Competition

Provisional schedule:

  • 08/12/2025: Opening of the competition
  • 07/01/2026: Deadline for submitting applications
  • 30/01/2026: Equivalence committees
  • 09/03/2026 - 12/03/2026 : Eligibility jury
  • 13/04/2026 - 15/04/2026 : CR competition interview
  • 16/04/2026 - 17/04/2026 : CR competition deliberations
  • 27/04/2026 - 29/04/2026 : DR2 competition deliberations

Section 8 will not interview candidates for the DR2 competition.

2026 recruitment competition

08/01 : 6 second-class research directors.

08/02 : 5 research officers (chargé·es de recherche) of the standard class, including, as a priority 1 research officer of the standard class whose research project is primarily based in a unit affiliated with CNRS Chemistry.

20 candidates admitted to continue : ANGRIMAN Sofía, AUREGAN Tristan, BONIFACE Dolachai, BRIOLE Alice, CHARDAC Amelie, DAL CENGIO Sara, DAMM Alicia, FAVRE Hugues, FERRETTI Federica, HARUNARI Pedro, KERSUZAN Charlie, KLINGER Jérémie, LAGOIN Marc, LALOY BORGNA Gabrielle, MAVROYIAKOUMOU Christiana, MONIER Antoine, MUNOZ-BASAGOITI Maitane, NAGLE Irène, RIVIERE Aliénor, SARLIN Wladimir

9 candidate eligible:

    1. NAGLE Irène
    1. CHARDAC Amelie
    1. LALOY BORGNA Gabrielle
    1. DAL CENGIO Sara
    1. KLINGER Jérémie
    1. SARLIN Wladimir
    1. RIVIERE Aliénor
    1. FERRETTI Federica
    1. KERSUZAN Charlie

08/03 : 2 research officers of the standard class whose research projects are primarily based in a unit affiliated with CNRS Biology.

8 candidates admitted to continue : BAILLES Anaïs, BAILLEUL Richard, BEIRAN Manuel, GALVANETTO Nicola, KRAMAR Mirna Elizabeta, MAZZARISI Onofrio, MORIZET Joséphine, REVA Maria

4 candidate eligible:

    1. KRAMAR Mirna Elizabeta
    1. MAZZARISI Onofrio
    1. MORIZET Joséphine
    1. BEIRAN Manuel

08/04 : 1 research officer of the standard class whose research project is primarily based in a unit affiliated with CNRS Engineering.

5 candidates admitted to continue : DUMONT Denis, JHA Aditya, LANCHON Nicolas, OLIVERI Hadrien, RICARD Guillaume

4 candidate eligible:

    1. OLIVERI Hadrien
    1. DUMONT Denis
    1. LANCHON Nicolas
    1. RICARD Guillaume

Auditions

  • Presentation duration: 12 minutes, covering your completed work and research project.
  • Interview duration: the presentation will be followed by an 18-minute interview with the jury members.
  • Allowed support: you may bring a USB drive with your presentation in PDF format.

Location:

Barre 22-32 (entrance via Tower 32)
Room 407 – 4th floor
Paris Institute of Nanosciences / Jean Perrin Laboratory
Pierre and Marie Curie Campus
Sorbonne University
75005 Paris, France

Practical Information

Download the access map.

The audition room is located on the 4th floor, between Towers 22 and 32. Access is via Tower 32. Once at the base of Tower 32, take the elevator to the 4th floor, then locate the door leading to corridor 22–32 (three access points are available).

Please wait in the corridor until a member of the jury comes to meet you.

If you have any difficulty finding the room, you may contact:

Schedule:

Download the planning.

Criteria

The following information is taken from the official CNRS website.

Preamble

It is important to recall that there is no single profile for a researcher, just as there is no single way to conduct a scientific career. Consequently, the criteria outlined below are provided for guidance only and do not constitute a fixed assessment grid; the section also seeks to consider particular career paths. Candidates are invited, if they wish, to mention events that have affected their professional trajectory.

