General information
Job title: Water dynamics in porous solids M/F
Acronym: DYNO SOP
Reference: CPJ-2025-041
Host institution: National Center for Scientific Research
Name of head of establishment: Antoine PETIT
Site(s) concerned: Poitiers, Paris
Academic region(s): Poitiers, Paris
Partner establishment(s) considered: University of Poitiers, Sorbonne University (Sorbonne U),,,,
Establishment code(s):
- UMR7285
- UMR7619
Publication date:
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Type of contract:
Junior Professorship
Contract duration: between 3 and 6 years depending on the research project and the profile of the winnerWorkload:
Full
Remuneration:
Gross annual remuneration of 54,600 Euros to 57,800 Euros depending on professional experience
Scientific theme: Analytical sciences, Modeling, Hydrology, Geochemistry, Environment, PollutionCN section(s):
13 – Physical, theoretical and analytical chemistry
14 – Coordination chemistry, catalysis and processes, interfaces
30 – Continental surface and interfaces
Desired Profile
Holder of a doctorate or equivalent diploma or proof of scientific qualifications and work deemed equivalent by the competent body of the institution. There are no age or nationality requirements for application. All CNRS jobs are accessible to people with disabilities, benefiting from test adjustments made necessary by the nature of the disability.
Establishment strategy
Inorganic networks such as clays or zeolites are impacted by the presence of water. These materials, either present in large quantities in their natural state or obtained synthetically, are at the heart of many phenomena such as adsorption, catalytic activity, pollution transfer, desalination, etc. These areas of application require a global characterization of the water/solid system, which is part of one of the CNRS’s thematic priorities focused on the control of fluids at all scales. From the nanometric to the macroscopic scale, the behavior of any fluid requires the development of studies based on both experimental analyses and theoretical work. The associated socio-economic issues are major, particularly with the problems of sustainable development, wastewater filtration, and seawater desalination, for example.
Host laboratory strategy
The two targeted laboratories (in alphabetical order: IC2MP, METIS) have teams recognized for the characterization of liquid-solid interfaces and the applications of porous solids, including water and pollutant transfers at water table-river and soil-water table interfaces, in the critical zone. For each of them, strengthening the theme covered by this project will contribute to France’s international visibility in this field.
International Strategy
The scientific community active in the field of dynamic characterization of water within porous solids deserves to be strengthened given the importance of this theme both from a fundamental point of view (understanding processes from the microscopic scale to the scale of soil-water table transfers and in the hyporheic zone) and in the context of more applied developments related to sustainable development, in particular the recharge of water tables. The implementation of characterization techniques for monitoring fluid dynamics as well as multi-scale theoretical calculations.
Concentrating forces and increasing skills in this field requires not only appropriate training in universities, but also the recruitment of talented scientists already trained and experienced in this exercise. Recruiting a talented young researcher with solid experience abroad is facilitated by the CPJ system, which is attractive and will allow the winner to be properly surrounded to begin his or her project.
This project should also help foster networking within a community at the interface between two CNRS institutes (chemistry and science of the universe), which currently seems somewhat scattered. Strengthening this theme, which is of national and European interest, should facilitate the creation of European networks in the short term.
National Directory of Research Structures (RNSR) of the host laboratory
IC2MP (Institute of Chemistry of Environments and Materials of Poitiers, UMR7285) 201220398Z
METIS (Environmental Media, Transfers and Interactions in Hydrosystems and Soils, UMR7619) 199712664H
Summary of the scientific project
Like any liquid, the presence of water, whether intentional or forced, alters the physicochemical properties of materials. The objective of this project is to characterize the dynamics of water within porous materials in order to establish the resulting properties. The approach may combine both experimental techniques (in the laboratory, in the field) and multi-scale theoretical developments and target diverse applications that span all temporal and spatial scales. While the project will initially focus on water, extension to other fluids may be considered in the longer term.
Summary of the teaching project
The research theme of this CNRS chair may be implemented in the various targeted universities in the region, depending on the recruitment location. The successful candidate could, in particular, contribute to teaching physical chemistry or even theoretical calculations at the undergraduate or master’s level, in line with their profile.
Financial Environment
- Total financed (including ANR package): €200k
- Project total: €0k
Scientific dissemination
The dissemination of the results will involve world-class scientific advances, which can be characterized by productions of all types: publications, software, patents, books, etc. In addition, the project will implement communication towards various targets such as scientific communities, media, decision-makers, the general public, schools, etc., with an adapted schedule. Specific tools may be developed such as websites, newsletters or even meetings, international symposia, summer schools and conferences.
Open science
The CNRS is developing a strong policy in favor of open science. Open science consists of making research results “as accessible as possible and closed as necessary.” As such, the CNRS aims to make 100% of the texts of publications resulting from the work of its units accessible to all, notably through deposit in HAL. The data produced must also be made available and reusable, unless specifically restricted. Furthermore, the guiding principles of individual evaluation are being revised in accordance with the DORA declaration, making them more qualitative and taking into account all facets of the research profession.
Science and Society
The science-society relationship is now recognized as a fully-fledged dimension of scientific activity. The project will develop this dimension in synergy with all partners. The resulting research will contribute to informing public decision-making. Citizen science initiatives may be initiated with stakeholders from the project’s socio-economic and cultural ecosystem.
Indicators
The activity will be evaluated in particular on the basis of scientific production (publications, software, patents, books, etc.), on institutional and private partnerships formalized by contracts, on international influence, on the promotion of work towards multidisciplinary scientific communities, on innovation and its transfer to society and on scientific dissemination aimed at non-specialist audiences.
How to organize the hearings
Only candidates selected on file by the selection committee will be invited to the auditions.
