A pioneer in ocean science, IFREMER’s cutting-edge research is grounded in sustainable development and open science. Our vision is to advance science, expertise and innovation to:

  • Protect and restore the ocean
  • Sustainably use marine resources to benefit society
  • Create and share ocean data, information & knowledge.

With more than 1,500 personnel spread along the French coastline in more than 20 sites, the Institute explores the 3 great oceans: the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific oceans. A leader in ocean science, IFREMER is managing the French Oceanographic Fleet and its dedicated scientists create ground-breaking technology to push the boundaries of ocean exploration and knowledge, from the abyss to the atmosphere-ocean interface.

Well-established in the international scientific community, our scientists, engineers and technicians are committed to advance knowledge about our planet’s last unexplored frontiers. They provide the science we need for informed decision-making and public policy and they transfer this knowledge and technology to businesses to fulfill public and private needs. Core to our mission is also to strengthen public awareness about the importance of understanding the ocean and its resources, and empowering future generations of leaders through education and outreach national campaigns.

Founded in 1984, IFREMER is a French public organization and its budget approximates 240 million euros. It is operating under the joint authority of the French Ministry for Higher Education, Research and Innovation, the french Ministry of the Sea, the French Ministry for the Ecological and Solidary Transition, and the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

General areas of responsibility

The Normandy Environment and Resources Laboratory (LER/N) belongs to the Coastal Unit of the Oceanography and Ecosystem Dynamics (ODE) Department of Ifremer. It is located on the Port-en-Bessin site (France, Normandy). Its activity is divided into three areas: (i) monitoring and observation of water quality and habitats; (ii) expertise with local authorities, public bodies and professional structures and the giving opinions to ministries and decentralized services; (iii) research in direct response to social and economic issues, on a regional, national and international scale. The laboratory’s recent activity revolves around coastal observation in connection with water quality, and the functioning of coastal ecosystems under anthropogenic pressures.

Within the Oceanography and Ecosystem Dynamics Department and the Littoral Unit, the position located in Port-en-Bessin (France, Normandy) is placed under the hierarchical responsibility of the Head of the Normandy Environment and Resources Laboratory (LER/N). The Coastal Unit brings its expertise to State services within the framework of GEODE (study and observation group on dredging and the environment), in order to implement optimized management of maritime access integrating the challenges environmental, technical and economic.

The environmental risk assessment for dumping at sea of port dredged sediments is currently based on chemical analyses of contaminants, the concentrations of which are compared to the reference levels N1 and N2 (French decrees of July 17, 2014, February 8, 2013 and 9 August 2006 relating to the levels to be considered when analysing discharges into surface waters or marine or estuarine sediments, etc.). These levels are guides to help the State services in their decision. If the N1 level is exceeded for one of the contaminants, an estimate of the ecotoxicological risk is triggered by the performance of bioassays on the sediments to be dredged. For this, the GEODE group has selected four normative bioassays on sediments: the toxicity test on the embryo-larval development of the cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas) (NF ISO 17244: 2015), the inhibition test on the luminescence of Vibrio fischeri (NF EN ISO 11348-3: 2009), the acute lethal toxicity test against marine copepods (FD ISO 14669: 2003), and the acute toxicity test of marine and estuarine sediments against amphipods (NF EN ISO 16712). However, the ecotoxicological risk remains difficult to apprehend, because only one of these bioassays is generally carried out, and their implementation and interpretation are not sufficiently framed. A protocol (H14) exists to assess the dangerousness of sediments for onshore management, describing the ecotoxicological tests to be carried out with associated interpretation grids. It is in this context that the ECOSED project proposes to improve the methodology for assessing the ecotoxicological risk of marine sediments dredged for immersion at sea, by developing a similar protocol adapted to marine species.

Main mission

This postdoctoral research position therefore concerns the development of a methodology including a protocol, in order to answer the question: how to assess, in the most relevant and operational way possible, the ecotoxicological risk of dredged sediments with existing bioassays, in order to limit the risk environmental for immersion at sea?

From a bibliographic review of bioassays on sediments carried out in 2022 which will be completed, you will be in charge of selecting the list of bioassays capable of responding to this new challenge, of developing protocols for their use in risk assessment ecotoxicology of sediments dredged for immersion in the sea, and to test it within the framework of a large-scale in situ study on the scale of the metropolitan coast, in association with the physicochemical characterization of sedimentary materials.

Main Activities

In close collaboration with Ifremer’s ecotoxicology experts, your main activities will be:

  • To complete the bibliographic review of the ecotoxicological assessment of contaminated sediments and on bioassays on sediments carried out in 2022;
  • To select the most relevant bioassays for the marine environment and in terms of operationality to be integrated into the protocol;
  • To take sediment samples in order to test the bioassays selected in the laboratory;
  • To develop a graduated protocol in several stages for the use of these bioassays;
  • To test this protocol on different types of port sediments, on the metropolitan coast;
  • To develop / refine the toxicity interpretation grids for each of the selected bioassays based on the results obtained during the development of the protocol;
  • To write a methodological guide for the use of this protocol;
  • To actively participate in the drafting and publication of the results of this work, and present them at conferences and to the GEODE group.

Relations

  • Internally: personnel from the laboratory, the Littoral Unit (in particular at the LER des Pertuis-Charentais, and LER Provence Azur Corse), and the Chemical Contamination of Marine Ecosystems Unit
  • Externally: Departmental Directorates of Territories and the Sea, Major Maritime Ports (Rouen, Le Havre, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Toulon), French Office for Biodiversity, Seine-Normandy Water Agency

Required Knowledge, skills, and characteristics

Education: PhD in ecotoxicology obtained less than 3 years ago

  • Sediment bioassay experience
  • Experience in protocol development
  • Field sampling experience
  • Experience in chemical risk analysis

Skills implemented

Technical / business skills

  • Knowledge of the marine environment
  • Knowledge of marine sediment geochemistry or environmental chemistry
  • Knowledge of environmental risk analysis
  • Performing bioassays in the laboratory, in particular on at least one of the bioassays recommended by GEODE
  • Writing ability

Personal qualities

  • Scientific and laboratory rigor
  • Proactivity, spirit of initiative
  • Autonomy, sense of teamwork
  • Availability and ease in working in the field
  • Deductive skills
  • Quality of scientific communication and with territorial actors
  • Editorial quality of documents in French and English

Specific working conditions

  • Full-time position,
  • occasional travel for sampling in port environments in Normandy and other areas of the metropolitan coast

How to apply for this position

Deadline for applications: 01/05/2023

All applications are processed exclusively via their website. Interested candidates can apply by clicking the “Apply” button. 

Further information can be found in here.