Postdoctoral position OT-30611
Postdoc in stochastic modelling for population genetics
84914 avignon
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 be welcomed in the BioSP research unit (“Biostatistics and Spatial Processes”) of INRAE Avignon. The postdoc is part of the ANR JCJC research project “PASTAe”, focusing on the probabilistic study of structured assemblages of biological entities, with the aim of developing new inference tools for epidemiology. During this postdoc, you will primarily work on the stochastic modelling of the dynamics of transposable elements within the genome of host cells, using a modelling framework based on branching processes.
You will be more specifically in charge of:
- Studying the quasi-stationary dynamics of a neutral model for transposition dynamics, based on a coupling between a Wright-Fisher model for the dynamics of host cells and branching processes for the intra-host transposition dynamics.
- Extending the existing modelling framework to account for several possible effects of transposons on the reproduction dynamics of host cells, and study the properties of these models, analytically and/or using the simulation framework SLiM.
- Comparing results to data collected on the powdery mildew Blumeria hordei, in collaboration with the group of Prof. Aurélien Tellier (Professorship for Population Genetics, TU Munich).
Training and skills
Recommended training: PhD in applied mathematics
Desired knowledge: Branching processes, stochastic processes, and/or stochastic models for populations genetics. Candidates with a background more oriented towards computational biology will also be considered.
An interest in research at the interface between probability, statistics, and population genetics is recommended.
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
In order to apply, please send your CV, a cover letter, along with a presentation of your research works in at most 2 pages, at the following address: apolline.louvet "at" inrae.fr.
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)