Research engineer in the study of archaeological pigments and residues W/M

Employeur the well-being of its staff. Joining us means working in a privileged environment within a particularly diverse and open professional community, benefiting from welcome and inclusion schemes, training and internal mobility. It means participating in an academic, scientific and human adventure. It means committing to meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

Join the laboratory From Prehistory to Present: Culture, Environment and Anthropology (PACEA) – of the University of Bordeaux!

PACEA is a joint research unit attached to the CNRS (Ecology & Environment), the University of Bordeaux and the Ministry of Culture. At the interface of biological, environmental and human sciences, its work addresses major questions related to the factors that have shaped humanity, enabling our ancestors to settle on all continents thanks to adaptive capacities whose diversity we are currently exploring.

As part of the Human Past Major Research Program (GPR), we are recruiting a Research engineer in the study of archaeological pigments and residues W/M.

“Human Past” aims to document, characterize and understand the tipping points that have induced major biological and cultural changes within past human populations. Spanning a large chronological period (from Prehistory to historical times), our research aims to identify the steps that enabled a primate originally adapted to African ecosystems to evolve into a species that occupies and impacts every ecosystem on the planet. Biological and social systems will be scrutinized at different scales from a multitude of perspectives with particular attention paid to phenotypic and genetic variability, cognition, technology, social organization, belief systems, and genetic and cultural adaptive strategies that drive human societies.

Votre mission Mineral pigments have been used in Africa and Europe for at least 400,000 years. However, the practices associated with their production, transformation and use remain poorly documented, as do the timing and contexts in which these pigments acquire symbolic functions. This project aims to analyze the uses of mineral pigments in prehistoric societies in order to better understand the emergence, diversity and evolution of symbolic behaviors, based on the joint study of pigments, residues and associated archaeological materials.

Your mission is to analyze archaeological pigments and residues in order to document the emergence, consolidation, and complexification of human symbolic practices. It is based on the acquisition of new analytical data, their interpretation in an international comparative framework and their scientific valorization through high-level publications.

These tasks are integrated into action 1 of Work Package 4 «The emergence of a mediated symbolic behavior».

Acquisition, processing, and interpretation of analytical data on archaeological pigments and residues

Implementation and development of analytical methodologies: SEM‑EDS, XRD, µ‑Raman, FT‑IR, PIXE/PIGE, XRF, etc.

Contribution to large‑scale comparisons between regions and periods

Participation in and/or leadership of the drafting of international scientific articles

This project directly addresses the objectives of the GPR "Human Past" by focusing on the biological and cultural tipping points associated with the emergence of symbolic behaviors. It contributes to testing the hypothesis of multiple, asynchronous regional trajectories—rather than a single cognitive shift linked to Homo sapiens—by integrating biological, environmental, demographic, and social factors.

Vos atouts / Vos talents Holder of a PhD in Archaeology, archaeometry, chemistry, materials science, or a related field, with proven experience in the textural, elemental, and structural analysis of archaeological pigments and residues.

You master archaeological data acquisition: SEM‑EDS, XRD, μ‑Raman, FT‑IR, PIXE/PIGE, XRF

You are comfortable with data processing and multivariate statistics

You have practiced photography and/or microphotography of archaeological objects

You master spectral and elementary data processing software, databases

You are autonomous in your work, demonstrate rigor

You have the sense of organization to manage multiple tasks

You are able to work in a team and collaborate on multidisciplinary projects

You master written and oral English (level C1 / C2) in the context of international collaborations and for writing scientific articles

Do you recognize yourself? Apply!

More information:

Your work will be supervised by Francesco D'ERRICO and Alain QUEFFELEC.

Visits are planned in France, in Europe and outside Europe, notably for the analysis of archaeological collections, participation in analytical campaigns, project meetings and international scientific conferences.

Based in Pessac, Gironde, FRANCE – access by tramway line B (stop « François Bordes ») buses, bike. The laboratory is near the city‑centre of Bordeaux and about 60 Km of the Atlantic coasts.

18-month fixed-term contract

Gross monthly salary: from 2460€ and 2700€ according to the salary grid

Job Benefits:

50 days of annual leave from the first year

75% of the cost of a Gironde public transport pass covered

Contribution to private healthcare insurance of 15€ / month

Subsidised meals

Leisure, sports and cultural activities for all staff

Disabled-friendly establishment

Possibility of staff parking

Sustainable mobility package for commuting between home and work

Welcome programme and training courses

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