Mohammed VI Polytechnic University

Postdoctoral position at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University's International Water Research Institute focusing on climate modeling and uncertainty quantification of extreme precipitation in data-scarce regions. The researcher will investigate uncertainty propagation across multi-scale climate models (GCMs, RCMs, CPMs) using advanced statistical methods and multi-model datasets, with Morocco as a primary case study. Requires PhD-level expertise in climate science or related fields with strong programming and climate modeling skills.

Postdoctoral Researcher in Hybrid Machine Learning-Physics Modeling for Hydroclimatic Extremes

Postdoctoral position at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University's International Water Research Institute (IWRI) to develop hybrid machine learning-physics based modeling approaches for predicting hydroclimatic extremes in data-scarce regions, particularly Morocco. The role combines advanced machine learning with hydrological and climate modeling to address droughts and floods under limited observational data, with emphasis on translating results into actionable information for water managers and assessing long-term adaptation strategies.

Postdoctoral Researcher in Agronomy - Fertilizer Forms and Greenhouse Gas Measurements

Postdoctoral research position in agronomy at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University focusing on fertilizer forms and greenhouse gas measurements. The role involves designing and conducting controlled and field experiments to understand how new fertilizer formulations affect soil properties and microbial communities while measuring greenhouse gas emissions. Successful candidates will mentor graduate students and contribute to advancing sustainable agriculture research in Africa.

Colcom - Postdoctoral Fellow in Multimodal Crop Analysis & Fertilizer Optimization for Sustainable Agriculture (decision-support systems)

About the recruiter — UM6P
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is a research-and-innovation focused university in Morocco committed to African development. UM6P’s College of Computing (Benguerir & Rabat campuses) advances world-class research and education in Computer Science, fostering partnerships with industry and local stakeholders.

Project summary (one line)
Develop farmer-centric systems that fuse multi-modal remote sensing, soil and phenology data to enable crop classification and precise, customized fertilizer recommendations.

Selection criteria (short)

Required

PhD (awarded or defended before start) in Computer Science, Remote-Sensing/Geoinformatics, Agricultural Data Science, or related field.
Strong track record in remote-sensing imagery and/or time-series analysis and ML/DL for spatio-temporal data.
Advanced Python skills and experience with ML frameworks and geospatial tools (e.g., PyTorch/TensorFlow, rasterio/GDAL).
Ability to work independently and produce reproducible research outputs.
Good English (written & oral) and willingness to collaborate with agronomists and partners.

Preferred

Postdoc or ≥2 years research experience after PhD; first-author publications in relevant journals/conferences.
Experience with multimodal data fusion (optical/SAR/soil/phenology), satellite platforms (Sentinel/Landsat/GEE), and building reproducible pipelines.
Field/ground-truth experience, agronomic knowledge, or fertilizer-recommendation systems. French/Arabic useful for local engagement.

Application materials (required)

Cover letter (fit with CropID + available start date).
CV with links (ORCID, GitHub).
Research statement (1–2 pages) with a 12–18 month plan.
Up to 3 representative papers and links to code/datasets (if available).
2–3 referee contacts.

Selection & timeline (brief)
Shortlist based on research fit, technical skills, and interdisciplinarity. Top candidates invited for a technical interview covering past projects, a 6-month plan, reproducibility practices, and farmer-translation. Appointment: fixed-term (24 months), UM6P (Benguerir).

References

Moreno-Revelo, M.Y., Guachi-Guachi, L., Gomez-Mendoza, J.B., Revelo-Fuelagan, J. & Peluffo-Ordonez, D.H. (2021). Enhanced convolutional-neural-network architecture for crop classification. Applied Sciences, 11(9), 4292.

Bhattacharya, S. & Pandey, M. (2024). PCFRIMDS: Smart Next-Generation Approach for Precision Crop and Fertilizer Recommendations Using Integrated Multimodal Data Fusion for Sustainable Agriculture. IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics.

Postdoctoral Researcher in Animal Nutrition and Pastoralism

ASARI at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University is seeking a postdoctoral researcher with a PhD in Zootechny, Animal Nutrition, or Pastoralism to join its Animal Sciences team in Laayoune. The role focuses on applied and fundamental research in livestock production, particularly small ruminants and camels, with emphasis on animal nutrition, forage valorization, and rangeland management. The position involves significant fieldwork with farming communities, co-supervision of students, research proposal writing, and publication in peer-reviewed journals.

ASARI - Postdoc in botany and plant ecology

About ASARI

The African Sustainable Agriculture Research Institute (ASARI) launched by UM6P in Laayoune in 2020 within the Foum Eloued technopole project focuses on several research and development programs including biosaline agriculture, native species valorisation, camel value chain, water and renewable energy. The institute consists of a multidisciplinary team of agronomists, biochemists, molecular biologists, bioprocess specialists, animal scientist, etc to respond to regional challenges affecting marginal environments.

Job Summary

The postdoc will conduct research, prepare proposals, write reports and scientific papers to study the botany and ecology of native desert plant species of south of Morocco as well as their interaction of their ecosystems including the soil. The successful candidate will conduct field expeditions to collect plant and soil samples, characterize vegetation and their habitats as well as identifying plant species.

Job Responsibilities

Responsibilities will include but not limited to:

Develop clear and strong methodology according to high standards in the field of plant ecology and botany.
Conduct botanical expeditions to characterize native plant species of south of Morocco.
Collect plant and soil samples and study interactives synergies between native species and their ecosystems.
Identify plant species using botanical identification keys and AI tools.
Elaborate plant and soil databases
Conduct ethnobotanical field surveys
Elaborate atlas botanical book including design and content
Data scheduling, collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation.
Supervise PhD and Master students as well as interns
Project management including budget, materials, equipment, and staff

Additional responsibilities will include:

Research proposal writing for external funding
Report writing for research project
Manuscript writing and publication in referee journal.

The candidate will also be expected to help maintain all field and laboratory equipment, order supplies as needed, and help maintain research plot records and. Responsibilities also involve frequent travelling in desert environments at national and international level

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

Ph.D. in plant ecology, botany, plant science, or a closely related field
Field based botanical research experience is essential.
Expertise in of one of the following areas (please indicate in covering letter):
- Botany
- Plant ecology
- Taxonomy
- ethnobotany
Good publications record in refereed journals
Fluency in written and spoken English. French and Arabic will be a plus
Experience in working as a member of a multi-disciplinary team
Ability to initiate, conduct, and publish research in a scientific manner and to obtain external grant funding
Well-developed oral and written communication skills

Desirable:

Working knowledge of statistics and database management
Additional language skills, Arabic and French are desirable
Supervisory experience