Researcher in modelling geochemical processes in soils

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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 carry out your work within the European Center for Research and Education for Environmental Geosciences (CEREGE) in Aix-en-Provence (https://www.cerege.fr/fr/). CEREGE is a Joint Research Unit (UMR) specializing in environmental geochemistry. You will conduct your research within the Sustainable Environment team and work in close collaboration with researchers specializing in pedogenesis modelling. Your mission will consist in developing generic numerical models to predict the evolution of soil properties over a century timescale, for the major types of soils and global pedogenesis processes, in relation to global changes: climate change and land-use change, with a particular focus on geochemical processes. Indeed, these geochemical processes (mineral weathering, precipitation of secondary minerals, complexation, etc.) are the major drivers of soil evolution and are in close interaction with one another. You will thus contribute to answering the following questions: what is the relative contribution of geochemical processes and their interactions in different soil types, and what are the consequences for soil functioning and its evolution over a century timescale? To answer these questions, you will draw upon the modelling efforts developed at CEREGE over the past few years, on the INRAE ​​Virtual Soil modelling platform (VSoil; https://vsoil.hub.inrae.fr/), on the geochemical tools and approaches available within the unit, as well as on the expertise in environmental science of the scientists in the Sustainable Environment team.

Training and skills

Recommended training: PhD in soil science with experience in developing mechanistic models of critical zone processes.

Desired knowledge:

• Mechanistic modelling of soil formation and evolution.
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages ​​(Fortran, C++, R).
• Basic knowledge of pedogenetic processes.
• Familiarity with the VSoil modelling platform would be a plus.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken).

Skills:

• Ability to work in a team and in an interdisciplinary environment.
• Autonomy, thoroughness and organizational 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