Missions

The main mission will be to ensure the responsibility for maintaining the reference populations of populations of snails in the laboratory and to provide support for experiments involving snails, such as experimental exposure to pollutants, experimental infections with parasites, phenotypic characterization, and measurement of life history traits (fertility, fecundity, growth rate, survival, etc.). He/she will ensure the cultivation of algae to feed the mollusks, the proper renewal of breeding stocks and their traceability, the monitoring of experiments, the management of the equipment necessary for the experiments (management, maintenance), and the updating of the strain monitoring logbook.

Activités

• Technical support for a series of animal experiments on invertebrates.
• Health checks on mollusks from the field
• Production of different stages of parasite growth and breeding of numerous mollusk strains.
• Animal experimentation.
• Contact with suppliers, requesting quotes and placing orders.
• Technical support in other laboratory activities.

Compétences

hygiene, safety, and biosafety rules applicable to working with living organisms (particularly invertebrates). Previous experience in animal husbandry, including with invertebrates, is highly desirable. The successful candidate must above all demonstrate rigor and a willingness to learn, particularly with regard to the handling and breeding of aquatic mollusks. Comprehensive training will be provided upon arrival on the specific activities of the molluscarium/animal facility.

Contexte de travail

The position is based at the IHPE (Host-Pathogen-Environment Interactions) laboratory at the University of Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD) in Perpignan. This laboratory has a vertebrate animal facility and an invertebrate animal facility (aquatic mollusks), which enable the study of trematodes, parasites with complex life cycles, in the laboratory. The successful candidate will join the laboratory and work alongside researchers and research professors, research support staff (assistant engineers and engineers) and students at various levels (bachelor's, master's, PhD). This position is specifically part of the research activities of the ZOOCAM project (PEPR PREZODE), which aims to understand whether pollutants from anthropogenic activities select strains of aquatic snails that are tolerant to these environmental stresses but potentially more susceptible to transmitting parasites due to weakened immunity. The person recruited will therefore also be in contact with those more specifically involved in this project.

Contraintes et risques

Our laboratory is composed of two sites (Perpignan and Montpellier), and travel between sites is expected.
Part of the work is carried out in the molluscarium, classified as a P2 containment level laboratory, due to the handling of pathogens that are moderately dangerous to humans, fauna, flora, or the environment (e.g., Fasciola hepatica, Schistosoma sp.). These biological agents do not pose a serious danger to healthy adults, and effective prevention and treatment measures exist. Compliance with biosafety protocols and hygiene rules is imperative.
The position also involves handling certain pollutants as part of experiments, in accordance with strict protocols that guarantee personal and environmental safety.
Occasional travel to the south of France (mainly to the Camargue and Occitanie regions) is to be expected as part of field missions. These trips may involve time constraints (early morning departures, late returns).