Section 19 gives below the criteria to which it pays attention in addition to those displayed on the website of the Comité National. The recommendations below concerning the format of the dossier concern both the CRCN and DR2 application dossiers.

We recommend that applicants who obtained their thesis diploma abroad, in a language other than French, provide a sworn translation of their diploma when applying, in order to avoid any legal concerns.

We strongly encourage all candidates living abroad, as well as pregnant candidates and candidates whose health condition justifies it, to request, as soon as they submit their application file, the authorization to take the interview by videoconference. This request may be made at any time with regard to the health condition (e.g. in case of Covid at the time of the interviews).
The request must be made to the Service Central des concours.
We recommend that you also send a copy of the request to the president of the Section :

Content :

• Criteria for high-quality research
• Recruitment criteria

Criteria for high-quality research

A high-quality research endeavor is assessed based on various criteria, including the originality of the work conducted, collaborations and risk-taking.

Indicators of quality include:

• skills, scientific expertise, methodological expertise,
• creativity and impact of the research,
• potential for innovative research over time,
• originality and relevance of scientific directions,
• effectiveness in collaboration and mentoring early-career colleagues,
• ability to initiate projects and lead projects,
• leadership that the benefits the broader community.

These criteria are neither exclusive nor discriminatory, as the diversity of individual profiles plays an important role in fostering collective, high-quality research. This diversity includes the ability to reflect on the environmental impact of the work. A career can be marked by varied phases of activities or, conversely, be consistent over time.

Recruitment criteria

Chargé / chargée de recherche de classe normale (CRCN)

A candidate for a CR position should be able to demonstrate:

• the quality of their scientific output and the impact of their results (publications, development and dissemination of tools, methodological or instrumental advancements) as well as their ability to pursue innovative and high-quality research;
• their independence, long-term vision, and perspective on their research field,
• the scientific relevance of the research project and how it fits within the French scientific landscape and the proposed host laboratory.

In addition to these three main criteria, applicants are encouraged to describe their activities in scientific outreach, dissemination and valorization, mentoring, teaching, or any other contributions benefiting the research community.

The assessment of these criteria is open, non-exclusive, non-hierarchical and not strictly cumulative; the criteria are adjusted according to career stage.

Directeur / directrice de recherche de 2ème classe (DR2)

A candidate for a DR2 position must stand out through the impact of their work, their scientific stature, and their international recognition. They should have demonstrated creativity and relevance in their scientific directions and taken on responsibilities that benefit the community, playing a structuring role within it. Obtaining a Habilitation à Diriger les Recherches (HDR) is strongly recommended before applying.

Version of October 28th 2025. Some translations were made with Deepl.com.