Research Engineer in Developmental Biology (M/F)

Job Description

Missions

The successful candidate will ensure the operational and scientific coordination of the Echinox team by supporting the smooth running of the laboratory, assisting personnel, and contributing to the development of experimental activities. He/she will play a central role in structuring technical resources, coordinating collective organization, and supporting the team's research projects.
He/she will also be responsible for developing and implementing innovative functional approaches (RNA interference, CRISPR/Cas9, transgenesis, targeted labeling) to study the cellular and molecular basis of metamorphosis in echinoderms, particularly in the sea urchin Lytechinus pictus.
The position also includes an independent scientific project component involving the design, implementation, monitoring, and dissemination of research on developmental and evolutionary mechanisms in echinoderms.

Activity

Laboratory Management and Organization (20%)
• Ensure the day-to-day operation of the laboratory: procurement management, local budget monitoring, stock management, inventories, consumables supply, and maintenance of scientific equipment.
• Develop, formalize, and update internal procedures and protocols.
• Ensure compliance with hygiene, safety, and good laboratory practice regulations.
• Contribute to the training of new team members (students, interns, PhD candidates, temporary or permanent staff) in laboratory-specific experimental techniques.
• Provide methodological support to team members in the design and implementation of experiments.
Experimental Activities and Method Development (40%)
• Perform routine techniques used on the team's model species: RNA extraction, DNA library preparation, in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence, TUNEL and EdU labeling, sample preparation, and associated imaging.
• Develop, adapt, and optimize new experimental approaches for studying metamorphosis in echinoderms, particularly in Lytechinus pictus: RNAi, microinjection, CRISPR/Cas9, transgenesis, Vitellotag, and related methods.
• Ensure technical validation, reproducibility, and traceability of developed protocols.
• Larval and juvenile cultures of echinoderm species.
Scientific Contribution (40%)
• Design and conduct a research project on the molecular and cellular basis of metamorphosis in echinoderms.
• Analyze, interpret, and disseminate research results.
• Contribute to the writing of reports, scientific publications, grant applications, and oral presentations.

Your Profil

Skills

• Experience in research laboratory management and organization.
• Strong command of standard molecular biology, cell biology, and experimental embryology techniques.
• Experience in microinjection and embryo manipulation.
• Demonstrated expertise or practical experience in functional approaches: RNAi, CRISPR/Cas9, transgenesis.
• Experience working with marine invertebrates or non-traditional model organisms would be highly desirable.
• Ability to develop, optimize, and formalize new experimental protocols.
• Ability to supervise, train, and support a variety of scientific personnel.
• Capacity to independently lead a scientific project.
• Rigor, organizational skills, initiative, and ability to work collaboratively.
• Proficiency in spoken and written scientific English.

Your Work Environment

The Echinox team aims to understand the evolution of developmental mechanisms underlying the diversity of animal body plans. To achieve this, the team uses echinoderms, a group of marine invertebrates characterized by a pentaradial body plan unique in the animal kingdom, as a privileged model system to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the emergence and establishment of animal forms. The team develops a strong comparative approach across multiple species and combines molecular biology, imaging, experimental embryology, and functional genomics methods. Research focuses in particular on major developmental transitions, metamorphosis, and morphological innovation during evolution. The position is based in an international scientific environment at the Oceanological Observatory of Banyuls-sur-Mer and within the Marine Integrative Biology Unit.

Constraints and risks

• Position requiring strong versatility between management duties, collective support, technical development, and personal scientific activity.
• Work on non-model species involving significant biological constraints and limitations.
• Work organization may be constrained by experimental and biological schedules (spawning, fertilization, embryo monitoring, procedures requiring flexible hours).
• Handling of standard laboratory chemicals (fixatives, solvents, dyes, molecular biology reagents) in compliance with safety procedures.
• Leave requests must be planned in consultation with the team leadership to ensure continuity of collective activities and ongoing experiments.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

Starting at €3,143.64 gross, depending on experience

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

The research professions