Post-doctoral researcher to study drought legacy effects under elevated CO2

INRAE; France; Sur place; EUR 36 000 - 50 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

A research institute in France is seeking a Postdoc Researcher with expertise in plant hydraulics and ecosystem modeling. The role involves developing a model to analyze the interactions between tree growth and hydraulic traits in response to climate variations. The ideal candidate will possess a PhD and relevant programming skills, particularly in R, Git, and Python. You will collaborate with leading researchers in a supportive environment at INRAE's Bordeaux campus.

Prestations

30 days of annual leave

15 days 'Reduction of Working Time'

Social support services

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in a relevant field is required.
• Strong background in plant hydraulics and ecosystem modeling is essential.
• Experience in programming and data analysis is necessary.

Responsabilités

• Develop a new model to study legacy effects on plant growth.
• Enhance the ecosystem model MuSICA with new data.
• Evaluate model efficiency and safety of the xylem.

Connaissances

Plant hydraulics modelling

Programming (e.g., R, Git, Python, Fortran)

Research dissemination

Forest ecological modelling

Formation

PhD in forest ecological modelling

Description du poste

Organisation/Company INRAE Department ECODIV-AgroEcoSystems Research Field Agricultural sciences » Forest sciences Physics » Biophysics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Postdoc Positions Country France Application Deadline 14 Jan 2026 - 17:00 (Europe/Paris) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 38:40 Offer Starting Date 2 Mar 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

We are looking for an enthusiastic researcher with a background in plant hydraulics and ecosystem modelling.

Background | Plant hydraulic traits describe the water transport and storage properties of roots, stems, branches, and leaves. These traits are partially coordinated and, together, define the water transport efficiency and hydraulic safety margin of a given tree species. It is unknown how growth variations under rising CO2 and a changing climate will affect this coordination of plant hydraulic traits. On one hand, the higher water use efficiency associated with higher atmospheric CO2 should enhance plant growth and shorten the legacy of droughts and heatwaves. On the other hand, more severe and more frequent droughts and heatwaves should compromise the xylem efficiency and safety over multiple years. Within the project PHydrauCC, we explore these interactions between tree growth and hydraulic traits under ambient and elevated CO2 using data from Free-Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment (FACE) facilities, with the aim to develop a new theory and dynamic model of tree growth and xylem formation and their associated hydraulic traits.

Tasks | You will participate in the development of such new model to study how legacy effects on plant growth of major drought and heat wave events, in combination with elevated CO2, affects the efficiency and safety of the xylem, and thus forest resilience. For this, you will enhance the ecosystem model MuSICA, and evaluate the model using several data streams. In particular, a unique dataset combining plant hydraulic traits and wood anatomy from several FACE sites under ambient and elevated CO2 will be crucial to understand legacy effects, e.g., the recovery from droughts taking several years, or the observed slow death of trees over several years.

Environment | The successful candidate will join the IPSA research unit on the INRAE campus in Bordeaux, France, and will work closely with Jérôme Ogée and Rémi Lemaire-Patin, as well as other members of the PHydrauCC team (Matthias Cuntz, Jean-Christophe Domec, Emilie Joetzjer, Cyrille Rathgeber and Lisa Wingate).

Where to apply

E-mail [e-mail]

Requirements

Research Field Agricultural sciences » Forest sciences Education Level PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Qualifications: PhD in forest ecological modelling

Skills sought: Ability to carry out and disseminate first-class research

Specific Requirements

Demonstrated experience in plant hydraulics modelling and programming (e.g., R, Git, Python, Fortran, etc.)

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Languages FRENCH Level Basic

Research Field Agricultural sciences » Forest sciencesPhysics » Biophysics Years of Research Experience 1 - 4

Additional Information

• until 30 days of annual leave + 15 days "Reduction of Working Time" (for a full time)
• social support: advice and listening, social assistance and loans;
• holiday and leisure services: holiday vouchers, accommodation at preferential rates;