IWIRI - Postdoctoral fellowship in Integrated Hydrological Modeling in coastal areas

IWIRI - Postdoctoral  fellowship in Integrated Hydrological Modeling in coastal areas

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, the UM6P promotes transdisciplinary, entrepreneurship spirit and collaboration with external institutions for developing up to date science and at continent level in order to address real challenges.
All our programs run as start-ups and can be self-organized when they reach a critical mass. Thus, academic liberty is promoted as far as funding is developed by research teams.

About IWRI
International Water Research Institute (IWRI/UM6P) aims to rethink and adapt research, development, innovation and training to new paradigms to meet the future challenges of water and climate.
IWRI implements interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary education and research programs around issues related to Water and Climate, on the campus of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Benguerir, as well as two future Research and Innovation platforms dedicated to Water at the Mazagan Campus and Laayoune Technopole. Its ambition is to act as an African Water Hub through triangular strategic cooperation and partnerships (International Open Space Exchange Platform).
The objectives are to conduct cutting-edge research where local themes are connected to global issues of water and climate, with a focus on:

• Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM),
• Development of advanced water technologies (irrigation, water supply and sanitation, desalination, wastewater treatment and reuse),
• Hydro-informatics,
• Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies.

Job description:

IWRI is looking for a highly skilled and motivated postdoctoral researcher with advanced expertise in hydrological modeling, including ecohydrological models like the SWAT model for surface water, as well as groundwater modeling using MODFLOW with focus on coastal areas.

Key duties:

• Utilize advanced hydrological modeling techniques, including ecohydrological models such as the SWAT model for surface water and groundwater modeling using MODFLOW across different Moroccan catchment and potentially at a national scale for Morocco and a continental scale for Africa with focus on hydrological processes and water management challenges in coastal areas.
• Implement fully coupling of these models to comprehensively investigate surface water-groundwater interactions in Moroccan coastal areas.
• Apply integrated hydrological modeling to assess the impact of anthropogenic activities, including agricultural water pumping and other human-induced alterations, as well as the effects of climate change on the intricate dynamics of the water cycle, particularly within Moroccan coastal areas .
• Play an active role in supervising and providing guidance to IWRI's PhD students and interns who are actively involved in hydrological modeling research.

Qualifications:

• PhD in Water Resources Science or a closely related field with a focus on integrated hydrological modeling.
• Strong background in hydrological modeling, with expertise in ecohydrological models (e.g., SWAT) and groundwater modeling (MODFLOW).
• In-depth knowledge of water resource challenges specific to Morocco.
• Proficiency in understanding coastal area hydrological processes and seawater intrusion.
• Experience in using hydrogeochemical and isotopic tools is preferable.
• Effective communication skills in both English and French (both written and oral).
• Demonstrated track record of high quality  scientific publications.
• International experience and a demonstrated ability to collaborate with researchers at both national and international levels are highly regarded.
• Experience in co-supervising students is important.