Post-doctorat (Postdoctoral Position (M/F): Design of Electronic Noses for Odor Nuisance Detection.H/F) : Conception de nez électroniques pour la détection de nuisances olfactives.

Job Description

Missions

The management of odor nuisances is now a major scientific, industrial, and societal challenge at the intersection of air quality, environmental, and health domains. Current regulatory monitoring, which only applies near classified installations for environmental protection, relies exclusively on a quantitative approach (dynamic olfactometry and standardized measurement according to EN 13725). While regulations limit the risk of complaints, they do not allow for identifying their causes or understanding their determinants. Furthermore, there is a discrepancy between the measured olfactory air quality and the perception of local residents.
The deployment of trained citizen "nose brigades" during monitoring campaigns partially addresses these limitations. However, this sensory monitoring requires advanced training, making it costly, restrictive, and incompatible with continuous surveillance. Additionally, it is particularly suited to outdoor environments but less deployable in confined, enclosed, or volume-constrained spaces (vehicle cabins, pilot cabins, acoustic cabins for shared offices, or even suits and helmets).
The PixSmell project aims to develop a new generation of multi-pixel artificial noses, inspired by the physiology of the human olfactory system, capable of discriminating complex odors based on combined responses from non-specific sensors. The goal is to compare the performance of the developed system with that of a trained human panel during an olfactory analysis exercise. The training of both the panel and the system will rely on the Langage des Nez® method, a reference in the field of environmental odor monitoring. This sensory approach is based on establishing the smallest distances between an odor to be characterized and a corpus of predefined, commonly learned olfactory references that map the olfactory space.

Activity

As part of this mission, the researcher will be responsible for:
Designing and developing multi-pixel chemical sensor arrays based on electrochemically deposited conducting polymers integrated into microchips.
Participating in the selection and optimization of sensitive materials (chemical variability, doping, deposition conditions) to maximize the diversity and complementarity of sensor responses.
Contributing to the miniaturization and integration of the multi-pixel device for use as a portable artificial nose.
Implementing the first functional characterization campaigns in the presence of odorant molecules from the Langage des Nez® reference database.
Analyzing the discrimination capability of the multi-pixel arrays, particularly with respect to chemical families representative of the olfactory reference.
Producing exploitable datasets.
Participating in the scientific valorization of results (reports, publications, project proposals, and science outreach activities).

Your Profil

Skills

The candidate must hold a PhD in a relevant field, such as Organic electronics (conducting polymers), Materials and devices for microelectronics (conductimetric chemical sensors), Electrochemistry (electropolymerization or electrografting) and/or Micro/nanofabrication (lithography). Experience in electronic noses would be an asset. The candidate should also have an interest in interdisciplinary research.

Your Work Environment

The project will take place at the Institut d'Électronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie (IEMN) in Villeneuve d'Ascq (Hauts-de-France), in collaboration with IMT Nord Europe, which specializes in environmental metrology for air quality, and the University of Sergipe (Brazil) for advanced data processing. The IEMN (approx. 500 people) is a research institute created by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), two universities, and an engineering school in the Nord region. Its facilities for the design, fabrication, and characterization of micro/nanodevices are among the best in Europe. The laboratory is highly open to international collaborations, with over 100 foreign scientists from 20 different countries currently working at IEMN. The scientific activity at IEMN covers a wide range of fields, from materials physics and nanostructures to microwaves, telecommunications, and acoustic instrumentation.

Constraints and risks

Experiments must be conducted in compliance with the safety and protection rules of IEMN and CNRS, including the use of fume hoods. Training will be provided for the various equipment platforms, as well as dedicated safety training for physical, chemical, and biological risks. Acceptance into a Restricted Access Zone (ZRR) will be required.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

€3,021 gross per month, 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