He was Minister Delegate for Higher Education & Research in the first Raffarin government.

He also holds a postgraduate diploma (diplôme d'études approfondies – DEA) in mathematics.

After starting his career as an engineer with various firms in France and Germany, François Loos became a technical advisor to Pierre Pflimlin, President of the European Parliament (1984), and subsequently to Hubert Curien, French Minister of Research & Technology (1984–1985).

He next joined Rhône Poulenc as Managing Director of the Thann plant, which he ran for two years before being appointed Executive Secretary for Research (1987–1989).

He chaired the Parliamentary Board of Enquiry into Industrial Hazards in France following the Toulouse disaster in 2001.