Post-doctoral researcher in Data Sciences

We are seeking a Post-doctoral researcher in Data Sciences – CEFE/IRD, Montpellier, France
Position opened from April 2024 for 18 months

Working environment :
The successful candidate will be based at the CNRS in Montpellier, within the Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (UMR CEFE)
in Montpellier, France. He or she will also work closely with IRD’s UMR DIADE and will be supervised by an interdisciplinary team based in
Montpellier. The CEFE is currently the largest research center in ecology and evolutionary biology in France, providing a stimulating working
environment and a wealth of logistical and technical support. The proposed position is part of the project “SAGHAS” (Sowing AGrobiodiversity to
HArvest Sustainability), which is funded by a program “ERC Tremplin” by the University of Montpellier.

Missions
The SAGHAS project aims to assess how the crop biodiversity present in agricultural systems today can meet expectations in terms of agronomic,
environmental and social roles, and how the multidimensional space defined by these different roles could be optimized to promote adaptation
to future environmental conditions. Drawing on a database of existing agronomic, ecological, genetic, environmental and social information on
cultivated plants worldwide, the researcher recruited will be tasked with
– study existing avenues for exploring and aggregating the heterogeneous data in the database into indexes.
– develop ideas on how best to integrate these data to meet the project’s objectives.
– produce a summary of existing indices, their advantages and shortcomings in terms of the project’s objectives and identify possible needs for completing the initial database.

Activities
– bibliographical research on indices and, more generally, on the mathematical manipulation of data to synthesize genetic, agronomic,
ecological and social information. The research will initially focus on agrobiodiversity and will then be extended to themes that will
enable us to consider the integration of these data at an interdisciplinary level.
– mathematical construction adapted to the objectives of the project, based on the results of the bibliographical research, and application
to an existing database.
– identification of data gaps to be filled
– drafting of publications

Profile
The successful candidate will have held a PhD degree for less than 3 years.
– Expertise in mathematical data manipulation, index creation, or other synthetic representation of information.
– Computer skills, data processing, database interrogation and manipulation.
– Knowledge of agricultural systems
– Interdisciplinary interest, curiosity and open-mindedness
– Rigorous work ethic, excellent organizational skills, ability to synthesize information
– Ability to work independently and as part of a team
– Writing skills in French and English

Desired level of education: PhD
Desired experience: less than 3 years after thesis

How to apply
CV and cover letter should be sent to Cécile Berthouly: [ cecile.berthouly@ird.fr, ]
Delphine Renard : [delphine.renard@cefe.cnrs.fr ] ,
Adeline Barnaud : [adeline.barnaud@ird.fr ] and Anne-Céline Thuillet : [anne-celine.thuillet@ird.fr ]

and will have to be also submitted on the website of the University of Montpellier : [ https://umemplois.umontpellier.fr/ ] (once this offer
is published on the website, from 05/02/2024, date to be confirmed)

Job reference to be included in your cover letter: 2024-R0105

Applications close on 15/03/2024 at 23:59 but will be examined on an ongoing basis.

Contacts for job information :
Cécile Berthouly : [ cecile.berthouly@ird.fr ]
Delphine Renard : [ delphine.renard@cefe.cnrs.fr ]
Adeline Barnaud : [ adeline.barnaud@ird.fr ]
Anne-Céline Thuillet : [ anne-celine.thuillet@ird.fr ]