The Université de Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV, Amiens, France) is recruiting a highly motivated PhD candidate for a project on the role of mycorrhizal fungi in plant community adaptation to environmental change. The research will investigate how different types of mycorrhizal symbioses shape host plant adaptive strategies under increasing drought and heatwave stress.

Research environment
The PhD student will be based at UPJV within the EDYSAN research unit (UMR CNRS 7058), with much of the research conducted at the CRRBM, under the supervision of Prof. Marco Cosme and Prof. Guillaume Decocq. Experiments will combine:
• High-throughput digital plant phenotyping at UPJV.
• Molecular and bioinformatic analyses of fungal and plant communities, focusing on their genomic and phenotypic profiles.
• Short-term visits to Hasselt University (Belgium) to conduct ecosystem-scale climate change experiments in the Ecotron facility.

The PhD student will benefit from access to CNRS resources and collaborations with the Hasselt University and the University of Antwerp in Belgium, INRAE Nancy in France, and the European FLEUR network.

Candidate profile
• MSc degree in ecology, plant sciences, microbiology, or bioinformatics.
• Experience in molecular ecology, microbial interactions, or data analysis (R/Python) is an advantage.
• Strong motivation, resilience, team spirit, and English communication skills are essential.

Position details
• Fully funded for 3 years (doctoral contract, UPJV).
• Expected start: late 2025.
• Salary according to French national regulations, with social benefits.

How to apply
Send to marco.cosme@u-picardie.fr
• Cover letter outlining motivation and relevant experience.
• CV including academic background and research experience.
• Recommendation letters of two academic referees.
• Copies of academic transcripts and certificates (with class ranks if available).

After a first interview and registration on ADUM, shortlisted candidates will be invited to a doctoral school audition, which will determine admission to the PhD program. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is selected. Early applications are strongly encouraged.