Postdoctoral Fellow in Plant Nutrition and Fertilization

About the role

The ASARI Institute at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Laayoune, Morocco, is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow in Plant Nutrition and Fertilization. The research aims to develop sustainable soil fertility management systems for marginal agricultural soils, especially under salinity and drought, focusing on phosphate rock and its use with legumes, cereals, grasses and vegetables. The fellow conducts field, greenhouse and laboratory trials, analyzes data and publishes in high-impact journals, working within an interdisciplinary team.

Key responsibilities

• Design and run field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments to test phosphate rock and other fertilization strategies
• Study how soil amendments, cropping systems and environmental stressors affect plant nutrition and growth
• Analyze plant tissues, soils and fertilizers for nutrient uptake, soil health and fertilizer efficiency
• Manage and analyze experimental data with statistical and modeling tools
• Write research papers and present findings at conferences and workshops
• Collaborate with scientists, agronomists and environmental specialists, and with local and international partners
• Help plan, execute and report research projects
• Mentor PhD students and research assistants and train them in experimental techniques, data analysis and scientific writing

Required profile

• Ph.D. in Plant Nutrition, Soil Science, Agronomy, Crop Science or a closely related field
• Proven experience in field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments on plant nutrition and soil fertility
• Familiarity with marginal soils under salinity and drought is highly desirable
• Good publication record in peer-reviewed journals
• Excellent written and spoken English; knowledge of French or Arabic is an advantage

Required skills

• Soil and plant analysis techniques, such as nutrient quantification and soil microbial assays
• Statistical software such as R, SAS or SPSS and data modeling tools
• Knowledge of integrated soil fertility management and sustainable agriculture

The position is based at the ASARI Institute in Laayoune, with possible fieldwork in marginal and desert agricultural regions. It is initially a one-year appointment, extendable by performance and funding availability. Applicants submit a CV with publications, a cover letter and contact details for three references.