Postdoc position – Mechanisms of division of labor in social insects, Toulouse, France
Deadline: June 30th, 2023
We are currently seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic candidate who possesses a strong background in evolutionary biology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics to join our group at the Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA) in Toulouse, France.
Project description
The project aims to investigate the mechanisms that drive individual variability and specialization in ant societies. Our objectives are to understand the formation of reproductive hierarchies and the emergence of division of labor within clonal ant colonies. The successful candidate will use behavioral and genomic approaches to gain insights into the mechanisms responsible for task allocation and the development of specialized roles within ant colonies.
The candidate will also have the opportunity to develop independent research topics that align with general research programs in the group.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate should possess:
A Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, or a related field
Expertise in transcriptomics, genomics, and data analysis
Excellent communication and collaboration skills
A passion for social evolution, behavior, major evolutionary transitions and insects
Duration and place
Position is funded for 2 years, depending on candidate’s start date and experience. Ideally, the candidate is expected to start in September 2023.
The successful candidate will join the CRCA (http://crca.cbi-toulouse.fr), a research institute dedicated to multidisciplinary and comparative studies of cognition in various animal models. The lab is located on the Campus of the University Paul Sabatier, in the delightful, historic city of Toulouse (southwest France). The CRCA is one of the three laboratories forming the Centre for Integrative Biology (CBI), which brings together more than 400 scientists in 40 teams whose work covers several fields (genetics, microbiology, cell biology, neurobiology, computational biology). The successful candidate will work in collaboration with Abel Bernadou and will be a member of the IVEP team (Interindividual Variability and Emergent Plasticity).
How to apply
Applications must include: I. A letter of motivation (please explain the reasons to join the project). II. A statement about your previous work and scientific interests (max 1 page). III. CV + publication list (with your contribution). IV. Contact details of two referees.
Applications must be emailed as a single pdf file to Abel Bernadou (abel.bernadou”AT”univ-tlse3.fr) and submitted at the same time to the following website https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/UMR5169-ABEBER-001/Default.aspx?lang=EN. Further details of the position or the project can be obtained from Abel Bernadou.
Pre-selected applicants will be interviewed mid-July 2023 via Zoom.