President of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM)

Vacancy Announcement for the Position of President of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM)

The position of President of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) will become vacant as of 31 January 2027.

INSERM's missions are:

• To promote, undertake, develop, coordinate and organize, on a medium- and long-term basis, either on its own initiative or at the request of public authorities, all research activities aimed at:
• In the fields of life sciences and health, and in disciplines contributing to medical and public health progress, acquiring and advancing knowledge relating to human health and the factors that influence it, in both its individual and collective dimensions and across its physical, mental and social components;
• Discovering and evaluating all forms of intervention intended to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and their consequences, and to improve the health status of the population;
• To contribute to the valorization and transfer of the results of the research it conducts or organizes;
• To collect and centralize information within its field of activity, keep the Government and other public authorities informed of advances in knowledge, and contribute to scientific monitoring and to the development of national research and health policies within its areas of competence;
• To promote the publication of research and studies related to its own activities and those it organizes, and to contribute to the national and international dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge;
• To support higher education and training through and for research within its areas of competence;
• To carry out or contribute to scientific expert assessments.

INSERM is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by the President of the Institute. The President is assisted by one or more Deputy Chief Executive Officers.

INSERM ranks among the leading national and European institutions in terms of scientific output in the biomedical field. This unique position gives the Institute a central role in implementing the State's health research policy, from fundamental research through to applications in humans.

The future President of INSERM will be selected on the basis of their ability to:

• steer the evolution of the institution while ensuring that its organization and areas of expertise remain aligned with the Government's strategic priorities;
• consolidate and support the development of the Health Research Programmes Agency ("agence de programmes de recherche en santé" - APRS);
• strengthen relationships with the higher education and research ecosystem, as well as with the academic healthcare sector;
• support the simplification of management procedures for joint research units;
• reinforce INSERM's position and partnerships at the European level.

In accordance with Articles R. 324-9 and R. 324-10 of the French Research Code, the appointment will follow a public call for applications issued by the Minister responsible for Research and published in the Journal Officiel de la République Française. Applications will be examined by a committee composed of four to six individuals selected for their expertise in the Institute's fields of activity, including a chairperson, appointed jointly by the Ministers responsible for Research and Health. The committee shall comprise an equal number of women and men.

Candidates for the position of President of INSERM must submit, no later than 30 october 2026 at 12:00 noon (Paris time), a detailed curriculum vitae and a statement of intent by email to:

candidature.inserm@recherche.gouv.fr

Prospective candidates are invited to express their interest in advance at the above address and to submit a preliminary outline of their application.

In accordance with Article 11(I)(7) of Law No. 2013-907 of 11 October 2013 on transparency in public life, any person appointed by the Council of Ministers to a position or office at the discretion of the Government must submit to the President of the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life a declaration of assets and a declaration of interests, drawn up under the conditions set out in the first four paragraphs of Article 4(I) and in Article 4(II) and (III) of the same law, within two months of taking office.

Should a candidate have engaged in a private profit-making activity during the previous three years, the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life shall be consulted for an opinion in accordance with Articles L. 124-7 and L. 124-8 of the French Civil Service Code.