Design engineer

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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

• Research unit

Currently counting over 150 staff members including non-permanent personnel, UMR 1332 BFP is a partnership between INRAE (Divisions of Biology and Plant Breeding and Plant Health and Environment) and the University of Bordeaux. It constitutes a major pillar of plant biology research in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. In parallel to its research activities, BFP has a strong involvement in teaching and training in the Plant Sciences field but also in Microbiology and Biochemistry.

You will be working in the Mollicutes team, which focuses on animal pathogenic bacteria (mycoplasmas) and plant pathogenic bacteria (phytoplasmas, spiroplasmas). Mycoplasmas, spiroplasmas and phytoplasmas belong to the class Mollicutes, a group of so-called "minimal" bacteria, lacking cell wall and possessing very small genomes. The team's overall objective is to generate fundamental knowledge on the biology and evolution of these bacteria, and more specifically on the molecular mechanisms governing interactions with their eukaryotic hosts. This knowledge forms the basis for applied developments aimed at controlling the diseases caused by these bacteria, notably on ruminants (mycoplasmas of the mycoides group) and grapevines (Flavescence Dorée phytoplasma). Comprising 13 permanent researchers, lecturers, and engineers, along with 7 technicians and 6 PhD/postdoctoral researchers, the Mollicutes team provides a rich environment for collaborative and innovative research.

• Context

Since the late 19th century, microbiologists have developed culture media and techniques to study microorganisms such as bacteria, archaea, yeasts, and filamentous fungi. However, only a small fraction of bacterial species can currently be cultivated in the laboratory, posing a significant challenge to their study. While advances in metagenomics have provided insights into microbial diversity, genome sequencing alone has not explained why many bacteria remain unculturable. This gap limits progress in various fields, including disease control, antibiotic discovery, biomolecule production, microbiome management, and bioremediation. For bacteria that associate with eukaryotic hosts, understanding their metabolic interactions with these hosts opens new avenues for designing tailored culture media. The TARGET project aims to address bacterial non-cultivability using Flavescence Dorée phytoplasma, a plant-pathogenic bacterium, as a proof of concept. By integrating systems biology, genome engineering, and culturomics, this project seeks to develop innovative strategies for bacterial cultivation. The project is funded by INRAE’s EXPLOR’AE "high-risk research" programme.

Genetic modification is essential for studying host-pathogen interactions and devising new intervention strategies. Usually, this requires bacteria in pure culture; however, with over 99% of bacteria not yet cultivated, exploring direct transformation in natural environments is crucial. One objective of the TARGET project is to demonstrate that bacteria can be genetically transformed without culture. An engineer position is available within the Mollicutes team as part of the TARGET project to work on these aspects. The TARGET project spans four years; the engineer position is offered for a period of 19 months, with the possibility of renewal for two additional years (24 months). The position will be co-supervised by Dr Carole Lartigue and Dr Nathalie Bouvery.

•  The mission

The recruited engineer will contribute to Work Package 4 (WP4) of the TARGET project, which focuses on the genetic transformation of uncultivated phytoplasma. To date, phytoplasma species have never been genetically modified. Nonetheless, they can be isolated as crude insect extracts and reinjected to infect new hosts. In this WP4, genetic transformation assays will be therefore be initiated with crude insect extracts, using the insect vector Euscelidius variegatus as a ‘medium’ to select transformants. Subsequently, if the consortium develops a defined or semi-defined medium for phytoplasma multiplication, efforts will focus on creating transformation protocols for phytoplasma in pure culture. As proof of concept, the first experimentations will be conducted with the cultured Mollicutes Spiroplasma citri, which also multiplies in E. variegatus after injection.

• Key responsibilities

The person recruited will be responsible for:

- Building genetic tools for transformation of S. citri and phytoplasmas

- Preparing and transforming S. citri present in infectious insect extracts (selection on agar plate)

- Transforming infectious insect extracts containing S. citri and selecting them in the host insect after injection in the abdomen of E. variegatus

(i) Work in the L2 containment laboratory; (ii) Work in the S2 containment greenhouse and (iii) Regular reports for project meetings and reports (oral and/or written)

Training and skills

•  Profile

Recommended training: Master in biology (or equivalent)

Knowledge required: Molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, bioinformatics

Appreciated experience: Bacteriology, genome engineering

•  Skills

Autonomy, organizational skills, rigor; teamwork; oral and written communication skills; and good command of English.

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