Engineer for the collection, synthesis, and transfer of knowledge in animal welfare

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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

You will work in the Herbivores joint research unit (UMR). The mission of this unit is to produce, integrate and disseminate knowledge, and share expertise to design multi-performing herbivore farming systems that meet the challenges of global change (environmental, socio-economic and digital transition). The unit has 118 permanent staff and welcomes 70 non-permanent staff each year. It is organized into 5 research teams, a management team and a support team.

You will work within the CARAIBE team (that carries researches on animal welfare. You will be supervised by Romain Lardy, head of the CARAIBE team, and Luc Mounier from VetAgro-Sup, professor in animal welfare.

You will support INRAE's contribution to the European Union Reference Center for Animal Welfare (EURCAW) - Ruminants and Equines.

EURCAW - Ruminants and Equines is the third center designated by the European Commission, established in May 2021. EURCAW's mission is to support the competent authorities of EU Member States in implementing current animal welfare regulations. We provide scientific and technical expertise on the development and application of animal welfare indicators and animal welfare assessment methods to competent authorities and animal welfare policy makers, such as national reference centres. EURCAW Ruminants and Equines covers a range of farm animal species, including dairy production (cows, goats, sheep, buffalo), meat production from cattle, sheep, goats, deer, and horses, as well as ruminants and equines kept for other purposes. The activities of EURCAW Ruminants and Equines are defined in a work program in consultation with the European Commission.

INRAE leads activities aimed at 1) identifying current knowledge and gaps regarding priority issues in farm animal welfare, with the production of scientific literature reviews, and 2) providing technical documentation on welfare issues that can be easily used by the competent authorities (ministries, welfare inspectors, reference centers). INRAE also contributes to the dissemination of knowledge to various audiences and to the training of competent authority staff. In its 2025-2027 program, EURCAW will develop bibliographic reviews on maintaining social bonds, stunning and loss of consciousness at the time of slaughter, and the welfare of small ruminants. It will produce technical factsheets on thermal comfort, quality of care, horse work, access to pasture, etc. Other issues may be addressed at the request of the European Commission or the competent authorities of EU member states.

For these activities, INRAE works with a network of experts from France and other European countries (Greece, Italy, Austria, Ireland, and Sweden).

Your mission will consist of collecting, synthesizing, and transmitting knowledge on the welfare of ruminants and equines.

More specifically, you will be responsible for:

1.    Collecting available knowledge (technical and scientific literature, expert consultations)

2.    Analyzing the quality of knowledge

3.    Summarizing current knowledge

4.    Contributing to the drafting of scientific literature reviews

5.    Preparing technical documents (in particular factsheets)

6.    Liaising with experts working in related fields, including leading and coordinating working groups

7.    Providing technical support to working groups (information research, meeting minutes)

8.    Managing the documentation produced (formatting, referencing, posting documents online) 

Training and skills

Recommended training: Bac +5 or equivalent

Expected knowledge: Animal welfare and behavior, knowledge of animal husbandry

Expected skills:

-    Ability to critically analyze information (relevance, quality)

-    Ability to synthesize information

-    Communication skills (written and oral)

-    Skills in leading working groups

-    Proficiency in English (spoken and written): B2 level required

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.

The site Theix is served by two shuttle buses for INRAE staff, which link the site to the Clermont-Ferrand agglomeration in the morning and evening, and by a transport-on-demand service. It also has parking facilities and services for cyclists.

How to apply

I send my CV and my motivation letter