Temporary position OT-27655
Specialist in Plant Effector-Target Interaction Screening
31320 - CASTANET TOLOSAN
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
Position Overview
We are seeking a motivated researcher to join the LoSica consortium, an innovative research project aimed at improving disease resistance in Brassica crops through the identification of susceptibility factors. This position will be based at LIPME (Toulouse) and focuses on developing and implementing cutting-edge Yeast Surface Display (YSD) technology to identify plant-pathogen protein interactions.
About the Project
The LoSica project addresses a critical agricultural challenge: two major pathogens (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Plasmodiophora brassicae) cause substantial economic losses (€230-480 million annually) in European Brassica crops including rapeseed, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Our innovative approach uses conserved pathogen effectors as molecular probes to identify plant susceptibility factors and ultimately discover natural loss-of-susceptibility alleles for breeding resistant cultivars.
Primary Responsibilities
Core Mission: Yeast Surface Display Development and Implementation
Establish and optimize YSD protocols for high-throughput screening of effector-target protein interactions
Generate and manage YSD prey libraries from three Brassicaceae host species (Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica napus, Brassica oleracea)
Design and construct YSD bait clones expressing tagged pathogen effector proteins
Perform large-scale YSD screening experiments
Coordinate with the sequencing team for Oxford Nanopore analysis of positive yeast colonies
Validate known effector-target pairs in A. thaliana as positive controls
Troubleshoot and refine experimental protocols throughout the project
Document protocols and maintain detailed laboratory records
Additional Responsibilities
Collaborate with team members on RNA extraction and cDNA library preparation
Participate in project meetings and contribute to scientific discussions
Assist in data interpretation and manuscript preparation
Present results at internal seminars and potentially at scientific conferences
Required Qualifications
Essential : Master's degree (MSc) in molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, or related field; Demonstrated expertise in protein expression systems; Solid understanding of protein-protein interaction methodologies; Excellent laboratory organizational skills and attention to detail; Ability to work independently and troubleshoot experimental problems
Highly Desired: Msc or PhD in molecular biology, plant sciences, or related discipline; Prior experience with yeast surface display, yeast two-hybrid, or similar interaction screening technologies; Knowledge of cloning strategies and molecular biology techniques (PCR, Goldengate assembly, etc.); Experience with high-throughput experimental approaches; Familiarity with plant pathology or plant-microbe interactions; Background in protein biochemistry
Advantageous: Experience working with fungal or oomycete pathogens; Knowledge of Brassicaceae plants or crop systems; Bioinformatics skills for sequence analysis; Previous work in collaborative research projects
What We Offer
Opportunity to work on a highly innovative project with direct applications to sustainable agriculture
Access to state-of-the-art facilities and technologies including in-house Nanopore sequencing
Collaboration with internationally recognized experts in plant pathology and Brassica genetics
Dynamic, international research environment at LIPME (Toulouse)
Professional development opportunities including training and conference participation
Contribution to deliverables with significant impact on crop breeding strategies
Training and 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
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)