Postdoctoral position 24 months in landscape ecology in France: connectivity patterns and potential role of the French railways system for biodiversity
MINERVE is a large project led by SNCF Réseau (the French national railway system). It aims to create digital twins for the monitoring and construction of railway infrastructures, with the objective of performance and adaptation to the requirements of climate and ecological transitions. The main scientific partner of the project is Centrale Supélec, Paris Saclay University. The project includes a two-years postdoc position on the impact and possibly the benefits for biodiversity of the French railway system.
Linear railways infrastructure is associated with negative impacts on biodiversity, including the creation of a barrier to species movement and direct mortality of fauna. However, railways can also be designed and maintained to help to restore ecosystem function for a part of the flora and fauna. The French rail network consists of 30,000 km of track managed by the SNCF, the maintenance of which could be optimized to meet safety and regulatory constraints, but also to promote landscape connectivity and biodiversity.
The French railway is home to a variety of flora and fauna and provide a green corridor that can serve as a connector between different green zones of the landscape, or even protected areas, particularly in areas of intensive agriculture. The postdoc will study the complementarity of the railways with the other existing green corridors and protected areas for global landscape connectivity. The postdoc will also take into account the various regulatory protection perimeters in order to select sections with high biodiversity stakes, which can then be prioritized for biodiversity inventories as well as for receiving different types of maintenance. The postdoc will also work on the potential of the railways for biodiversity in a context of climate change, where species ranges are rapidly shifting northward in Europe, making their role as connectors particularly valuable.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have a PhD in landscape ecology or environmental geography. Solid knowledge and demonstrated experience in statistical modelling, data management and GIS, Geographic Information System are key to the project. Written and oral communication skills in English are necessary, the ability to speak French would be appreciated although it is not a requirement.
The postdoc will be supervised by Fernando Fernando Ascensão, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Université de Lisbonne, Carmen Bessa Gomes and Emmanuelle Baudry, Ecologie, Sytematique et Evolution, Paris Saclay University, in collaboration with Anne Petit and Laura Clevenot, from the SNCF
Application instructions
Applications must be sent no later than 31 of January. Please include:
- A cover letter
- Your curriculum vitae
- The names and contacts of two academic referees
Send to emmanuelle.baudry@universite-paris-saclay.fr; fjascensao@edu.ulisboa.pt
Other infomation
Location: University Paris Saclay / CentraleSupelec, Gif sur Yvette, France
Contract: 2 years full time
Salary: Monthly gross salary of 3000 EUR including:
Starting date: as soon as possible but flexible
Contract: 2 years full time
Salary: Monthly gross salary of 3000 EUR including:
- participation of the employer to the public transportation costsClosing date for application: 31 january
- social security
- retirement plan (for European candidates only)
Starting date: as soon as possible but flexible
