Job offer
Organisation/Company Tour du Valat Research Field Biological sciences » Biodiversity Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 4 May 2026 - 23:00 (Europe/Paris) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Offer Starting Date 1 Jul 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? Yes
Offer Description
Tour du Valat offers a 12 months (with possibility of a 6-month extension) postdoctoral position on vulnerability and adaptation to climate change inside the Mediterranean Ramsar network.
The Tour du Valat is a research institute for the conservation of Mediterranean wetlands based in the Camargue, under the status of a private foundation recognized as a public utility. Founded in 1954 by Dr. Luc Hoffmann, Tour du Valat has developed research activities with one overall goal: to better understand these environments – wetlands are among the most productive and most threatened ecosystems on the planet – in order to manage them more effectively. Convinced that Mediterranean wetlands can only be preserved if human activities and the protection of natural heritage go hand in hand, the Tour du Valat has for many years been developing research and integrated management programmes that encourage exchanges between stakeholders and scientists and promote the benefits of wetlands to decision‑makers.
Background and objectives
Climate change is a major pressure on ecosystems, driving changes in species abundance and distribution. While protected areas have primarily been established with a stationary vision to protect or enhance biodiversity based on historical references, observed and predicted effects of climate change stress the need for adaptative approaches. Climate adaptation strategies are needed to anticipate species vulnerability and management opportunities.
In the Mediterranean region, more than 400 wetlands of international importance are recognized under the Ramsar convention on wetlands (1971). These areas have been designated from diverse criteria, including importance for threatened species, plants, fish, waterbirds or other wetland dependant species. However, the Mediterranean region is also particularly exposed to the effects of climate change, including changes in temperature, precipitation, extreme events and sea level rise (Mediterranean Wetlands Outlook 3, 2025).
This project aims at quantifying wetland species vulnerability to different facets of climate change, inside the Mediterranean Ramsar network of protected areas, and to explore adaptation scenarios based on the “Resist-Accept-Direct” approach (Magness et al. 2022). This project will establish a list of species and Ramsar sites considered to be priorities for future management and conservation support projects. In addition to scientific outcomes, the project will deliver practical information to guide protected area managers in the integration of climate change adaptation strategies into management plans, such as the suggestion of new target species.
The project will be conducted at the Tour du Valat (Arles, France) under the supervision of Elie Gaget, in close collaboration with Thomas Galewski (TDV), Fabien Verniest (MNHN) and Jon Brommer (University of Turku, Finland). The position is mainly desk‑based.
Postdoctoral position (full time), of 12 months. The initial contract period could be extended by 6 months, depending on internal funding availability.
Where to apply
Requirements
Research Field Biological sciences » Biodiversity Education Level PhD or equivalent
Qualifications
- PhD in a field of relevance to the above tasks including (but not limited to) Biology (Ecology), Agriculture and Forestry, Environmental Science or Conservation Science
- Proficiency in R
- Proven skills (e.g. publications) in statistical modelling (e.g. use of R packages like glmmTMB, mgcv, sdmTMB, ade4, biomod2) and GIS (‘sf’ and ‘terra’)
- Ability to work both in a team and independently
- Language skills: Fluency in English (mandatory). Speaking French is not mandatory but the candidate should be comfortable with working in a French‑speaking environment
- Critical thinking and scientific rigor
- Strong motivation to contribute to scientific and applied biological conservation
Additional skills that would be considered assets
- Naturalist skills, particularly on wetland biodiversity
- Previous knowledge in building a shiny app
- Experience in spatial conservation planning