In a context of worsening droughts, climate-related elephant die-offs are expected to occur more frequently and severely in African savannas. The existence of such peaks of mega-carcasses, which occur episodically for a short period with an abundance dramatically higher than that of other resources, can alter the behaviour and dynamics of the populations consuming them, with indirect effects on other populations, and hence community functioning and stability.
The funded ANR project PULSATION aims to investigate the consequences of such pulses of mega-carcasses on (1) the distribution and foraging behaviour of lions and spotted hyaenas, the two largest African carnivores, both common and facultative scavengers that use elephant carrion when available; (2) the associated consequences on prey populations through alteration of the lethal (i.e., prey consumption) and non-lethal (i.e., fear) effects of predators. These effects are expected to vary in space and time.
As part of this project, the successful applicant will aim to develop mechanistic models of the food web of large mammals to investigate the consequences of pulse elephant mortality on the species dynamics. The first objective of the recruited post-doc will be to investigate how different behaviours of carnivores and their prey following pulses of mega-carcasses affect the response of the food web to such pulses. The second objective will be to study how the distribution of mega-carcasses in space and time affect the stability of the food web (resistance and resilience to pulses).
This Post-doc position will be based at the Institute of Ecology and Environmental sciences of Paris (iEES-Paris) in the interaction network team at Sorbonne University. The successful applicant will be supervised by Elisa Thébault, and he/she will also collaborate with Hervé Fritz (REHABS) and Marion Valeix (CEFE), who is leading the PULSATION project.
Qualifications: PhD in theoretical ecology, community ecology, or a closely related discipline. Strong analytical and programming skills are required as well as interest in predator-prey interactions and trophic networks and good knowledge of English language.
Contact: Please email your application to Elisa Thébault (elisa.thebault@sorbonne-universite.fr) including (1) a detailed CV, (2) a cover letter putting forward relevant training and motivation, (3) the name and contact information for two reference persons.
Application deadline: 15th June 2026. Candidates will be selected for an interview in end of June. Videoconference media can be used for this audition.
Start date and duration for the Post-doc contract: Funds are secured for a 2-year post-doc, and the successful candidate shall begin during fall 2026. Salary will depend on the experience of the candidate.
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