General information
Offer title : M/F - 36 months Researcher Contract - Assessment of the impacts of a large-scale linear infrastructure on biodiversity using a multi-taxon, multi-scale approach. (H/F)
Reference : UMR5175-AURBES-032
Number of position : 1
Workplace : MONTPELLIER
Date of publication : 08 October 2025
Type of Contract : Researcher in FTC
Contract Period : 36 months
Expected date of employment : 1 January 2026
Proportion of work : Full Time
Remuneration : from 3071.50€ gross per month, depending on experience
Desired level of education : Doctorate
Experience required : Indifferent
Section(s) CN : 29 - Biodiversity, evolution and biological adaptations: from macromolecules to communities
Missions
The new rail line between Montpellier and Perpignan (LNMP) is a major transport infrastructure project. Like other projects of this type, it will have an impact on the biodiversity of the areas it crosses. The Mediterranean basin is known to be one of the world's 34 biodiversity hotspots. The Avoid-Reduce-Compensate sequence that the project owner, SNCF Réseau, must implement, aims to guarantee no net loss of biodiversity induced by the project. Demonstrating that there will be no net loss requires precise quantification of the project's impact on biodiversity, and a corresponding quantification of the gains achieved by the related compensatory measures. In this context, the CNRS (UMR5175 Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive) is collaborating with SNCF-Réseau and EGIS to carry out research work enabling a rigorous and quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of offsetting on biodiversity, a topic still lacking in international scientific literature. The aim of this work is to understand the mechanisms that produce the impacts of infrastructures on populations and ecosystem functioning, as well as those involved in the effectiveness of different types of management and restoration options.
In this context, the CNRS is recruiting a 3-year post-doctoral fellow whose research will aim to quantify the impact of this infrastructure on biodiversity, using a multi-taxon (birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, soil fauna, etc.) and multi-scale approach. The post-doc will also define the sampling plans required to assess the effectiveness of the compensatory measures over the medium-to-long term. To carry out this work, the post-doctoral fellow will have access to field data collected by consultancy firms or NGOs on the basis of rigorous protocols repeated over time. This post-doctorate will therefore be largely dedicated to data analysis and the definition of data collection protocols. Occasional participation in the field will be recommended, but will not be at the heart of the work.
Activities
Literature review and synthesis
Formulation of research questions on the effectiveness of offset measures and definition of data collection protocols to answer them
Statistical analysis of biodiversity monitoring data
Drafting of protocols
Drafting of reports for funders, international scientific articles and popularization articles
Skills
PhD Thesis in population ecology
Skills in data analysis, GIS data and database management
Skills in writing protocols and conducting field programs
Work Context
The post-doc will be based at CEFE in the HAIR (Human-Animal Interactions) team, which is heavily involved in issues concerning the impact of anthropogenic activities on biodiversity and measures to mitigate these impacts.
Constraints and risks
None