Computational Ecologist, Scientific Co-Founder (CSO)

PerenOS is looking for a Scientific Co-Founder (CSO) to build the operating system for climate-adaptive landscapes. If you are a computational ecologist ready to scale nature-based solutions, read on.

PerenOS is the ecological design software for adapting land to climate change through nature-based solutions that scale. Its rules-based planting design composes plant communities from ecological functions and for the climate a site is moving into. PerenOS then follows each site's planting over decades for adaptive maintenance.

PerenOS's vision is that living systems become the centre of every land decision, and that together these decisions strengthen biodiversity and resilience at scale. Its ambition is to become the global operating system for designing and monitoring living landscapes adapted to new climates. Users range from households and landscape architects to organisations managing large land portfolios.

PerenOS is a French company (SAS) founded in 2026 with a global scope. The company is supported by Unitec, the Bordeaux technology incubator.

The company is pre-revenue and a pre-seed round is in preparation. The co-founder joins before the first raise, when equity ownership is largest, the company's direction is still open, and the core science and technical architecture are still being shaped.

The role

PerenOS is looking for a scientific co-founder to own the science behind the PerenOS engine and lead its R&D programme.

• Own the engine's scientific methodology, from research question to production Python code.
• Define how the platform calculates and states confidence, and set the parameters for when it abstains.
• Build and validate the species, trait and climate data the engine relies on.
• Design the validation framework, from held-out testing today to long-term field observation.
• Lead the scientific committee and build partnerships with universities and research institutes.
• Represent PerenOS's science to investors, funders and large clients.
• Work with the CEO to secure the French deeptech label and research funding: grants, CIFRE theses and the research tax credit (CIR).
• Recruit and supervise the first research engineers and doctoral students.

Profile

Essential

• PhD and postdoctoral research in a quantitative ecological or environmental field, such as computational or plant ecology, species distribution modelling, functional or community ecology, or landscape ecology.
• Strong Python and experience analysing large, complex datasets.
• Fluent written and spoken English; working knowledge of French is a plus.
• Has delivered against external deadlines in a company, consultancy, start-up or industry-funded project.
• Mission-driven, with a commitment to climate adaptation and biodiversity.

Preferred

• Species distribution or niche modelling, or trait-based plant community ecology.
• Hands-on work with climate data (CHELSA, CMIP6), trait data (TRY, BIEN) or occurrence data (GBIF).
• Production engineering practice: version control, automated testing, reproducible pipelines.
• Start-up experience, or experience of building and managing technical teams.
• Peer-reviewed publications or preprints in the field.
• A track record of securing research grants.

Offers

• A founding role with an equity stake in the company.
• A gross annual salary of €44-54k depending on experience. Permanent contract (French CDI).
• Ownership of the scientific agenda of a company with the ambition to become the global reference in computational ecology.
• The opportunity to keep publishing, after IP review.
• Remote-first from anywhere in France, Bordeaux preferred, with regular time together in person.
• Right to work in France required; for an exceptional candidate, PerenOS sponsors the French work visa.

How to apply

Send a CV and a link to a repository or sample of your code.

1. A first conversation about the role, your background and the company.
2. A technical conversation.
3. A final face-to-face meeting to agree mutual expectations and the final details.

Contact: Rita Desmyter, founder and CEO · rita.desmyter@perenos.io · perenos.io

PerenOS is an equal opportunity employer and is building a diverse team. Applications from women and from people under-represented in science are particularly welcome.

#ComputationalEcology, #ClimateTech, #DeepTech, #NatureBasedSolutions