AGAP Institut Unit (Genetic Improvement and Adaptation of Mediterranean and Tropical Plants) brings together over 300 people conducting top-level scientific research in plant biology and genetics, and produces knowledge to meet the major societal challenges of agriculture in both the South and the North. It is under the supervision of four research and higher education organizations: CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro Montpellier, and the University of Montpellier. The GIV team (Genetic and Varietal Innovation) contributes to the optimisation of selective breeding methods and their implementation on several annual crops (rice, sorghum, millet, cotton, root crops and tubers), in partnership with research and development institutions in developing countries.

Cirad is recruiting a researcher in cotton genetics and breeding to work in the GIV team of the AGAP Institute Joint Research Unit (UMR).

Cotton is an industrial crop, grown mainly for the textile, food and cosmetics sectors. It is one of the mainstays of cropping systems in tropical and sub-tropical regions, which also include food crops. Expanding research on cotton cropping systems in the global south therefore contributes to development and to the food self-sufficiency of people in those countries. To meet the current and future challenges of African cotton sectors, it is crucial that new varieties be bred by taking into account the evolution of cropping systems, the constraints related to climate change (CC) and the sustainability of the profitability and competitiveness of these sectors.

The required skills are those of a geneticist-breeder who will have the ability to mobilize new selection strategies and methods and optimize the prediction of genetic values of candidate genotypes for selection.

Integrated into the GIV team of AGAP Institut Unit in Montpellier, you will be required to carry out missions with partners in charge of selection programs and will use these collaborations to develop a research program in line with the objectives of the position. Geographical mobility to one of the partners could be considered in the longer term if the team and its projects justify it.

The successful candidate will have 4 major objectives:

-  Help to optimise the programmes of the various partner institutions in charge of breeding in West and Central Africa by mobilising modelling and programme simulation approaches, and by integrating, where possible and relevant, genotyping data or other types of omics-data (near-infrared spectra),

-  Contribute to the definition of ideotypes adapted to different cropping systems,

-  Develop populations, on the one hand, to feed the region’s breeding programmes with relevant genetic variability and, on the other hand, to allow the analysis of the genetic determinism of key characters for cotton sectors (technology quality, adaptation to the effects of CC, adaptation to production routes) in the context of GxExM studies,

-  Contribute to the training of young researchers and students and to the coordination of a regional plant material assessment network with the various institutes involved in cotton breeding.

Some of these activities will be conducted in close collaboration with researchers from other Cirad units who are working on the development of cotton-friendly crop models (the Agroecology and Sustainable Intensification of Annual Crops research unit - AIDA RU - in particular).

•  PhD or in final year of PhD in genetics and plant or animal breeding

•  Knowledge in quantitative genetics and biostatistics (linear and non-linear mixed models, multivariate analysis, etc.)

•  Knowledge in agronomic experiments and selection methodologies. Proven experience

in managing a selection programme would be a plus

•  Ability to mobilise innovative approaches (simulation, modelling, genotyping data analyses, phenotyping methods) to optimise breeding schemes

• Aptitude for working in multidisciplinary research and development teams

Ability to build and implement collaborations with research and development partners in tropical environments (experience

•  abroad will be valued)

•  Enthusiasm for frequent fieldwork in tropical environments in collaboration with unit partners

•  Good writing skills and ability in the scientific utilisation of research results

•  Experience in project management desired

•  Ability and interest in supervising students

•  Excellent command of French, and very good practical command of written and spoken English

Starting from 31 k€ depending on experience