Postdoctoral Researcher (plant biology/biochemistry) - 12 months

Université de Strasbourg; France; Presencial; EUR 42.000 - 54.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Université de Strasbourg invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher to join the BotaniChem project, focusing on characterising chemodiversity in plant specimens using mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. You will work with CNRS teams and the Strasbourg Botanical Garden to build a reference metabolomic resource.

The position involves species selection, sample preparation, data analysis, and dissemination of results through publications and conferences, with collaboration across multiple

Formación

• PhD in Plant Biology or Biochemistry awarded by 1 Dec 2026.
• Deep experience in MS-based metabolomics across the analytical workflow.
• Good understanding of plant metabolism and chemo-diversity.
• Excellent written and oral communication in French and English.

Responsabilidades

• Select and collect plant specimens and manage metadata.
• Prepare samples and contribute to establishing a plant material collection.
• Carry out metabolomic analyses and data processing with pipelines.
• Interpret results and contribute to scientific dissemination.

Conocimientos

Mass spectrometry metabolomics

Plant metabolism knowledge

Data analysis

Scientific writing

French and English communication

Educación

PhD in Plant Biology or Biochemistry

Herramientas

Metabolomics software

MS data analysis pipelines

Spectral databases

Descripción del empleo

Organisation/Company Université de Strasbourg Department Direction des ressources humaines Research Field Biological sciences » Botany Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 14 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Paris) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Dec 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

Research project or operation

The BotaniChem project (Unlocking Strasbourg’s Botanical Garden Chemodiversity) aims to characterise and
harness the metabolic diversity of the plant collections at the Strasbourg Botanical Garden (JBS). Although
botanical gardens represent exceptional reservoirs of plant biodiversity, their chemodiversity remains largely
unexplored. This project brings together the expertise in metabolomics and plant metabolism of two teams
from the CNRS Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, led respectively by Emmanuel Gaquerel and Hubert Schaller,
with that of the JBS in the management of botanical collections.

The aim is to analyse the metabolic diversity of a large number of species in the garden using mass
spectrometry-based metabolomics, following standardised procedures. The postdoctoral researcher will be
involved in the selection and sampling of species, the collection and traceability of associated metadata, as
well as the preparation of samples and the establishment of a physical collection of plant material and extracts.
He or she will also contribute to the processing, annotation and analysis of the metabolomic data obtained.The
project will thus establish a reference resource for the study of plant chemodiversity, which can be used to
analyse the distribution and evolution of families of metabolites of interest.

Activities

➢ Description of the research activities :

• Select and collect plant specimens from the Strasbourg Botanical Garden in collaboration with the JBS
  teams, in accordance with collection and conservation procedures.
• Ensure the traceability of the metadata associated with each specimen (botanical identification, collection
  conditions, location within the collections).
• Prepare samples (freeze-drying, grinding, extraction) and contribute to the establishment of a physical
  collection of plant material and extracts.
• Carry out metabolomic analyses using mass spectrometry in partnership with the two research teams
  involved and the metabolomics platform at the Institute of Molecular Plant Biology
• Process, annotate and analyse metabolomic data using dedicated pipelines (construction of molecular
  networks, querying spectral databases, in silico annotation, calculation of metabolic diversity indices).
• Contribute to the interpretation of results, particularly regarding the distribution and evolution of families
  of metabolites of interest.
• Contribute to the scientific dissemination of the project (writing articles, presenting at conferences,
  communicating results).

➢ Related activities :

• Take part in the project’s scientific meetings and those of the research teams
• Interact with project partners: the two teams at the Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, the institute’s
  metabolomics platform, and the teams at the Strasbourg Botanical Garden.
• Contribute to the rigorous management and organisation of plant extracts and metabolomic data
• Contribute to the supervision of students where appropriate

Experience required : A recent PhD graduate who defended their thesis less than a year ago, with in-depth
experience in mass spectrometry-based metabolomics gained during their PhD, covering the entire analytical
workflow, from sample preparation to data analysis. A good understanding of plant metabolism is also
desirable.

Skills

- PhD in Plant Biology or Biochemistry, to have been awarded by the start date of 1 December 2026.
- In-depth knowledge of plant metabolism and concepts associated with the study of plant chemo-diversity
- Proficiency in metabolomic approaches using mass spectrometry and dedicated analysis pipelines
- An interest in plant diversity and the promotion of scientific literacy

➢ Operational skills/expertise :

- Experience in the preparation of plant extracts
- Experience in the characterisation of plant metabolites using a metabolomic approach based on high-
resolution mass spectrometry
- Proficiency in dedicated metabolomic analysis workflows: construction of molecular networks, querying
spectral databases, in silico annotation, calculation of metabolic diversity indices
- Ability to analyse, interpret and disseminate scientific results
- Experience in scientific writing and publication in international journals

- Organisational skills and the ability to work independently
- Ability to work as part of a team in an interdisciplinary environment
- Scientific rigor
- Good written and oral communication skills, in French and English

Environment and context of work

➢ Presentation of the laboratory/unity :
The CNRS Institute of Plant Molecular Biology (UPR2357) is the CNRS’s largest dedicated unit in the field of plant
science. The institute, headed by Dr Philippe Giegé, currently comprises 20 research teams and numerous
technological platforms. Its mission is to conduct fundamental research in integrative plant biology, covering
the fields of plant metabolism, the molecular mechanisms regulating plant genome expression, and plant
virology.

The BotaniChem project is coordinated by Prof. Emmanuel Gaquerel, head of the ‘Evolution and Diversity of
Plant Metabolism’ team, whose research focuses on the multi-scale exploration of plant metabolism, ranging
from its chemical characterisation to the study of the associated biosynthetic pathways. The project also
involves the ‘Biology of Plant Isoprenoids’ team, led by Dr Hubert Schaller, as well as the Strasbourg Botanical
Garden, where Frédéric Tournay is in charge of the collections.