Young scientists Selection 2012
with the FdV PhD program

13/02/2012 Update

INRA international website : www.international.inra.fr


The "early stage scientist' contract" (contrat jeune scientifique, CJS) is proposed by INRA (National Agricultural Research Institute) to those who wish to undertake a PhD and develop a career linked to agricultural or finalized research. The contract lasts for maximum 5 years and combines 3 years PhD with two years of post-doc.

The PhD projects have been proposed by a couple of researchers, at least one from INRA, from different disciplines. They have been short listed by the direction of the institute. The topics proposed are wide enough to be discussed and reshaped by the candidates.

Candidates shall interact with the scientist in charge of the project before applying to FdV graduate school competition. The laureates will be selected based on the evaluation undertaken by the international expert committee of FdV.

Each CJS PhD will be followed by the PhD committee. The committee will meet once a year and evaluate both scientific and training progresses. International experts from various disciplines will compose the committee, which will count at least one biologist and one mathematician, or physicist, chemist or computer scientist.

After the PhD viva, the continuation of the contract will be decided by the direction of INRA, based on the results of the PhD and on the quality of the post-doc project. This later will have to be undertaken in a laboratory different from the one where the PhD was undertaken and preferably in a foreign country.

The salary (gross amount, based on the unchanged rates of October 2009) will be 2055€ during the PhD and 2373€ during the post-doc period, plus an annual allowance of 791€.


In 2012, one single CJS contract is offered through the FdV PhD Program and will be attributed to the best INRA candidate ranked by the PhD program council.

The subjects for an INRA CJS contract will be published here as one goes along.