OFFRE DE STAGE - M2 chimie, chimie analytique, chimie de l’atmosphère ou sciences de l’environnement

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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

Background

Pesticides used in agriculture can be released into the atmosphere during or after application and subsequently transported away from treated fields. Once in the atmosphere, they may be present in the gas phase or associated with atmospheric particles. This partitioning influences their transport, deposition and chemical transformation. However, the fate of pesticides in the atmosphere remains poorly understood, partly because of the challenges involved in measuring both phases simultaneously with sufficient time resolution.

Recent work carried out in our laboratory has demonstrated that pesticides in the gas phase can be monitored in real time using a proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS). Coupling this instrument with the CHARON (CHemical Analysis of aeRosols ONline) module could extend this approach to the particle phase and provide a better understanding of pesticide behaviour in the atmosphere.

This internship will contribute to the development of an innovative analytical approach for high-time-resolution monitoring of atmospheric pesticides. It will assess the capabilities and limitations of PTR-ToF-MS/CHARON for characterising atmospheric pesticides and investigating their partitioning between the gas and particle phases.

Objectives and work plan

The aim of this internship is to assess the potential of PTR-ToF-MS coupled with a CHARON module for detecting and characterising pesticides present in both the gas and particle phases.

The work will begin with a literature review to select target compounds based on their physicochemical properties, the available scientific literature and the feasibility of their analysis by PTR-ToF-MS. Laboratory experiments will then be conducted to test their detection, optimise measurement conditions and characterise their mass spectral signatures.

Data analysis will allow to investigate pesticide partitioning between the two phases. Depending on the results, the work may also explore the detection of transformation products and their potential contribution to secondary organic aerosol formation.

The internship will therefore combine literature review, laboratory experiments, data analysis and interpretation of results. It will provide a better understanding of the capabilities and limitations of this analytical method for studying atmospheric pesticides.

Host institution and supervision

The internship will take place at INRAE, within the Ecophysiology and Physicochemistry of Biosphere–Atmosphere Interactions team of the EcoSys Joint Research Unit (UMR EcoSys).

The student will be supervised by Raluca Ciuraru and Carole Bedos. Raluca is an INRAE research scientist who specialises in characterising and analysing volatile organic compounds and secondary organic aerosols formed as a result of agricultural activities and practices. Carole is an INRAE senior research scientist who specialises in measuring and modelling pesticide volatilisation.

The student will also benefit from technical support during the experimental work and will have access to state-of-the-art analytical equipment available in our laboratory.

Duration: 5–6 months, starting in February or March 2027.

Location: EcoSys, AgroParisTech Campus, 22 place de l’Agronomie, 91120 Palaiseau, France. The laboratory is located on the Saclay plateau. It is accessible via Metro Line 18 and two bus routes from Massy-Palaiseau RER station. It is also approximately a 20-minute walk from Le Guichet station on RER Line B (Orsay).

Salary: Approximately €650, plus a contribution towards public transport costs, where applicable.

Training and skills

This internship is intended for a second-year Master's student (MSc) in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Atmospheric Chemistry or Environmental Sciences.

An interest in experimental measurements and environmental issues is expected. Knowledge of mass spectrometry and data processing would be an advantage.

Additional skills and qualities: Ability to work independently and show initiative; Good organisational skills and ability to work as part of a team; Good written and spoken English skills.

INRAE's life quality

By joining INRAE, you can benefit from, depending on the type and duration of your contract:

- up to 30 days of annual leave + up to 15 additional days off (for full-time employees);
- access to the French public healthcare system;
- 50% of the cost of your supplementary health insurance covered by INRAE;
- childcare and parenting support;
- training and career guidance;
- social assistance and financial support;
- holiday vouchers and accommodation at preferential rates;
- sports and cultural activities;
- subsidised staff restaurants.

How to apply

Application documents: CV and cover letter to raluca.ciuraru@inrae.fr and carole.bedos@inrae.fr

Selection process: Applications will be reviewed, and shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview.

Application deadline: 15 December 2026.