Big data analysis for the improvement of populations : animal behaviour and genetics

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INRAE presentation

The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE) is a major player in research and innovation. It is a community of 12,000 people with 272 research, experimental research, and support units located in 18 regional centres throughout France. Internationally, INRAE is among the top research organisations in the agricultural and food sciences, plant and animal sciences, as well as in ecology and environmental science. It is the world’s leading research organisation specialising in agriculture, food and the environment. INRAE’s goal is to be a key player in the transitions necessary to address major global challenges. Faced with a growing world population, climate change, resource scarcity, and declining biodiversity, the Institute has a major role to play in building solutions and supporting the necessary acceleration of agricultural, food and environmental transitions.

Work environment, missions and activities

postdoctoral researcher position is available at INRAE Toulouse - Occitanie. Research in the GenPhySE joint research unit centres around understanding the genetic bases underlying traits of interest for improving livestock populations. The challenges include defining and analysing performance indicators and using them to selectively breed animals with greater capacity of adaptation to farming conditions. Enhancing resilience is a concept that requires assessing the dynamic responses of animals over extended periods of time. Part of our research is devoted to characterising and modelling the behaviour of sows in the days around farrowing to assess both their health status and maternal ability. Image analysis using artificial intelligence methods has recently enabled us to measure the activity of hundreds of sows at high flow rates over several lactations. The correct timing of activities in the peripartum is beneficial to piglet survival.
The successful candidate will be working on the profiling of variations in sow activity to define behavioural indicators of their health status around farrowing. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing automated analyses to identify the behaviours of interest and specify the time window over which they should be measured. Using integrative approaches, he/she will quantify the importance of these behaviour traits for sow performance in relation to other traits that describe maternal ability. The work will also include estimating heritability values and other genetic parameters to assess how to use sow activity in genetic schemes in order to reduce piglet mortality.

Training and skills

We are looking for a candidate with a doctoral degree that is 3 years old at the most
PhD in (bio)mathematics - computer science or quantitative genetics
Proficiency in programming
Excellent writing and communication skills

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

I send my CV and my motivation letter