INRAE Doctoral Contracts

INRAE Doctoral Contracts

INRAE hires you as a salaried employee to do your PhD. You earn a gross salary of 2,200 EUR per month (as of 1 January 2025). Some openings pay up to around 2,300 EUR per month. The contract usually runs for 3 years, the standard length of a French PhD, and can be extended by 1 year in certain cases. This is a work contract, not a stipend, so you pay into the French social security and pension system and get public health cover. You also get extra benefits: reimbursement of your public transport pass, up to 100 days of remote work per year with a daily allowance, subsidised canteens, and family support. INRAE is France's national research institute for agriculture, food and the environment, with around 272 research units across the country.

Who can apply

• Degree: You hold a master's degree (in France, a Master 2) or an equivalent qualification. In rare cases this can be waived if you can prove an equivalent level or relevant professional experience.
• Field of study: Many fields qualify, from life sciences, environment, chemistry and engineering to digital science and social sciences. Your field must fit INRAE's work on agriculture, food, ecology and the environment.
• Where you study: You enrol in a PhD programme at an accredited French university or grande école, and do your research in an INRAE research unit.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply. The programme is open to French and international candidates alike.
• A project and a unit: Before you apply, you find an INRAE research unit and a research topic that match your interests.

How to apply

First find an INRAE research unit whose work interests you. Then apply to a specific advertised PhD position through the INRAE jobs portal with your CV and a cover letter. There is no single deadline: positions are posted on a rolling basis, each with its own closing date. Doctoral-school funded places usually open for applications in February or March. The unit's team reviews your file, and strong candidates are invited to one or more interviews, sometimes with a written or practical test.

How realistic are your chances?

INRAE trains around 2,000 PhD students, so the overall scale is large. But you do not compete for a general pool: each contract is tied to one specific research topic and unit. Your chances depend on how well your background fits that single project and on contacting the unit early. With a relevant master's and a clear match to an advertised topic, a focused application stands a real chance.