and knowledge driven Agricultural Data Space.
The MISTEA research unit develops and maintains AgroPortal, an open platform dedicated to hosting, sharing, and aligning ontologies and vocabularies in agriculture, food, and environment. AgroPortal provides key semantic resources to ensure interoperability and facilitate data integration in the agri-food sector. Built on the OntoPortal technology, it provides services for ontology storage, search, alignment, recommendation and annotation, facilitating semantic interoperability across agricultural data and systems. As part of the CEADS project, AgroPortal will be promoted as a core component to enhance semantic interoperability within the emerging European agricultural data space.
INRAE is recruiting a researcher/engineer to support its activities within the CEADS project, focusing on semantic interoperability and the integration of AgroPortal into the emerging European agricultural data space. INRAE is also responsible for a use case focusing on the utilization of research and innovation data and Artificial Intelligence. The position is part of a 24-month fixed-term contract within the MISTEA research unit.
INRAE is seeking a researcher/engineer with expertise in semantics, ontologies, and knowledge engineering, complemented by a strong background in data science and computing. The successful candidate will promote and integrate AgroPortal as a technical component within CEADS to facilitate semantic data interoperability and extend this approach to other European data spaces using the OntoPortal technology.
Main missions:
- Integrating AgroPortal into the CEADS infrastructure to support semantic data interoperability.
- Liaising with AgroPortal’s technical team and ensuring alignment with CEADS requirements.
- Coordinating and participating in project meetings, both internally at INRAE and within the CEADS consortium.
- Representing INRAE in European data-related initiatives, promoting the use of ontologies and semantic technologies in CEADS and beyond (DSSC, EOSC, etc.).
- Contribute to the development of technical solutions for sharing and managing agricultural data.
- Supporting new adopters of semantic technologies, ontologies, and metadata in the agricultural sector.
- Organizing workshops and training sessions related to semantic interoperability within the agri-food domain.
- Establish and lead an AgroPortal user group comprising institutions beyond the CEADS project.
- Contributing to project deliverables, including reports, technical notes, and scientific publications.
- Potentially supervising interns on related research and technical tasks.
International trips accepted, especially in Europe.
Training and skills
We are seeking a motivated, curious, and FAIR-oriented researcher/engineer with expertise in semantic technologies, ontologies, knowledge engineering, and data science. You will work with a group (4-5 persons) at INRAE (MISTEA research unit) in both a national and international context. The candidate will demonstrate aptitudes or matches with most of the following aspects.
Required qualifications:
- PhD or Master's degree in computer science, informatics, data science, knowledge engineering, or a related field.
- Strong background in semantic web technologies (ontologies, metadata, OWL, RDF, SPARQL).
- Experience with FAIR principles and research data management.
- Ability to work in collaborative European projects and interact with diverse stakeholders.
- Strong organizational, writing, and communication skills (English required, French is a plus).
- Ability to coordinate technical and scientific tasks, including meetings, reports, and dissemination activities.
- Capability to organize and lead a user community. Autonomy, rigor, and initiative.
Additional assets:
- Experience in agricultural data or environmental ontologies.
- Knowledge of semantic artefact catalogues or ontology repositories, or platforms like AgroPortal/OntoPortal.
- Experience in software development and database management.
- General knowledge of the open science approach and philosophy.
INRAE's life quality
By joining our teams, you benefit from (depending on the type of contract and its duration):
- up to 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.
How to apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit their application to clement.jonquet@inrae.fr
Remote and face to face interviews will be organized.
Documents (PDF) required are:
- a curriculum vitae describing your education and experience;
- a motivation letter describing your interest in the position and the matches with the expected profile;
- copies of highest diploma and/or other relevant certificates and/or school grades;
- names and contact details of referees.
For more information about this position, please contact Clement Jonquet (clement.jonquet@inrae.fr).
All persons employed by or hosted at INRAE, a public research establishment, are subject to the Civil Service Code, particularly with regard to the obligation of neutrality and respect for the principle of secularism. In carrying out their functions, whether or not they are in contact with the public, they must not express their religious, philosophical or political convictions through their behaviour or by what they wear. > Find out more: fonction publique.gouv.fr website (in French)