Section 31 – External Competition
Recommendations
Section 31 recommends following the detailed format below in order to simplify the evaluation process:
CR Competition Recommendations
Please note that the mandatory documents for the exam have slightly changed in 2026 and we have thus revised the recommendations on the 16/12/2025.
It should be noted that applications may be written in either French or English and will be evaluated equally, regardless of the language used.
A CR 31/02 competition, with positions allocated in laboratories under CNRS supervision (without targeting a specific institute), is open every year. For this competition, the section advises you to identify at least one lab with CNRS Ecology and Environment as the main supervisory body (see recommendation file).
Depending on the year, the section may also evaluate other additional competitions (CR 31/03, etc.). These other competitions have additional constraints (e.g., positions in specific laboratories or projects on a specific topic).
These competitions are independent. If several competitions are open and your project can meet the additional constraints, the section therefore advises you to apply for both (CR 31/02 & CR 31/03).
2026 Positions
Four positions are open in the CR 31/02 competition this year.
One position is open as a CR 31/03. This position is open for someone answering the section 31 criteria but applying in a lab which main institute is the CNRS biologie. Information on the labs’ institute can be found here https://annuaire.cnrs.fr/NavigationServlet?pageName=accueil.
Calendar 2026
Files have to be submitted by January 12th at 13:00 (French time).
The admission panels for the CR competitions (CR 31/02 & CR 31/03) will be held at the end of February 2026. Candidates will be informed of the results by postal mail from the CNRS. However, to facilitate preparation for the interviews, we will publish the list of shortlisted candidates on this website on March 2, 2026.
The interviews for the CRCN 31/02 competition will take place in Paris, from March 30 to April 1, 2026.
The interviews for the CRCN 31/03 competition will take place in Paris, on April 16, 2026.
Recommendations
For the DR 31/01 competition, as in the past two years, there will be no auditions in 2026.
Seven DR positions are open this year for the DR competition.
Section 31 recommends following the detailed format below in order to simplify the evaluation process:
DR competition recommendations
Please note that the mandatory documents for the exam have slightly changed in 2026 and we have thus revised the recommendations on the 16/12/2025.
It should be noted that applications may be written in either French or English and will be evaluated equally, regardless of the language used.
Schedule
Files have to be submitted by January 12th at 13:00 (French time).
The eligibility review panel for DR applications will take place from April 13 to 15, 2026.
At the end of the admission panels, candidates are invited to contact the Chair of Section 31 if they wish to receive feedback on the evaluation of their application: Joël Meunier (joel.meunier[at]univ-tours.fr).