Career Prospects

What does it entail? The first option for continuing your research activities after your thesis is to obtain a contract as a post-doctoral researcher. This means being hired by an organisation that funds research (a university, the CNRS, etc.) to contribute to a research project

The contract offered is often a fixed-term contract (CDD) for between 6 and 24 months. The duration of the contract will depend on the needs of the project for which the doctor will be recruited. Compensation depends on the doctor's experience and seniority

If you decide to do a post-doc abroad, you should bear in mind that the terms and conditions of your contract may vary from country to country. A post-doc generally leads to a career focused on research (rather than teaching) but remains a valuable professional experience

What does it entail? This contract gives the status of teacher-researcher with a strong focus on teaching experience. In particular, an ATER associate must provide either a full teaching service consisting of 192 hours of tutorials per year or a half-service consisting of 96 hours of tutorials per year. Additionally, they must participate in knowledge tests and examinations

ATER associates are recruited on a fixed-term contract (CDD) at French universities, working full-time or part-time. This type of contract is limited to a duration of one year with a possibility to renew it one time

A senior lecturer (MCF) is a teacher-researcher and a civil servant who holds a position in a public higher education and research institution. The annual teaching service includes 192 hours of tutorials, 128 hours of lectures, 288 hours of lab work, or any equivalent combination

The role of senior lecturer is not solely confined to teaching. It often includes supervising students who are either working on their thesis or are on a placement, conducting crucial research for career development, organising the tasks of a training and research unit (UFR) and many more

They are appointed as permanent civil servants after a one-year probationary period. Senior lecturers are recruited by competitive entrance examination, depending on the number of posts available at each university

To access the list of open positions and apply, refer to the Galaxie platform

A research manager (CR) working in a Public Scientific and Technical Research Establishment (EPST), such as the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), is a civil servant who conducts research in a Joint Research Unit (UMR) lab without any teaching duties

Research managers are recruited by competitive entrance examinations held once a year. Open positions are generally grouped by research topic and section. Please note that CNRS sections are not National University Council (CNU) sections,

To apply, feel free to contact the chosen lab to obtain a letter of endorsement

You can find all the information on the CNRS page dedicated to the Researchers' competition