Experimental engineer for the study of planktonic populations

Job Details

Background: Marine rhizaries are fascinating single-celled zooplankton that have thrived in the oceans for nearly 550 million years. Until very recently, we didn't know how abundant they could be in our oceans. Since they cannot be grown in the laboratory, their role in the oceans, particularly biogeochemical cycles, has remained poorly understood. Over the past two decades, the situation has evolved, and we are able to quantify their abundance in many ocean basins and we now know that they can play a disproportionate role in biogeochemical cycles. To better understand their roles and refine initial estimates of their diversity and abundance, much remains to be done. As part of the ERC ChORhizO ( projecthttps://chorhizo-project.eu), three main objectives have been defined to achieve this understanding: (1) Better quantify the diversity and abundances of Rhizaria ; (2) Quantify the transformation of carbon and silicon at the cellular scale; and (3) Understand the fate of Rhizary skeletons at cell death.

Main activities: The successful candidate will be responsible for supporting the multidisciplinary team (made up of 6 members, not to mention the internal and external) partners of the ERC ChORhizO project in all the experiments that will be carried out in the laboratory and in the field.

In particular, his/her mission will be to :

1) Participate in Rhizaria collection campaigns (in France and/or abroad). She/he will help organize missions with the project leader. During sampling campaigns, she/he will use traditional sampling tools (e.g. plankton nets) and will participate in the manual sorting of Rhizaria using optical microscopy.

2) Co-design, test and apply various protocols (biology, chemistry), in conjunction with LOG engineers, to support ChoRhizO members in conducting experiments on Rhizaria (mainly on the chemical elements carbon and silicon).

3) Train yourself in the use of the ZooSCAN imaging system and contribute to the analysis of samples from the ChORhizO campaigns in the Southern Ocean and CARAMEL in the Mediterranean Sea.

4) Train in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to work independently on the acquisition of SEM images of marine sediment samples (column and bottom of the water).

Administrative assignment: Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale, UMR 8187 Oceanology and Geosciences Laboratory

Geographical assignment: House of Research in the Natural Environment, Wimereux

Indicative gross monthly salary: From 1945 euros gross/month, depending on experience.

Requirements

Diploma required: Bac +5 /in marine sciences, or equivalent diploma.

Knowledge, knowledge :

• Knowledge of marine sciences, if possible marine biology ;

Know-how :

• Appetite for laboratory and field work ;

• Good laboratory practices ;

• Mastery of a data analysis language (R preferably) is additional, but not a prerequisite ;

• Previous experience is not required, but will be appreciated.

Know how to be :

• Adaptability, including in situations «short term» ;

• Great rigor and organizational skills ;

• Strong autonomy ;

• Team spirit and ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment ;

• Taste for innovative projects and technological developments.

Contact Information

24-month full-time fixed-term contract from January 1, 2027. Please send a CV and cover letter before 11/30/2026.