Dear IUFRO Entomologists,

INRAE, the French Institute for research on Agronomy, food and the environment is looking for a full time, junior scientist in entomology and population biology in Avignon, southern France.

This is a permanent position.

Deadline for submitting applications is 5th March 2020.

See: https://jobs.inrae.fr/en/open-competitions/open-competions-research-scientists-crcn/crcn20-ecofa-2

Rationale: The overarching goal of INRAE research unit ""Ecology of Mediterranean Forests"" (URFM) is the sustainable management of forests and the conservation of biodiversity. In this context, URFM studies the processes involved in the dynamics and functioning of Mediterranean forests, as well as mixed and disturbed forests, through approaches combining experimentation and modelling. Knowledge of these processes contribute to the science of ecology and is integrated into general workflows and methods to propose adaptive management solutions for these ecosystems in the context of global change.

Job description: The successful candidate will develop a project in entomology and population biology to study how Mediterranean phytophagous insects, through their biology and host use strategies, can affect the forest ecosystem. Reciprocally , you will also study how other disturbances (drought and fire) affect insect demography. Your research will be based on experimental approaches at the individual and population levels, both on the insect and its host, to specifically address plant-tree insect interactions. This will include the assessment of how climate change affects these interactions and how they can in turn affect the direct impact of climate change and disturbances on the dynamics of Mediterranean forests. For this purpose, you will benefit from the scientific and technical expertise of URFM on the study of the role of insects in the dynamics of forest dieback, with particular expertise at the interface between the functioning of insect populations and tree populations.

Contact: Thomas Boivin <thomas.boivin@inrae.fr>, INRAE Avignon, France