Role of subsurface soil salinity and sodicity on agricultural land productivity in the semi-arid

About UM6P:

Located at the heart of the future Green City of Benguerir, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), a higher education institution with international standards, is established to contribute to the development of Morocco and the African continent. Its vision is honed around research and innovation at the service of education and development. This unique nascent university, with its state-of-the-art campus and infrastructure, has woven a sound academic and research network, and its recruitment process is seeking high quality academics and professionals in order to boost its quality-oriented research environment in the metropolitan area of Marrakech.

About CRSA:

CRSA is a transversal structure across several UM6P Programs. Research within the center is organized around several major areas that aim to ensure the challenging Food and Water security goal in Africa, with a special focus on developing methods/tools that use multi-source remotely sensed data. The research aims to improve our understanding of the integrated functioning of continental surfaces and their interaction with climate and humans, with emphasis on sustainable management of natural resources (soil, land, water, agriculture) in the context of Climate Change. One of center's goals is to provide a set of services and operational products to users (local, national and international) that aid in the decision support of water and food systems.

About the Position: The CRSA is a leading research hub dedicated to advancing geospatial science and Earth observation technologies for sustainable agriculture, environmental management, and climate resilience.

Soil salinization poses a significant challenge to agricultural productivity in Sehb El Masjoune, central Morocco, where recent studies have revealed a hard subsoil or near-surface rock gypsum layer at varying depths. However, the influence of this layer on subsurface and topsoil salinity, sodicity, and vegetation remains poorly understood. The CRSA is inviting applications for a PhD position focused on examining the impact of subsurface soil salinity and rock gypsum on agricultural land productivity and organic matter dynamics in this semi-arid region of southern Morocco. The successful candidate will: (i) Characterize the spatial and temporal variability of soil salinity by integrating very-high-resolution remote and proximal sensing techniques (e.g., near-surface sensing, UAV-based hyperspectral imaging) with in situ measurements. (ii) Assess the influence of the rock gypsum layer on soil salinity at various depths across Sehb El Masjoune. (iii) Conduct field soil surveys to collect data for lithological characterization, and to map the spatial distribution and topography of the near-surface rock gypsum layer. (iv) Evaluate the role of salt-affected soils in contributing to organic carbon stocks in semi-arid environments. (v) Collaborate within a multidisciplinary research team comprising experts in soil science, remote sensing, and Earth observation technologies.

Qualifications and Requirements -- The ideal candidate should have:

• A Master or Engineering degree in soil remote sensing, plant-soil interactions, near-surface geology, or a related discipline.
• Experience in field-based soil and environmental research, preferably in agriculture or mining environments.
• Strong expertise in hyperspectral remote sensing and geographic information science (GIS) for mapping and monitoring agricultural soils and vegetation at field and regional scales.
• Proficiency in programming (e.g., Python, R) and experience with machine learning for geospatial data analysis.
• Experience working in a collaborative research environment and the ability to contribute effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Fluency in English is required; proficiency in French is an advantage.
• We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

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