Section 31 – Promotions

Evaluation of Candidates for CNRS Promotion

The evaluation of candidates for CNRS promotions is based on the following main criteria:

1. Quality of past research work
2. Quality of supervision
3. Contribution to collective activities
4. Research project

Additional aspects considered include visibility, involvement in knowledge transfer, dissemination, and teaching.

These evaluation criteria are open, non-exclusive, non-hierarchical, and not strictly cumulative. Any lack regarding specific criteria must be explained. The following sections detail how these criteria apply for different promotion levels.

General Recommendations for the Promotion Dossier

• Limit the promotion dossier to 20 pages maximum (excluding bibliographic references) and follow the CNRS formatting requirements.
• Carefully prepare the report respecting the evaluation period for past work: the last 10 years or the date of the last promotion (if the last promotion was less than 10 years ago). The CV may extend beyond this period, but when quantifying certain elements (e.g., number of students, publications, contracts, conference invitations), clearly distinguish total numbers from those within the evaluation period.
• Publications: Provide the complete reference as well as the link towards HAL (warning: only the publications in HAL will be considered) and please ensure the link is functional. The order of authorship and contributions (e.g., equal contribution) must exactly match the publication. Supervised students must be easily identifiable. The CNRS system does not require a full list of outputs, but it is essential for the section’s evaluation. You are responsible for providing this list, including via a hyperlink.
• Supervision: Name all students and postdocs, quantify your percentage of involvement in supervision, and briefly indicate their career outcomes. Identify supervised students/postdocs in the publication list.
• Research contracts: Distinguish between projects where you are the principal investigator, co-investigator, or participant.
• Teaching: Quantify your teaching workload (hours per year).

Promotion Criteria by Grade

CRHC (Chargé.e de Recherche Hors Classe)

• Alignment of research activities with the section’s themes.
• Quality, originality, and valorization of research results and scientific output.
• Originality and coherence of the research project, and ability to implement and develop it autonomously.
• Supervision, training, teaching, dissemination, outreach, and research valorization.
• Integration within the unit and the scientific community.
• National and international visibility.
• Scientific coordination and administrative tasks, editorial activity.

DR1 (Directeur/Directrice de Recherche, 1st Class)

• National and international impact of research.
• Career outcomes of supervised junior researchers.
• Leadership and/or coordination role at the unit level.
• Management of large-scale collective initiatives (regional, national, international scientific programs, journals, training, expertise, etc.).
• Dissemination and valorization activities.

DRCE (Directeur/Directrice de Recherche, Exceptional Class)

• All criteria required for DR1, but at an amplified level of achievement.