Job summary

The chair is focused primarily on research concerning methods for sustainable observation, experimentation, archiving and data processing in the context of environmental research to be carried out within Andra’s project for deep geological disposal of radioactive waste. Chair activities will therefore be closely linked to a 900 km2 national environment observatory (OPE, see below) in the eastern region of France dedicated to long-term environmental monitoring.

One of the great challenges of Andra is to implement a deep reversible disposal facility for high-level and intermediate level long-lived radioactive waste in the Meuse/Haute Marne District (north-eastern part of France). The geological disposal project involves a specific environmental context:

• Long-term monitoring
• Low-level chemical and radiological releases,
• Large scale construction (dust, transport,…),
• Environmental and human health protection

In order to (i) establish a reference status of the environment (from a physical, chemical, biological and radiological standpoint), over a ten-year period, prior to the construction of the disposal facility and (ii) plan and design the environmental monitoring programmes that should be implemented during the operational phase of this project. A Long-term Environmental Research Monitoring and Testing System named Observatoire Pérenne de l’Environnement (OPE) was set up in 2007 (http://www.andra.fr/ope/index.php?lang=fr).

The chair holder will be tightly associated with the SOERE (Observation and experimentation system for long-term environmental research) OPE research missions and could, if the person’s experience fits, become the chairman of the Scientific Committee.

The overall objective of the observation system is to furnish a dynamic view of the zone’s ecosystem monitoring facilities and the characteristics shown by continental surfaces (critical zones) over the long term (up to a hundred years). The chair aims at increasing the observation system monitoring capacity based on a variety of innovative experimental approaches and a wide range of sensors, including back-ups, designed to supply spatially resolved and real-time information about hydraulic, mechanical, thermal, biological and chemical behaviour of all environmental media (atmosphere, soils, sediments, surface and groundwaters…) in a diversity of site-specific ecosystems: forest and agricultural open fields and pastures …. In many cases, functional rather than analytical information is ultimately desired. The chair will be involved in the work of RESSOURCES21 (http://www.ressources21.univ-lorraine.fr/) and will reinforce the research competences of OTELo (the Lorraine Earth and Environment Observatory – http://otelo.univ-lorraine.fr/) on environmental issues linked to major innovation and research projects.

Responsibilities

The Chair’s scientific and technical programme is associated with the process of achieving project information integration within a regional observatory and to furthering knowledge progress through:

• the acquisition of observation data and its interpretation for environmental processes
• the development and exploitation of appropriate sensors or through the elaboration of appropriate theoretical tools.

The chair holder will be responsible for:

i. initiating and developing the “Biogeochemical sensors” topic within Otelo, being involved in implementing observation missions mainly in association with the SOERE OPE (the Andra Perennial Observatory of the Environment) at the site of Meuse/Haute-Marne.

ii. developing scientific research aimed at qualifying mineral, organic or biological agents which can be a point of departure for environmental sensors (due to their sensitivity to various physical-chemical local variations). It will focus on considering integration conditions of those agents in measuring instruments that must show characteristics such as: ready integration within studied systems, non-invasive (do not impact the functioning of the system), stable and long operating life.

iii. initiating and developing a research topic on the development of innovative physical-chemical, optical and electrochemical methods to obtain functional information on subsurface environments (i.e. information about the effect of a disturbance on ecosystem health). Possible perspectives are: application of microsensor technologies and signal/data processing routines to environmental diagnosis and monitoring (benchmarking)*, validation of measurement devices or systems in which a biological, organic and mineral component will be used as the recognition element, development (with industrial partners if necessary) of new scalable and non-invasive environmental sensors or sensor networks, hard sensors, and remote sensing.

iv. participating in training programmes provided by the University of Lorraine on a basis of 64 hours/year (Master degree, engineering school and PhD). Teaching subjects should be linked to observation topics and environmental data acquisition or signal processing.

A permanent position as an associate professor in the University of Lorraine may be open after the chair

The candidate must have knowledge of the French research, academic and other, in the context of future research collaborations, and, incidentally, possible sources of funding.

Requirements

Applicants must hold a PhD (or equivalent) as at the date of application (i.e. dissertation successfully defended).

• The candidate must justify recognized skills in the field of Biogeochemistry (environmental physicochemistry, physics of condensed environment, mineralogy and/or biology) and/or of environmental sensing (optical and electrochemical measurements, spectrometry, multi-functional sensors, micro-fluidics, chemometrics …
• Applicants must be fluent in one of the working languages of the host laboratories; fluency in French or English.
• Experience and quality of the candidate: the candidate must demonstrate that he distinguishes himself as a world-class researcher or as a leader in his field
• Quality of the project / Research programme proposal
• Complementary skills and competences in metrology, programming and data processing system will be appreciated
• The candidate must demonstrate his good knowledge of the state of the art in the field of environmental sensors (water, air and soil quality monitoring)
• Knowledge in multivariate statistical processing could be a plus.

The project will show a short-term approach (2 years max) with the identification of the sensitive parameter with regard to the target (impact on water or soil chemical quality, long term evolution of ecosystems), the development of the way of transduction of the physical or biological chemical signal in the electric or luminescent signal, signal processing, development of the protocol regarding the OPE site, deployment of the sensor, (finalization, design). Collaborations with other academic institutes or even private enterprises can be envisaged especially if there is an integration of the sensor into an industrial and commercial development

A middle term Approach (4-5 years) with more risk can be raised with regard to the state of the art, on speciation of the trace metallic elements with regard to the organic matter degradation or evolution.

How to apply

Applications are to be sent per mail to ressources21-contact@univ-lorraine.fr. Each file must include:

1. the information sheet
2. a curriculum vitae
3. a cover letter
4. a list of publications
5. a detailed research project proposal in English or in French: describe the program in detail (5 to 10 pages) including objectives, context, methodology, and calendar of actions.
6. An estimation of necessary technical and human means

Evaluation and selection process

Selection criteria (Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted):

1. Experience and quality of the candidate: demonstrate that you distinguish yourself as a world-class researcher or as a leader in your field
2. Quality of the project / Research programme proposal
3. Complementary skills and competences

Criteria to take into consideration:

• Only one project will be selected among the applications
• A permanent position as a(n associate) professor in the university of Lorraine may be open after the chair

Applications/proposals will be reviewed and selected by the monitoring (see G) and steering committee (see H) of the chair.

Next steps

• Deadline for application : 30 of April 2014
• Analysis of application by steering committee: May / June 2014
• Results: July 2014
• Beginning of contract: September 2014
• Simplified activity report to be hand-in every year + mid-term and final activity report

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