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 for soil fertility and crop productivity.
• 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, including microbial activity.
• Collect, manage and analyze data with statistical and modeling tools, and interpret results into recommendations.
• Write research papers for peer-reviewed journals 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, and supervise and train PhD students and research assistants.

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.
• Motivated, organized, detail-oriented, with strong problem-solving skills and teamwork abilities.

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. Applications require a CV with publications, a cover letter and contact details for three references.