PhD student (M/F) Locomotor and dietary behaviors in southern African Plio-Pleistocene cercopithecids
New
- FTC PhD student / Offer for thesis
- 36 month
- Doctorate
This offer is available in English version
This offer is open to people with a document recognizing their status as a disabled worker.
Offer at a glance
The Unit
Laboratoire Paléontologie Evolution Paléoécosystèmes Paléoprimatologie
Contract Type
FTC PhD student / Offer for thesis
Working hHours
Full Time
Workplace
86073 POITIERS
Contract Duration
36 month
Date of Hire
01/11/2026
Remuneration
2300 € gross monthly
Apply Application Deadline : 22 July 2026 23:59
Job Description
Thesis Subject
The Plio-Pleistocene southern African paleontological sites located in the “Cradle of Humankind” play a major role in the search for human origins. In particular, the caves and quarries at Sterkfontein are the richest hominin fossil complex site in Africa and documents more than 2 million years of human evolution. In addition to well-preserved hominin remains, Sterkfontein has yielded the largest fossil monkey assemblage. Besides representing sensitive ecological and biochronological markers, this group of primates is considered as a relevant “control group” for contextualizing hominin adaptations. Within this context, the objective of this PhD project is to use ecological specialisation of some of these species to reconstruct cercopithecid paleohabitats and test for possible niche partition. The locomotor strategies will be investigated by applying non-invasive imaging techniques to quantify variation in the inner and outer organisation of bones in key skeletal regions. In parallel, dietary behaviors will be reconstructed by using dental microwear analyses and additional proxies. This combined approach will be applied at a local (Sterkfontein) and regional (southern Africa) scale to assess primate paleobiodiversity within southern African Plio-Pleistocene assemblages.
The candidate will have to hold a Master degree in paleontology, archaeology, primatology or ecology. Knowledge in imaging techniques, statistics, R environment and language and comparative anatomy, as well as a strong interest in research questions related to evolutionary mechanisms and primate evolutionary history, will be considered as key strengths. The candidate will have to demonstrate abilities to speak and write in English, writing skills and capacity to work as part of a team.
Your Work Environment
The present PhD position is part of the project entitled Revisiting the southern African primate fossil record: a multidisciplinary approach to human evolution (ReVol) » (CNRS PhD Joint Programme) hosted by PALEVOPRIM (UMR 7262 Université de Poitiers & CNRS).
Constraints and risks
This project includes multiple trips to South Africa.
Compensation and benefits
Compensation
2300 € gross monthly
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
| Offer reference | UMR7262-AMEBEA-006 |
|---|---|
| CN Section(s) / Research Area | Humans and environments: evolution, interactions |
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.
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