Sociologie jobs in France

As part of the strategic project “Polytechnic Campus for Maritime and Port Territories”, the University of Le Havre Normandy (ULHN) is recruiting a fixed‑term, research‑oriented lecturer/researcher to contribute to the “City of Tomorrow” initiative.

We are seeking a PhD‑level candidate to design and implement research projects on the city of tomorrow in a maritime and port territory, addressing environmental, social, economic, technological, or governance challenges. You will join a ULHN research laboratory (to be determined according to your profile) and a transdisciplinary Joint Research Team (Équipe Commune de Recherche, ECR) of 4–6 researchers. Your mission over 12 months is to prepare and submit at least one competitive project proposal, produce visible research outputs, and help animate a community around the “City of Tomorrow” theme.

Your work will actively align with the educational, scientific, and territorial objectives of the “Polytechnic Campus for Maritime and Port Territories” project, in close collaboration with local, regional and international partners in the maritime and port ecosystem.

• Build a 12‑month research plan, including topics, partners, milestones, and one or more target calls for proposals (e.g. ANR, Horizon Europe, regional schemes).
• Develop and submit research and innovation projects by:
  • coordinating the scientific writing and structuring of proposals,
  • bringing together partners (city, port authority, companies, associations/NGOs),
  • preparing, collecting or using relevant data (quantitative, qualitative, spatial, digital, etc.).
• Produce and share research outputs such as:
  • articles, preprints and other scientific outputs,
  • demonstrators or prototypes,
  • documented datasets and, where possible, open data,
  • a scientific day or seminar series that brings the community together.
• Work within a ULHN research laboratory (to be defined), benefiting from its scientific environment, facilities, and internal rules.
• Contribute to the scientific, educational, and territorial dynamics of the “Polytechnic Campus for Maritime and Port Territories”, including regular interaction with socio‑economic partners around the city of tomorrow in a port‑city context.

First‑year expected outcomes

• At least one submission to a competitive call for proposals.
• One scientific event (a themed day or a series of seminars that gathers the community).
• Visible deliverables (e.g. preprints, articles, prototypes/demonstrators, a documented dataset), with simple quarterly progress tracking.

Profile of the candidate / Requirements

This position is open to candidates from all disciplines interested in the “City of Tomorrow”. Applications should demonstrate a genuine ability to work across disciplines and to integrate a socio‑economic dimension into research and, where relevant, teaching.

• PhD in a field relevant to the “City of Tomorrow”, for example (non‑exhaustive list):
  • urban planning and design,
  • sociology, geography, history,
  • urban data / AI and digital technologies,
  • energy and energy transition,
  • materials and pollution,
  • mobility and transport,
  • risk, resilience and adaptation,
  • governance, law, public policy,
  • other relevant fields related to sustainable and inclusive cities.
• Strong motivation to work in a team, to develop projects, and to collaborate with territorial partners.
• Demonstrated ability to structure and write competitive research proposals.
• Interest in dissemination through publications, seminars, and well‑managed research data.

Nice‑to‑have:

• International experience or international collaborations.
• Knowledge of port–city contexts and maritime territories.
• Proficiency with relevant scientific, analytical, spatial, or digital tools (depending on the discipline).

Why this role is attractive / Benefits

• a stimulating academic environment with modern infrastructure,
• strong institutional support to develop innovative research practices on the city of tomorrow,
• concrete collaboration opportunities within a broad academic and socio‑economic network, enabling real territorial impact,
• significant prospects for international professional development (through networks such as GU8, EUNICoast and local initiatives like “Le Havre Smart Port City”),
• practical support for proposal development and for knowledge transfer / valorisation,
• and potentially seed funding to initiate promising research directions.

Application procedure

Applications must be submitted as a single PDF file titled:
LASTNAME_Firstname_city_ULHN.pdf

The application file must include:

• A detailed CV (including publications, projects, supervision if any). Please clearly indicate any competitive funding you have already obtained (name of the call, reference/number, title, date, amount) and explain your role in writing or assembling the proposal.
• what you would like to do at ULHN in relation to the “City of Tomorrow” theme,
• your main strengths and assets for this position,
• your needs in terms of support, data, infrastructure, or partnerships.
• your main idea and why it matters for the “City of Tomorrow” theme,
• a simple 12‑month plan (3–5 steps with milestones),
• one or two target calls for proposals with a brief (two‑line) rationale for each,
• the ULHN laboratory you wish to join (and why),
• the partners you plan to involve (city, port, companies, associations/NGOs), even at the intention stage.

Your project should:

• clearly address a current environmental, industrial, or societal challenge in the maritime and port territory,
• articulate how it connects with the work and research axes of one or more ULHN laboratories,
• show potential openings to external partnerships and to European / international dynamics (e.g. GU8, EUNICoast, Le Havre Smart Port City).

Additional comments (for “Additional information” or “Selection process” fields)

• The recruitment procedure is specific to, and internal to, the University of Le Havre Normandy.
• Shortlisted candidates may be invited to present their research project and to discuss their proposed 12‑month plan with members of the project team and the host laboratory.
• The position is part of the strategic “Polytechnic Campus for Maritime and Port Territories” project and will involve regular interactions with local, regional, and international stakeholders around the “City of Tomorrow” in port‑city contexts.

Organisation / Company description (ULHN & Polytechnic Campus)

The University of Le Havre Normandy (ULHN) is a public multidisciplinary university located in the major port city of Le Havre, on the Normandy coast in France. ULHN has a strong and historic focus on maritime and port topics, combining engineering, environmental sciences, social sciences, law, and economics.

The “Polytechnic Campus for Maritime and Port Territories” is a strategic project that brings together researchers from multiple disciplines to address contemporary challenges faced by ports, coastal areas, and maritime cities. It aims to develop high‑impact research, support innovation with socio‑economic partners, and strengthen international collaborations around themes such as the city of tomorrow in maritime and port territories.

Languages

ENGLISH Level Excellent

FRENCH Level Good