For competitions or limited promotions, the chances of success in the different stages (interview by the section, eligibility) of a particular application can only be assessed comparatively among all files with similar topics. At equivalent scientific level, the section takes into account the balance between topics. It will also consider the specificities of different types of activity. The section emphasizes the importance that CNRS places on evaluations compatible with the objectives of open science. Corresponding recommendations can be found in the document available at https://www.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/science-ouverte and are taken into account by the section. Similarly, in line with CNRS’s national low-carbon strategy, the multiplication of short stays abroad (e.g., participation in conferences or panels) is not considered decisive. International recognition is an essential element of evaluation but is understood by the section in a broad sense as the international impact of the most significant contributions and activities: distinctions or invitations abroad received personally or by collaborators or supervised persons, conferences, journal articles, book chapters, participation in international research networks, organization of key international conferences, and participation in international committees.

In general, the section will seek to carry out a qualitative evaluation of the files, so it is preferable to highlight the importance of main contributions and activities rather than rely solely on numerical indicators.

For grade changes, candidates should highlight the evolution of their file - in terms of scientific advances as well as collective involvement - since their previous promotion.

Recruitment and promotion of researchers

Access to the researcher corps (CRCN)

For recruitment to the body of research officers, the section identifies the long-term potential of applicants using two main criteria:

  • the quality and originality of scientific contributions;
  • scientific autonomy.

It also carefully examines the relevance of their research program, the match between their skills and this program, and the integration of the program into a collective research approach. Thematic or geographic mobility since the thesis is positively regarded.

Advancement to CRHC grade

The “Hors classe” grade is aimed at researchers who are sufficiently advanced in the CRCN career and whose activity demonstrates, in particular:

  • high-quality scientific production;
  • involvement in scientific leadership.

Access to the research director corps (DR2 grade)

For recruitment to the research director corps, the section adopts higher requirements than for CRCN recruitment regarding the quality, originality, and depth of scientific output. Evidence of scientific maturity is sought in the applications. In addition, the section values the quality of candidates’ service to the scientific community (e.g., supervision, leadership, collective responsibilities) and beyond (transfer, mediation, valorization). Personal or collective national and international visibility is also carefully assessed. To illustrate these different aspects in the files, it is important not to limit oneself to purely quantitative indicators.

Access to the research director Corps (DR1 grade)

The DR1 grade targets established researchers who, in diverse expressions depending on their field, have over the years created momentum around them, acting as a driving force for a group of collaborators, or even a larger research community.

Compared to DR2, a higher standard is applied to assess the quality of candidates’ scientific production. Scientific influence beyond disciplinary boundaries, international recognition, and the ability to develop new themes or research strategies are sought. Stronger expectations also apply regarding assumption of responsibilities and involvement in the scientific community and research leadership.

Access to DRCE Grade

The DRCE grade is accessible to researchers who have met DR1 requirements at a level that clearly distinguishes them nationally and internationally.

Evaluation of researchers

Evaluation is first based on the scientific impact of researchers’ work. It also considers other dimensions of scientific activity such as dissemination, valorization or knowledge transfer, and leadership or management responsibilities.

Evaluation of research officers

Basic criteria for evaluating research officers are those used for their recruitment and promotion. The indicative, but neither exhaustive nor exclusive, list of elements carefully examined includes:

  • quality and originality of scientific production;
  • scientific autonomy;
  • progress of the research project presented at recruitment;
  • integration of research activities within the laboratory;
  • participation in laboratory and/or community scientific life.

Evaluation of research directors

Basic criteria for evaluating research directors are those used for their recruitment and promotion. The indicative, but neither exhaustive nor exclusive, list of elements carefully examined includes:

  • quality, originality, and scope of scientific production;
  • originality of the research program;
  • thematic openness;
  • national and international influence;
  • research supervision;
  • quality of scientific leadership;
  • assumption of responsibilities.

Disclaimer

This site is not officially affiliated with the National Committee for Scientific Research (CNRS). It is created and maintained by members of the section and aims to provide information to the scientific community of section 08.