Postdoctoral position - Rock weathering experiments with microbial ecosystems under Archean conditions

Université côte d'azur; France; On-site; EUR 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Université Côte d’Azur invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position in geomicrobiology. You will join a project exploring rock weathering under Archean-like conditions with microbial ecosystems, and you will extend the existing experiment with new setups.

The role requires a PhD in biology, geomicrobiology or astrobiology, hands-on experience with DNA extraction, metabarcoding and anaerobic techniques, and the ability to work across geology, geochemistry and biology.

Qualifications

• PhD in biology, geomicrobiology or astrobiology.
• Experience with molecular microbiology techniques (DNA extraction, PCR, metabarcoding) and, ideally, anaerobic culture or incubation techniques.
• Autonomy, rigor and comfort with field work and geochemistry labs.
• Excellent English communication; French is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the biological side of the current experiment: monitor microbial ecosystems in incubated vs sterile reactors.
• Characterize microbial communities using DNA extraction and metabarcoding with the Genoscope team.
• Co-organize field campaign at Lac Pavin and collect anoxic water samples for in-lab experiments.
• Design, set up and run a new experiment using collected samples and publish results in journals; present at conferences.

Skills

DNA extraction

PCR

Metabarcoding

Bioinformatics

Education

PhD in biology, geomicrobiology or astrobiology

Job description

Organisation/Company Université côte d'azur Department DRH Research Field Biological sciences » Biology Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Established Researcher (R3) Leading Researcher (R4) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 22 Nov 2026 - 00:00 (Europe/Monaco) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Jan 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Other EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The challenge :

Did life shape the surface of the early Earth? For most of its history, microorganisms were the only life forms populating the ocean and continents, in a world with a faint young Sun, an anoxic atmosphere and oceans, and possibly no plate tectonics. Rock weathering regulates the carbon–climate system and the habitability of a planet, and microorganisms can influence it directly (through their metabolisms) or indirectly (through the chemical reactions they are involved in).

One of the PhD students of the Pandora project has designed and built an experimental set-up at CEREEP ECOTRON Île-de-France that reproduces rock weathering under Archean-like conditions, with and without a microbial ecosystem from the anoxic waters of Lac Pavin, a ferruginous maar lake in the Massif Central. Water–rock and water–air calibrations and sterilization tests are completed: the experiments are ready to go and we are looking for completing the team.

Do you have experience in microbial ecology, geomicrobiology or astrobiology, and in anoxic microbial cultures and incubations?

We’re looking for our future postdoctoral researcher in geomicrobiology!

Join us at Université Côte d’Azur/CEREEP ECOTRON Île de France, recognized for their scientific and educational excellence, to create a responsible and innovative university to serve as a model for the 21st century.

Your missions :

You will work alongside the PhD student who built the experiment, and you will be involved in the biological component of the project and extend it with a new experiment.

• Lead the biological side of the current experiment: monitor the microbial ecosystem (Archean-like functions: methanogens, methanotrophs, sulfate-reducing, sulfur-oxidizing and nitrate-reducing microorganisms) in the incubated versus sterile reactors.
• Characterize the microbial communities: DNA extraction and metabarcoding, together with the Genoscope team, and interpretation of community composition across rock types and conditions.
• Co-organize a field campaign at Lac Pavin: sample anoxic water below 60 m (Niskin bottles, in-situ incubations of rocks) and bring the samples back under anoxic conditions for use in the experiments.
• Design, set up and run a new experiment similar to the existing one, using the freshly collected samples, and publish the results in international journals and present them at conferences.
• Type of Recruitment: Contractual (18 months temporary contract, CDD)

Requirements

Research Field Biological sciences » Biology Education Level PhD or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

• You possess a PhD in biology, microbiology, geomicrobiology or astrobiology (or a closely related field) and a strong interest in the evolution of the Earth and the interactions between life and minerals.
• You have mastered molecular microbiology techniques (DNA extraction, PCR, metabarcoding and bioinformatic analysis of sequencing data) and, ideally, anaerobic culture or incubation techniques.
• You are autonomous, rigorous and at ease in field work (boat-based sampling on a lake) as well as in a geochemistry laboratory.
• You like interdisciplinary teamwork between geology, geochemistry and biology, and communicating your results in English (French is a plus).

Specific Requirements

PhD in biology, geomicrobiology or astrobiology