Two-year post-doctoral position in climate, wildfire, forests, and people (funded by Amidex)

RESEARCHER PROFILE: Postdoc/R2: PhD holders

RESEARCH FIELD(S)1: Environmental Science

MAIN SUB RESEARCH FIELD OR DISCIPLINES1: Biological sciences, geography

JOB /OFFER DESCRIPTION

The ClimatFeux project (Climate, Fires, Forests and Human Societies) is located at the interface of climate, forest fires, forest ecology and traditional and contemporary ecosystem management by human societies. The project includes a paleoecological approach and an experimental approach with three components. The first part consists of building a collaborative research network to apply pyrodendrochronology in order to study climate-fire relationships in the Mediterranean region. This scientific discipline applies the dating of tree rings to the reconstruction of long sequences of fire events in order to compare them with climate models and better understand the role of climate as a causal factor of fire. The post-doctoral fellow will work with the principal investigator and with colleagues and collaborating researchers to select study sites, obtain sampling authorizations, carry out fieldwork (sample collection, dendrometric measurements), prepare and measure the samples in the laboratory, carry out statistical processing, and prepare scientific publications.

The recruited person will assist the principal investigator in the development of the other components of the project. The second component aims to design and test practical interventions based on palaeo-historical knowledge of ecosystems, such as those described in component 1, in order to improve the future sustainability of ecosystems and reduce social and ecological risks. In collaboration with collaborating colleagues and researchers, we will test fire management options such as ecological restoration, fuel treatments and controlled burning using experimental, observational and model-based methods.

The third component will establish new partnerships focused on ecology and fire management in several African countries where ecology and fire management are critical topics, through appropriate palaeoecological and experimental approaches. The collective work of our team will result in new research partnerships producing new datasets, scientific publications, professional and public awareness, as well as two graduate theses and a postdoctoral research experience. This work will contribute to scientific advances and provide valuable information in the context of adaptation to global warming and changing fire patterns.

TYPE OF CONTRACT: TEMPORARY

JOB STATUS: FULL TIME

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 15/03/2026 - 23:59

ENVISAGED STARTING DATE: 15/05/2026

ENVISAGED DURATION: 24 months

JOB NOT FUNDED THROUGH AN EU RESEARCH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME

WORK LOCATION(S): Technopôle de l’Environnement Arbois Méditerranée, Aix-en-Provence, France

WHAT WE OFFER:

Salary function of experience (between 2616 € and 3062 € gross). Professional opportunities to expand field, lab, and research writing skills with a strong team in a beautiful and culturally rich region.

QUALIFICATIONS, REQUIRED RESEARCH FIELDS, REQUIRED EDUCATION LEVEL, PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, OTHER RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS

PhD in environmental science or related field (forestry, biology, climate science). The candidate will have a background in ecology and/or environmental science and/or in geography and/or in the economics of the environment and natural resources. He/she should have practical experience of dendrochronology techniques, from the research plan, field work and laboratory, and interpretation and publication. He/she should be comfortable with the R and/or Python languages. Experience in handling large databases (raster/ vector data type, Excel databases, NetCDF), and with GIS software, and/or numerical modeling will be a plus.

The candidate should also be able to organize and participate in field work in several locations in France, Europe, and other regions of the world. He or she should have a valid driver’s license.

Soft skills:

Helpful skills include autonomy, teamwork, analytical and critical thinking, listening and observing, empathy, flexibility and adaptability. Required languages: ability to communicate in French and write at a professional technical level in French and English. Other language abilities are welcome. The candidate will have to supervise the work of students and assistants. He or she will have to demonstrate a great capacity for taking initiatives, in particular to interact with different interlocutors within the ClimatFeux project and outside (associations, foresters, researchers not involved in the project, etc.).

REQUESTED DOCUMENTS OF APPLICATION, ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, SELECTION PROCESS

CV, cover letter and the contact details of two references who know you well.

HOW TO APPLY : Dr. Peter Fulé, peter.fule@imbe.fr.