27 Jan 2026
Job Information
- Organisation/Company
French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (INRAE)- Department
0085 PRC- Research Field
Neurosciences- Researcher Profile
Recognised Researcher (R2)- Application Deadline
5 Mar 2026 - 23:59 (UTC)- Country
France- Type of Contract
Permanent- Job Status
Full-time- Hours Per Week
35- Offer Starting Date
1 Sep 2026- Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?
Not funded by a EU programme- Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?
No
Offer Description
The joint research unit Physiology of Reproduction and Behaviours (UMR PRC), located in Nouzilly (Centre-Val de Loire, France), conducts integrative research in neuroscience, ethology, and endocrinology to better understand farm animal behaviour and welfare. You will join the Neuroethology and Social Cognition (NECOS) team, which investigates social relationships, perception of the social environment, and social communication in sheep, goats, and poultry.
Your research project will focus on the impact of the social environment on mental states in sheep. You will combine behavioural and neuroimaging approaches (electroencephalography, MRI) to determine how the quality of social relationships (affinity, familiarity, etc.) may shape brain activity between individuals.
In the first phase, you will test the hypothesis that the degree of affinity between two animals correlates with the establishment of inter-brain synchrony. To do this, you will compare different pairs of animals (high affinity, low affinity, unfamiliar individuals) in various contexts (resting, feeding, social interaction). In the medium term, you will study how the social environment (group size, homo- or heterospecific composition) can mitigate stress or promote positive mental states. In the longer term, your work will aim at designing social environments that enhance animal welfare, using inter-brain synchrony as a new, objective indicator of positive affective states.
You will benefit from a unique scientific environment combining innovative neuroimaging facilities and experimental protocols with awake animals, participating voluntarily in the task.
Where to apply
- Website
- https://jobs.inrae.fr/en/open-competitions/open-competions-research-scientists-…
Requirements
- Research Field
- Neurosciences
- Education Level
- PhD or equivalent
Additional Information
- Website for additional job details
https://jobs.inrae.fr/en/open-competitions/open-competions-research-scientists-…
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available
- 1
- Company/Institute
- French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (INRAE)
- Country
- France
- City
- NOUZILLY
- Postal Code
- 37380
- Geofield
Contact
- City
NOUZILLY- Website
https://jobs.inrae.fr/en/open-competitions/open-competions-research-scientists-crcn- Postal Code
37380
matthieu.keller@inrae.fr
STATUS: EXPIRED
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