CRSA - Post-Doctoral Researcher in Hyperspectral Remote Sensing for Soil Fertility Mapping

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.

Job description:

We are seeking a highly motivated Post-Doctoral Researcher to join our team at the Centre for Remote Sensing Applications (CRSA). The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in advancing our research project focused on leveraging hyperspectral remote sensing for soil fertility mapping and crop nutrient management in selected African nations. The Post-Doctoral Researcher will be responsible for conducting innovative research and developing advanced data fusion techniques to integrate hyperspectral data from multiple sources, including UAVs, Earth Observation satellites, and proximal spectroradiometers. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research that addresses critical challenges in agricultural sustainability and food security across Africa.

Key Duties: 

• Conduct research to develop advanced data fusion techniques for integrating hyperspectral data for soil fertility mapping.
• Collaborate with project team members to collect and analyze hyperspectral data using UAVs, Earth Observation satellites, and proximal spectroradiometers.
• Lead efforts to validate and calibrate hyperspectral data for soil fertility mapping and crop nutrient management assessments.
• Contribute to the development of spectral libraries and hyperspectral imagery for soil fertility mapping and crop monitoring.
• Disseminate research findings through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at conferences and workshops.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics, Agronomy, or a related field.
• Strong background in hyperspectral remote sensing and image analysis for soil fertility mapping.
• Experience with data fusion techniques and multispectral/hyperspectral data processing.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R for data analysis and processing.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment.
• Physically fit and willing to engage in extensive fieldwork in various African countries as part of the research project.