Missions

As part of ANR funding, the CNRS is launching a call for applications for a postdoctoral position on the theme of "environmental geography and law / spatial modeling."
Within the activities of the Armorique Workshop Zone, action levers aimed at promoting more sustainable territorial development are being explored and tested, particularly in intensive agricultural landscapes. Agricultural land management, at the intersection of geographical and legal issues, stands out as an interesting lever for action. This intersection requires the use of tools specific to each discipline to assess the relevance and feasibility of different scenarios aimed at enhancing territorial sustainability.
More specifically, the postdoctoral researcher will engage in an innovative research program that involves using spatial modeling tools to analyze changes in land use and land cover, employing participatory methods to co-develop prospective scenarios with local stakeholders, and leveraging legal and regulatory frameworks governing land management strategies. This includes urban planning documents and contractual instruments such as rural leases and agri-environmental contracts stemming from the Common Agricultural Policy, in order to test the potential environmental and economic consequences of differentiated land management strategies.
The research will be based on existing data from the Armorique Workshop Zone and various research projects, including INTERREG ALICE (Improving the management of Atlantic landscapes: accounting for biodiversity and ecosystem services - http://www.atlanticarea.eu/project/29) and CONSOLE (H2020) (CONtract Solutions for Effective and Lasting Delivery of Agri-Environmental-Climate Public Goods by EU Agriculture and Forestry - https://console-project.eu).
The research findings will be disseminated through presentations and articles in English.
The postdoctoral researcher will be supervised by Thomas Houet (UMR 6554 LETG), CNRS Research Director.

Activités

The activities of the postdoctoral researcher will include:
- Preparing the necessary data for simulations (both geographical and legal),
- Co-developing (narrative) scenarios,
- Conducting simulations based on an existing model or improving it (FORESCEM),
- Assessing the impacts (through modeling) of simulated land use and land cover changes,
- Synthesizing the results,
- Writing one or more scientific and outreach articles in English.

Compétences

Candidate Requirements:
- Hold a PhD in Geography, Agronomy, Ecology, or Computer Science.
- Expertise in spatial modeling and foresight analysis applied to social and environmental sciences.
- Theoretical knowledge in land use and land cover change modeling, environmental studies, territorial agronomy, or landscape ecology.
- Interest or willingness to engage with legal issues, particularly in spatial and environmental management and territorial planning.
- Proficiency in GIS tools (QGIS).
- Strong knowledge of spatial modeling tools, software, and programming languages, particularly Python.
- Language skills: Proficiency in English (reading, writing, speaking).
- Strong writing skills, ability to formulate a research project, publish, and disseminate findings.
- Ability to work in a team, in a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment
- Capacity to follow rules and procedures.
- Autonomy, strong organizational skills, and ability to report on work progress.

Contexte de travail

The contract will take place within the UMR 6554 LETG-Rennes (http://letg.cnrs.fr/)
Work environment: an office and a computer at disposal.
This position is located in a sector covered by the protection of scientific and technical potential (PPST) and therefore requires, in accordance with regulations, that your arrival be authorized by the competent authority of the MESR

Le poste se situe dans un secteur relevant de la protection du potentiel scientifique et technique (PPST), et nécessite donc, conformément à la réglementation, que votre arrivée soit autorisée par l'autorité compétente du MESR.

Contraintes et risques

Mission: field trips are to be planned as well as participative meetings with local actors (elected officials, farmers, etc.)