Thèse en écologie du mouvement et écologie spatiale (H/F)

About the position

The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) is recruiting a doctoral researcher in movement ecology and spatial ecology for a 36-month fixed-term PhD contract at the Laboratoire d’Écologie Alpine (Grenoble, France), with a start date of 1 October 2026 and a gross monthly salary of at least €2,300. This offer is open to persons holding a certificate recognising them as disabled workers.

The position is funded by the PERSEE project (Pastoralism and Biodiversity in the Summer Pasture Socio-Ecosystem), a cooperation between the French Biodiversity Office (OFB) and CNRS.

Thesis subject and context

Livestock systems that rely on high-altitude summer pastures (estives) for part of the year are at the intersection of several societal issues: sustaining mountain agriculture and high-value local products, conserving remarkable ecosystems and biodiversity, and understanding how global changes affect ecosystem functioning and the services these ecosystems provide to societies.

In the Alps, herd management on summer pastures has been transformed by the generalisation of night pens — a key measure for protecting flocks from wolves. At the same time, adaptations have emerged in response to recreational activities and the increasing recurrence of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves.

Thesis objective

The aim of this thesis is to understand how pastoral activity on summer pastures has been reconfigured in response to these new constraints, with emphasis on the role of night pens in reorganising herd management and the consequences for the entire summer pasture socio-ecosystem.

The research will draw on existing and ongoing datasets, including GPS telemetry data from nearly 30 sheep flocks, meteorological reanalyses, visitor-frequency data, and high-resolution satellite imagery for characterising surface states (snow cover and vegetation). Complementary fieldwork, including interviews with farmers and shepherds, is also planned.

Responsibilities

• Analyse the modalities and consequences of gathering herds in night pens for herd management.
• Examine how night-pen gathering modifies responses to other management constraints (early or late snowmelt, recreational activities, heatwaves).
• Develop a night-pen detection model combining ground-based GPS telemetry data with high-resolution satellite images (Sentinel-2 and Landsat).
• Model the geographical expansion of night pens in the Alps since the return of large predators, and compare the Alpine situation with other massifs, notably the Pyrenees.
• Promote and disseminate the results of the research.

Requirements

Skills and experience

• Very good knowledge of the ecology of grazed mountain systems.
• Expertise in movement ecology and remote sensing.
• Mastery of spatial data analysis and visualisation tools.
• Scientific recognition — as author or co-author of publications or analytical scripts on these topics — will be a decisive selection criterion.
• Strong ability to communicate results to non-academic partners.

Language

An excellent command of French is mandatory to ensure fluid exchanges with the non-academic partners of the PERSEE project, in particular the agricultural profession (farmers and shepherds).

Work environment

The doctoral researcher will work at the Laboratoire d’Écologie Alpine in Grenoble, co-supervised by Philippe Choler (CNRS) and Mathieu Garel (OFB), in close collaboration with the PERSEE project officer. The main constraints and risks are those associated with field activities in mid-mountain areas.

What we offer

• Gross monthly salary of at least €2,300.
• 44 days of annual leave and RTT per year.
• Telework practice and allowance.
• 75% reimbursement of transport costs, plus a sustainable mobility package of up to €300.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted by Thursday 13 August 2026, 23:59, quoting reference UMR5553-PHICHO-009 (CNRS research section: Continental surfaces and interfaces).

Original vacancy