Postdoctoral Researcher – Bioinspired Circular Biomass Conversion

About the role

The International Water Research Institute (IWRI) at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University seeks a motivated postdoctoral researcher to advance bioinspired, circular‑economy materials for water‑retentive agricultural systems. The successful candidate will work in an interdisciplinary team to design supramolecular materials derived from multi‑source biomass, targeting soil hydration, nutrient retention and climate‑smart agriculture.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct original, internationally competitive research on bioinspired materials, biostimulant matrices and water‑retentive biobased systems.
• Design, synthesize and optimise functional materials from renewable feedstocks (marine and lignocellulosic) for water retention, soil hydration and nutrient stabilisation.
• Perform comprehensive physicochemical characterisation (FTIR, UV‑Vis, XRD, DLS, SEM‑EDS, TEM, TGA/DSC).
• Run greenhouse or laboratory experiments to evaluate water retention, soil hydration, plant germination and agronomic performance under water stress.
• Prepare, submit and publish high‑impact peer‑reviewed articles and present findings at international conferences.
• Mentor and co‑supervise Master’s and PhD students, and coordinate collaborative activities.

Required profile

• PhD in Chemistry, Materials Science or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in sustainable processing of multi‑source biomass feedstocks and/or development of biobased/bio‑inspired materials.
• Strong background in biopolymers, modification and supramolecular assembly.
• Proven record of publishing peer‑reviewed scientific papers.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Ability to work independently and within a multicultural, multidisciplinary team.

Required skills

• FTIR spectroscopy
• UV‑Vis spectroscopy
• X‑ray diffraction (XRD)
• Dynamic light scattering (DLS)
• Scanning electron microscopy with EDS (SEM‑EDS)
• Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
• Thermogravimetric analysis / Differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC)
• Biopolymer synthesis and modification
• Supramolecular assembly techniques
• Hydrogel formulation and characterisation
• Greenhouse experimental design for water‑stress studies