M/F PhD contract "climate, Wildfire, Forests and people

Job Description

Thesis Subject

The ClimatFeux project (Climate, Fires, Forests and Human Societies) is located at the interface of climate, forest fires, forest ecology and traditional and contemporary ecosystem management by human societies. The doctoral student will develop paleoecological research within a collaborative research network to apply pyrodendrochronology in order to study climate-fire relationships in the Mediterranean region. This scientific discipline applies the dating of tree rings to the reconstruction of long sequences of fire events in order to compare them with climate models and better understand the role of climate as a causal factor of fire.

Your Work Environment

The intersection of climate, wildfires, forest ecology, and people´s interactions through traditional and contemporary ecosystem management becomes increasingly critical in Europe and globally as fire seasons grow longer, more severe, and shift from typically fire-prone regions such as the Mediterranean to formerly mesic regions such as the Alps. Warming climate is a key driver of extreme fire events at regional to worldwide scale. Mega-fires have become well established in Europe with mechanisms linked to warming. Forecasts of future fire weather indicate longer, hotter, and drier fire seasons. To develop actionable plans for wildfire management under multiple challenges, it is critical to understand the influences, differential strengths, and interactions of multiple environmental and human factors. The ClimatFeux project focuses on the intersection of climate, wildfires, forest ecology, and people´s interactions through traditional and contemporary ecosystem management.
The doctoral student will work with the principal investigator and with colleagues and collaborating researchers to select study sites, obtain sampling authorizations, carry out fieldwork (sample collection, dendrometric measurements), prepare and measure the samples in the laboratory, carry out statistical processing, and prepare scientific publications. The recruited person will also assist the principal investigator and team in the development of the other components of the project. The second component aims to design and test practical interventions based on paleoecological knowledge of ecosystems in order to improve the future sustainability of ecosystems and reduce social and ecological risks through development of fire management options such as ecological restoration, fuel treatments and controlled burning using experimental, observational and model-based methods. The third component will establish new partnerships focused on ecology and fire management in several African countries where ecology and fire management are critical topics, through appropriate palaeoecological and experimental approaches. The collective work of our team will result in new research partnerships producing new datasets, scientific publications, professional and public awareness, as well as two graduate theses and a postdoctoral research experience. This work will contribute to scientific advances and provide valuable information in the context of adaptation to global warming and changing fire patterns.
MS in forestry, geography, environmental science or related field (biology, climate science). The candidate will have a background in ecology and/or environmental science and/or in geography. He/she should have practical experience of dendrochronology techniques, from the research plan, field work and laboratory, and interpretation and publication. He/she should be comfortable with the R and/or Python languages. Experience in handling large databases (raster/vector data type, Excel databases, NetCDF), and with GIS software, and/or numerical modeling will be a plus. The candidate should also be able to organize and participate in field work in several locations in France, Europe, and other regions of the world. He or she should have a valid driver's license.
Helpful skills include autonomy, teamwork, analytical and critical thinking, listening and observing, empathy, flexibility and adaptability. Required languages: ability to communicate in French and write at a professional technical level in French and English. Other language abilities are welcome. The candidate may supervise the work of students and assistants. He or she should demonstrate a capacity for taking initiatives.

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

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

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