Postdoc position offer (lim. 30 sept. 2026)
Accueil
News
Postdoc position offer (lim. 30 sept. 2026)

Postdoc position offer: Building the Future of Fermentation Modeling: From Microbial Metabolism to Digital Twins

Exciting postdoc opportunity: Join a unique national initiative to create the “ADM1 of Fermentation”

Location: Narbonne, France

Duration: 24 months

Start date: January 1st, 2027 (at the latest)

Application deadline: September 30, 2026

About INRAE-LBE

The Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology (LBE) at INRAE is a world-leading research institute dedicated to innovative environmental technologies. We focus on developing sustainable solutions to address pressing global environmental challenges. Our interdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers works collaboratively to advance the field of environmental biotechnology, with a particular emphasis on resource recovery, wastewater treatment, and bioenergy production. 

You will also join an exceptional research environment and collaborate in a project with experts from six additional INRAE research units:

Job description and scientific context

How can we predict and optimize any fermentation process – from cheese and wine production to hydrogen generation, biorefineries, and next-generation industrial biotechnology?

A consortium of seven leading INRAE laboratories is launching ModelFerm, an ambitious project to develop the first generic mathematical model of fermentation processes. Inspired by landmark models such as the IWA-ADM1 for anaerobic digestion, ModelFerm aims to become a scientific and industrial reference framework for understanding, simulating, and controlling microbial fermentations.

We are seeking an outstanding and highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to play a central role in this pioneering initiative.

The scientific challenge

Fermentation processes are used worldwide to produce foods, beverages, bio-based chemicals, fuels, and biomaterials. Despite their diversity, they share common metabolic mechanisms, thermodynamic constraints, and microbial interactions. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of a novel modeling framework integrating metabolic and biochemical pathways, mass balances and reactor dynamics, thermodynamic constraints, microbial ecology together with data science and hybrid AI approaches. The ultimate goal is to create an open, extensible platform capable of simulating a wide range of fermentation systems and supporting future developments in biotechnology and sustainable bioeconomy.

Specific tasks

Your main missions will include:

  • Visiting the different laboratories involved in ModelFerm and discussing with scientists from other disciplines, particularly in the field of fermentation (to validate certain hypotheses of the model and develop a common vocabulary)
  • Harmonizing datasets from multiple fermentation applications
  • Developing mechanistic and thermodynamics-based models
  • Integrating heterogeneous biological and process data
  • Calibrating and validating models using experimental datasets
  • Exploring hybrid modeling approaches combining mechanistic knowledge and AI
  • Publishing in leading international journals
  • Contributing to open-source software and scientific dissemination

 

PostdocPosition_2026VFb.png

Requirements

  • Strong candidates will have experience in several of the following: dynamic modeling and simulation, mass balances and process engineering, microbial systems, data analysis and statistics, Python, Matlab, R, Julia, or similar scientific programming languages, machine learning and AI.
  • Attributes: self-motivated, able to work both independently and as part of a team, and enjoys supervising students.
  • Language: fluent use of English; knowledge of French is an advantage but not required.
  • Motivation: We are particularly looking for candidates who enjoy working across disciplines and collaborating within large research networks. The candidate should aim for scientific outputs in top conferences and high impact scientific journals.

What we offer

  • Cutting-edge research environment: work in a state-of-the-art laboratory equipped with the latest technologies in environmental biotechnology. The equipment is fully shared, so you will have access to all the facilities.
  • Mentorship and training: receive guidance from leading experts in the field and access to a comprehensive training program.
  • Collaborative network: engage with a dynamic team of researchers and industry partners, both nationally and internationally.
  • Funding and resources: competitive stipend and funding for research-related expenses, including conference travel and publications.
  • Career development: opportunities for professional development, including workshops, seminars, and networking events.
  • Work atmosphere: You will be part of a team that takes their work very seriously. We pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and supportive atmosphere where researchers and interns work together in a dynamic and friendly environment to drive innovative solutions for environmental sustainability.
  • Great working conditions: 30 days of holidays per year (+ 15 days if time recovery is affected); support for parenting; access to inexpensive collective restaurants; flexible schedule; access to on-site sports facilities; sunny weather.
  • Salary (gross): from 3135,31 to 3726,54 €/month (depending on your experience).

Application process

Interested candidates should submit the following documents to jean-philippe.steyer@inrae.fr by September 31st, 2026:

  • A detailed CV, including academic achievements and research experience.
  • A cover letter outlining your motivation and suitability for the project.

We look forward to receiving your applications and welcoming you to our team where your research will contribute to a sustainable future.

More information can be found in https://jobs.inrae.fr/en/ot-30172

Modification date: 17 July 2026 | Publication date: 17 July 2026 | By: LBE