Missions

The postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for studying community productivity and nutrient stoichiometry in burned and unburned vegetation, as well as the impacts of vegetation on fire behavior. He/she/they will participate in project coordination, working closely with the other postdoctoral researchers and the investigators associated with the project.
Responsibilities include:
-Fieldwork at study sites (sample collection, vegetation surveys, measurements of fire parameters);
-Design and installation of permanent plots to measure net primary productivity following standardized protocols;
-Measurement of fuel loads and fuel moisture profiles;
-Coordination of vegetation chemistry analyses, including assessments of nutrients before and after fire using X‑ray fluorescence (XRF) and other methods;
-Data curation and harmonization in accordance with project standards;
-Dissemination of results through peer‑reviewed publications and presentations at international conferences.

Activities

The FEVER project aims to understand how fire affects biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and biogeochemical cycles in Mediterranean forests. By combining experimental approaches (both in situ and ex situ) with analyses of natural archives (lakes, peatlands, marine sediment cores), the project investigates the short‑ and long‑term impacts of fire on vegetation, soil chemistry, and nutrient dynamics (P, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Ti).
Four key forest types in southern France—Aleppo pine, black pine, downy oak, and holm oak—serve as the focal ecosystems for this research.
The project addresses major ecological questions concerning vegetation flammability, post‑fire nutrient fluxes, and the long‑term resilience of ecosystems, drawing on six well‑documented Mediterranean sites.
This position is part of the Priority Research Program (PEPR) Forest Resilience (FORESTT – https://www.pepr-forestt.org/), funded through the France 2030 Investment Plan (PIA).
FORESTT aims to support the transition of forest socio‑ecosystems in temperate and tropical regions under global change, bringing together the entire French forest science community.
The selected candidate will therefore be expected to integrate into and contribute to the activities of the FORESTT program, as well as to the MONITOR and RESILIENCE projects with which the position is affiliated.

Skills

• Demonstrated experience in measuring ecosystem functioning (productivity, nutrient biogeochemistry) and/or in fire ecology;
• Ability to carry out long days of fieldwork;
• Strong analytical and statistical skills (preferably using R);
• Familiarity with experimental and interdisciplinary approaches (field and laboratory);
• Experience in fieldwork and ability to work within a collaborative, multi‑institutional team;
• Excellent organizational skills and scientific autonomy;
• Proven ability to synthesize data and write scientific articles;
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken) and French.

Work Context

The joint research unit (UMR) AMAP is an interdisciplinary institute that develops fundamental knowledge on plants and vegetation with the aim of predicting how ecosystems respond to environmental pressures. Its work focuses on species distribution and conservation, biodiversity, agricultural crop production, carbon storage in plant biomass, environmental protection, and ecosystem services.
This position is located in a sector covered by regulations on the Protection of Scientific and Technical Potential (PPST). In accordance with these regulations, your appointment must be authorized by the competent authority of the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR).
This position is located in a sector covered by the Protection of Scientific and Technical Potential (PPST), and therefore requires, as stipulated by law, that your arrival be authorized by the competent authority of the MESR.

The position is located in a sector under the protection of scientific and technical potential (PPST), and therefore requires, in accordance with the regulations, that your arrival is authorized by the competent authority of the MESR.

Constraints and risks

• Travel will be required to the study sites (Mediterranean France) and to partner laboratories (national);
• Fieldwork in varied weather conditions (rain, wind, heat, cold, etc.);
• Scientific supervision by a multidisciplinary team, with access to AMAP's analytical facilities and experimental platforms, as well as those of partner institutions;
• Laboratory work involving exposure to X‑ray radiation sources.