Job offer; Postdoctoral Researcher in Plant Molecular Biology ● Starting date: oct 2023 ● Duration: 24 months
Work Environment: You will integrate the Jean-Pierre Bourgin Institute (IJPB) in Versailles, France. The IJPB brings together 27 research teams, 6 shared services, and 6 technological platforms serving the unit and open to the outside.
The IJPB is one of the largest European research centers in plant biology, mobilizing a wide range of unique multidisciplinary resources and expertise in biology, chemistry, and mathematics in France. You will primarily work within the Germination Physiology research team (PHYGERM, composed of 15 members).
Located within a 10-minute walk from Saint-Cyr l’École train station (78), the IJPB is easily accessible by RER C, N and U lines of the Transilien SNCF network, Tram T13, and is served by several bus lines (towards Versailles and Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines) and a cycling path. The research center benefits from a collective catering service and offers diverse sport and cultural activities for its employees.
Your Mission and Activities
The IJPB is seeking to recruit a postdoctoral researcher for a 24-month period starting in autumn 2023. He/She will join a dynamic research team working on a project focused on the modulation of seed dormancy through the control of non-coding RNA action in response to temperature. This work is part of the RNASEED research project funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR, 2022-2026).
It aims to study the regulation of Arabidopsis thaliana seed dormancy by small non-coding RNAs (i.e. miRNAs) under the influence of the thermal environment during seed set. In this context, the postdoctoral researcher will work in close collaboration with Martin Crespi’s group at the Institute of Plant Sciences of Paris-Saclay (IPS2, REGARN team). Some experiments will be carried out at IPS2 on molecular aspects related to small RNAs.
Using functional genetic approaches (CRISPR-Cas, overexpression and ‘target-mimics’), he/she will be responsible for characterizing the functional role of previously identified candidate miRNAs in dormancy regulation. After validating the regulation of the miRNA targets, the postdoctoral researcher will determine the role of miRNA/target-mRNA modules in the regulation of dormancy and germination.
Notably, a detailed analysis of hormone signaling and metabolism, particularly in relation to abscisic acid (ABA), will be carried out in seeds to determine the role and targets of these miRNAs in the signaling networks of dormancy and germination in response to temperature.
Required Education and Skills
- Ph.D. in molecular biology, plant biotechnology
- Strong experience in molecular genetics (cloning, genome editing, transformation)
- In-depth knowledge of plant and seed physiology
- Ability to work independently and effectively collaborate with a multidisciplinary team
- Excellent scientific communication skills, both oral and written, in French and English
We Offer:
- A stimulating research environment within a renowned institute.
- The opportunity to work on an innovative research project with significant potential impact in the field of plant biology.
- State-of-the-art facilities and resources to carry out experiments successfully.
- Salary: based on your experience according to the French academic salary scales for a postdoctoral researcher.
How to Apply:
If you are interested in this position, please submit the following documents:
- Your detailed CV highlighting your relevant experience.
- A motivation letter explaining your interest in the position and your qualifications.
- The contact details of two professional references.
Please send your application by email to the following address: Annie.Marion-Poll@inrae.fr and Loïc.Rajjou@agroparistech.fr
Application deadline: July 17, 2023