Postdoctoral Fellow – Bio-based Materials for Sustainable Agriculture

About the role

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to join the Sustainable Materials Research Center at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. The research focuses on developing bio‑inspired, circular‑economy‑driven materials for sustainable agriculture, particularly at the water–soil interface.

Key responsibilities

• Design, formulate, and characterize biobased hydrogels, polymers, and composites for agricultural use.
• Develop and optimise protocols for nutrient encapsulation and controlled release.
• Study water‑use efficiency, soil moisture dynamics and nutrient availability in arid and semi‑arid conditions.
• Apply analytical techniques such as FTIR, UV–Vis, XRD, DLS, SEM‑EDS, TEM and TGA/DSC for material characterisation.
• Maintain detailed experimental records and prepare manuscripts for high‑impact journals.
• Present findings at national and international conferences.
• Contribute to research proposals and external funding applications.
• Assist in supervising master’s and doctoral students.

Required profile

• Ph.D. awarded recently in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Hands‑on experience in polymer/hydrogel synthesis, biopolymer modification and development of water‑retentive formulations.

Required skills

• Polymer synthesis
• Hydrogel formulation
• Biopolymer modification
• FTIR
• UV–Vis spectroscopy
• XRD
• DLS
• SEM‑EDS
• TEM
• TGA/DSC