About UM6P:
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is an internationally oriented institution of higher learning, that is committed to an educational system based on the highest standards of teaching and research in fields related to the sustainable economic development of Morocco and Africa. UM6P is an institution oriented towards applied research and innovation. On a specific focus on Africa, UM6P aims to position these fields as the forefront and become a university of international standing.
More than just a traditional academic institution, UM6P is a platform for experimentation and a pool of opportunities, for students, professors and staff. It offers a high-quality living and study environment thanks to its state-of-the-art infrastructure. With an innovative approach, UM6P places research and innovation at the heart of its educational project as a driving force of a business model.
In its research approach, UM6P promotes transdisciplinary, entrepreneurship and collaboration with external institutions for developing up to date science and at continent level in order to address real challenges.
The research programs are integrated from long-term research to short-term applications in linkage with incubation and start-up ecosystems.
About CBS:
The Chemical & Biochemical Sciences Green Process Engineering Department (CBS) is an entity of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P). The main objective of CBS is to set up a distinctive research-teaching program of international level, in order to meet the research and teaching challenges of UM6P, in particular on green and environmental chemistry applied to all aspects of chemical sciences: organic and inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, chemical biology, biochemical and thermal reactions.
Research at CBS is organized around several major areas, which aim to answer challenging industrial questions, from complex chemical and biochemical reactions to scale-up and validation of process engineering. CBS projects aim at an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms of all transformations in order to propose new original alternatives in terms of efficiency, environmental friendliness and sustainability.
Job Description
We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled postdoctoral researcher in Fertilizer Science to join our research team at CBS, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Benguerir, Morocco.
The candidate will play a key role in advancing applied research related to the development, characterization, and evaluation of innovative fertilizer formulations. The overall objective is to develop efficient fertilizer products designed to improve nutrient availability, nutrient-use efficiency, soil fertility, and crop performance under relevant agricultural conditions.
As a successful candidate, you will be actively involved in multidisciplinary research activities including fertilizer formulation, physicochemical characterization, laboratory testing, greenhouse experiments, and agronomic validation.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and formulate new simple and complex fertilizer products
- Contribute to the optimization of fertilizer formulations to improve nutrient stability, homogeneity, physical quality, and agronomic efficiency.
- Characterize produced fertilizer formulations using physicochemical and analytical tools to assess their structure, composition, stability, and performance.
- Evaluate the physical quality of fertilizer products
- Analyze the chemical composition of raw materials, intermediate products, and final fertilizer formulations.
- Conduct laboratory and greenhouse experiments to assess fertilizer performance under controlled and relevant conditions.
- Evaluate plant growth responses, biomass production, root development, nutrient uptake, and mineral nutrition following fertilizer application.
- Contribute to soil and plant analyses to assess nutrient availability and fertilizer efficiency.
- Design experimental protocols, supervise trials, collect data, and perform statistical analysis of experimental results.
- Communicate research progress, technical challenges, and key results to the project team through reports, presentations, and regular meetings.
- Prepare scientific reports, technical deliverables, peer-reviewed publications, conference communications, and patent-related documents.
- Contribute to collaborative research activities with internal and external partners and support the coordination of project tasks.
Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Agronomy, Plant sciences, Soil Science, or a related field.
- Strong background in fertilizer formulation, plant nutrition, soil fertility, or agronomic evaluation of fertilizing products.
- Experience in designing, developing, and characterizing simple or complex fertilizer formulations.
- Good knowledge of techniques used to evaluate the physicochemical properties and physical quality of fertilizers.
- Ability to analyze the chemical composition of raw materials and finished products.
- Experience in planning, conducting, and analyzing laboratory, greenhouse, or field experiments.
- Good understanding of soil-plant-fertilizer interactions and nutrient-use efficiency.
- Experience with organo-mineral fertilizers, biostimulants, micronutrient formulations, or sustainable crop nutrition strategies would be considered an asset.
- Skills in plant growth assessment, biomass measurement, nutrient uptake evaluation, and interpretation of agronomic data.
- Excellent problem-solving skills, creativity, scientific rigor, and ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team environment.
- Good publication track record in peer-reviewed journals.
Application and Selection
- Detailed Curriculum Vitae;
- Cover letter along with a synthetic presentation of the background, research works, projects and activities, publications, and key achievements;
