Junior research scientist on holobionts and proteolytic balance engineering in health

Organisation/Company

French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (INRAE)

Department

1319 MICALIS

Research Field

Environmental science » Ecology

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

You will conduct your research in the Micalis unit, comprising 22 teams, and whose objective is to develop innovative research in the field of Food Microbiology for Health.
The position is available within the MIHA team (Interactions of the Microbiota with Humans and Animals), which studies interactions between the intestinal microbiota and its host, and its role in digestive inflammation.
The team comprises two permanent INRAE research directors, 2 Oniris lecturer-researchers, and support staff. MIHA has redefined its research project around intestinal proteolytic homeostasis in inflammatory digestive conditions, with opportunities the successful candidate could seize to build their own research positioning on questions concerning the relationships between food and proteolytic balance or the importance of this balance in other chronic diseases involving an imbalance in host-microbiome relations. The team is involved in national and international projects with public and private partners.
MICALIS, where you will be conducting your research, is classified as a Restrictive Regime Zone (ZRR) and requires prior authorisation from the Senior Defence and Security Officer to work there.
You will contribute to the team’s work on intestinal proteolytic homeostasis aimed at understanding the modes of action of microbial and food proteases and anti-proteases on the holobiont/intestinal health, a matter of interest given the results obtained on preclinical models of which the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. You will be in charge of building responses to 2 scientific questions: (1) what impact do microbial proteases involved in Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) have on the holobiont (man+microbiome)? and (2) what food can help reduce intestinal inflammation by rebalancing man-microbiome symbiosis?
Using in vitro and in vivo preclinical models and the appropriate omics approaches, you will determine the host responses to (i) microbial proteases inducing inflammation to identify the signalling pathways activated, and (ii) microbial and food anti-proteases to characterise their effects on these pathways.
You will ensure the coordination of existing projects in this field and supervise the staff assigned to them. Furthermore, you will gradually take on the drafting projects and related publications in this field. You will contribute to current international collaborations and ensure their efficacy. You will participate in discussions on the strategic orientations and will be a driving force for scientific developments.
You will be in charge of developing a research theme initially aimed at answering two research questions (cf. missions) within the Micalis unit and the MIHA team with all the activities expected of a research scientist: scientific monitoring, supervision, task/work package management within the framework of projects, collaborations, integration and development of networks, writing reports, publications and replies to calls for projects, contribution to the scientific leadership of the team, participation in and contribution to the organisation of scientific events, enhancing team visibility, advancing scientific issues based on the knowledge… These activities will be developed gradually according to the candidate’s experience with the support of and in collaboration with the team managers.

Website

https://jobs.inrae.fr/en/open-competitions/open-competions-research-scientists-…

Research Field

Environmental science

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Website for additional job details

https://jobs.inrae.fr/en/open-competitions/open-competions-research-scientists-…

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (INRAE)

Country

France

City

JOUY-EN-JOSAS

Postal Code

78350

Geofield

City

JOUY-EN-JOSAS

Website

https://jobs.inrae.fr/en/open-competitions/open-competions-research-scientists-crcn

Postal Code

78350

E-Mail

moez.rhimi@inrae.fr

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