M/F PHD contract

CNRS; France; Hybride; EUR 29 000 - 33 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

CNRS IMBE in France invites applications for a Doctoral student position focusing on vanadium hyperaccumulation in sponge holobionts. The project aims to unravel bacterial community roles, physiological mechanisms, and potential bioremediation applications within an ANR-funded program.

The student will prepare samples, perform bioinformatics, physiology, chemistry, and cellular analyses, monitor literature, and present results at meetings and conferences.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in molecular and cellular biology.
• Solid foundation in environmental chemistry, microbiology, and statistics.
• Experience with bioinformatics and metabarcoding analyses is advantageous.
• Knowledge of sponges and marine holobionts preferred.

Responsabilités

• Prepare biological samples and conduct experiments using bioinformatics, physiology, chemistry, and cell biology.
• Monitor the literature and present results to the consortium.
• Collaborate on manuscript writing and conference presentations.
• Contribute to the dissertation and journal articles.

Connaissances

Flow cytometry

ICP-MS

Metabarcoding

Bioinformatics

Molecular biology

Physiology

English writing

French language

Adaptability

Scientific integrity

Outils

Flow cytometry instruments

ICP-MS instruments

Metabarcoding workflows

Description du poste

Organisation/Company CNRS Department Institut méditerranéen de biodiversité et d'écologie marine et continentale Research Field Biological sciences Environmental science Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 19 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (UTC) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Jan 2027 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

Hyperaccumulation of the metal vanadium (V) has recently been demonstrated in two homoscleromorph sponges. The objectives of this thesis are 1) to determine whether bacterial communities are themselves involved in hyperaccumulation and/or play a role in the process (metabolic pathways), 2) to identify the physiological role of this hyperaccumulation, 3) to contribute to the study of the molecular mechanisms involved, and 4) to evaluate the possibility of using these holobionts to sequester vanadium for bioremediation or recycling purposes. The thesis project is part of a larger project funded by the ANR involving four laboratories; the study will therefore take an integrative approach.

Responsibilities

The doctoral student will be expected to participate in the preparation of biological samples and to conduct experiments using the various techniques employed to achieve the aforementioned objectives (bioinformatics, physiology, chemistry, cell biology: an integrative approach from the molecule to the ecosystem). He or she will be responsible for monitoring the literature and regularly presenting his or her results orally to the consortium. He or she will collaborate on writing articles based on his or her work, present his or her results at conferences, and write his or her dissertation manuscript.

Activities

• Isolate bacteria from hyperaccumulating sponge cells using flow cytometry, then use ICP-MS to determine whether the symbiotic bacteria also accumulate vanadium
• Use metabarcoding to compare whether bacterial communities differ between closely related hyperaccumulating and non-hyperaccumulating species; if so, identify any bacterial families that may be involved in this mechanism.
• Contribute to characterizing the expression of candidate genes or the localization of proteins potentially involved in the hyperaccumulation mechanism
• Compare vanadium (V) levels between individuals exposed and unexposed to V
• Compare oxidative stress tolerance between accumulating and non-accumulating species
• Compare the chemical compounds emitted by accumulating and non-accumulating species

Skills

• Strong commitment to the project
• Rigor, scientific integrity, perseverance
• Communication and writing skills in French and English
• Adaptability
• Solid foundation in molecular and cellular biology and physiology: practical experience required
• Basic knowledge of environmental chemistry, microbiology, and statistics
• Basic knowledge of bioinformatics and metabarcoding
• Knowledge of sponges

Work Environment

Co-directed by IMBE (E. Renard) and LCB (G. Brasseur), with co-supervision by A. Gelabert (CEREGE) and L. Miché (IMBE). Integration into the IMBE's Molecular Biology, Ecology, and Evolution (BEEM) team, with close collaboration with several IMBE shared services (SPOT, BMC, MSN, EMM). Some experiments or meetings may take place at partner sites (Marseille 13009, Arbois, Cadarache). Work 5 days a week (occasional weekend work on-site may be required; personal work is necessary when working on a thesis outside of regular hours); schedules are dictated by experimental constraints and may therefore vary; occasional telework is possible depending on compatibility with ongoing experiments and subject to prior approval by the supervisors. Vacation days will be scheduled in accordance with experimental and laboratory constraints and in consultation with supervisors.

Vanadium Hyperaccumulation in Sponge Holobionts: Bacterial Contribution and Physiological Role.