Research Engineer in CFD Modelling of VOCs in Cropping Systems

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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

Project Overview

The Priority Research Programme and Equipment (PEPR) “Agroecology and Digital Technology” aims to accelerate the agroecological transition by mobilizing digital tools, modelling and data intelligence to better understand and manage the biological processes at work in agroecosystems.

Within this framework, the TransThrips project focuses on the use of VOCs emitted by plants or released by dispensers as natural tools for regulating thrips populations. However, the transport and dispersion mechanisms of these chemical signals remain poorly characterized in complex agricultural environments such as greenhouses, protected crops and open-field cropping systems.

The objective of the project is to develop digital tools to understand and predict VOC dispersion in different agroecological contexts in order to optimize and improve the effectiveness of thrips biocontrol strategies based on chemical interactions.

Working Environment, Duties and Activities

You will work within the PSH (Horticultural Plants and Cropping Systems) research unit at INRAE, located at the heart of the horticultural production area of south-eastern France. This research unit develops ecophysiological and agroecological approaches to design fruit and vegetable cropping systems and landscape scenarios adapted to Mediterranean conditions, combining agronomic performance, production quality and environmental sustainability.

The unit's research aims to understand and quantify the effects of agricultural practices, landscape organization and environmental factors on plant functioning, as well as on populations of crop pests and beneficial organisms. This work is based on the development of ecophysiological and ecological models to analyse the complexity of the systems under study and assess their performance at different scales, with the aim of designing innovative technical and landscape scenarios for integrated horticultural production.

You will join a multidisciplinary consortium bringing together chemical ecologists, ecophysiologists, agronomists, biocontrol specialists, modelers and digital technology experts.

Your main task will be to develop CFD models to simulate the dispersion of volatile organic compounds emitted by dispensers in different cropping systems and to optimize their distribution.

More specifically, you will be responsible for:

1. CFD Model Development

- Design and develop CFD models describing VOC transport and dispersion in cropping systems.

- Represent turbulence, convection, molecular diffusion and exchanges with the plant canopy.

2. Coupling with Biological and Agronomic Data

- Integrate the characteristics of VOC emission sources derived from experiments.

- Represent the influence of plant canopy architecture on airflow and mass transfer.

- Couple simulations with climatic and micrometeorological data measured in experimental facilities.

3. Model Calibration and Validation

- Design and implement model calibration and validation protocols.

- Use experimental data generated within the project to assess simulation performance.

- Quantify uncertainties associated with model predictions.

4. Analysis of Agroecological Scenarios

- Simulate different VOC dispersion scenarios.

- Assess the impact of:

- planting density;

- crop architecture;

- dispensing systems;

- weather conditions.

- Conduct scenario studies by varying key parameters (dispenser position, crop density, etc.) in order to analyse their impact on dispersion uniformity.

5. Scientific and Digital Dissemination

- Contribute to the preparation of scientific publications and reports and to the presentation of results at national and international conferences.

Training and skills

Education and Skills

Recommended Qualifications

PhD or engineering degree with significant experience in:

- fluid mechanics;

- numerical modelling;

- agricultural engineering.

Required Skills

- Proficiency in computational methods and simulation tools for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).

Knowledge of Ansys Fluent will be an advantage.

Tools and Programming

- Ansys Fluent or equivalent;

- scientific computing;

- experimental data processing.

Desirable Knowledge

- chemical ecology;

- plant physiology;

- micrometeorology.

Desirable Experience

- CFD model development;

- participation in collaborative research projects;

- scientific dissemination of research findings.

Personal Skills

- autonomy;

- scientific rigour;

- strong analytical and synthesis skills;

- interest in interdisciplinary work;

- Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with colleagues;

- ability to communicate in French and English.

Position Objectives

The Research Engineer will contribute to the production of:

- a reference numerical model for VOC dispersion in cropping systems;

- recommendations for the design of agroecological systems promoting natural biocontrol mechanisms;

- scientific publications and project deliverables for the TransThrips project.

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