Post-doc dendrochemistry

• Location

The main workplace will be in Champenoux, 15 km from Nancy city center, but regular visits will be made to the Université de Lorraine site in Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy.

• Mission

This post-doctoral position is funded by the interdisciplinary Artemis program, run by a scientific community of excellence including the Université de Lorraine, INRAE, AgroParisTech and CNRS. The SoilWood project, which brings together experts from UMR SILVA (Stéphane Ponton, PI), UMR LIEC (Anne Poszwa), UR BEF (Gregory von der Heijden) and the SILVATECH platform (Nicolas Angeli), is entitled ‘Deciphering soil fertility signals in the elemental composition of tree rings’.

This project aims to improve our knowledge of the plant-soil relationship in order to better diagnose changes in soil fertility and better understand the responses of forest trees to these changes. Its main objective is to assess whether elemental concentrations in tree rings can be used as a proxy to bio-indicate the chemical fertility of soils.

• Skills

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated candidate with a PhD degree in Forestry/ /Ecology/Life sciences/Environmental Sciences or a related discipline and with expertise in tree-ring sciences and/or with experience in studies about soil/plant interactions. Strong analytical (proficient use of R, Python or equivalent) and writing skills, demonstrated by previously published scientific articles, are desirable.

• Application

Feel free to contact stephane.ponton@inrae.fr with questions about the position. Candidates are invited to submit their applications by 27 August 2025 at the latest to the same e-mail address, including:
1. a covering letter in which you describe your motivation for joining the project, what your experience and skills will bring to the project and how you work as part of a team,
2. a CV,
3. names and email addresses of two referees that may be contacted to provide references.
4. a publication that you consider most representative of the research work to which you have contributed.

Interviews are foreseen to take place in September 2025.