AGBS - Post-Doctoral Fellow in Plant Phenotyping and Image Analysis

College of Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Science (CSAES)

AgroBioSciences program (AgBS)

Position Announcement - Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), College of Agriculture and Environmental Science (CSAES), AgroBioSciences program (AgBS),

Duration: 3 years

Location: Benguerir – Morocco

Areas of research:

Plant Phenotyping, Image Analysis,

About UM6P:

Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P, https://www.um6p.ma/en) is an international higher education institution, established to provide research and innovation at the service of education and development for Morocco and the African continent. It has a state-of-the-art campus at the heart of the Green City of Benguerir, near Marrakesh. UM6P academics and staff enjoy strong research funding, moderate teaching loads, and excellent facilities. Its research approach is transdisciplinary with an emphasis on international collaboration. Many of our research programs run as start-ups. OCP group (http://www.ocpgroup.ma/en/home), a world leader in fertilizer production, is a major starter client for the University providing capital and research funds. In parallel, a new portfolio of clients is growing with the development of an R&D cluster around the University and a growing number of international partnerships.

About the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science (CAES) and AgroBiosciences Program (AgBS) at UM6P:

The College of Agriculture and Environmental Science (CAES) is a component of the Science & Technology pole of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P). It constitutes a structure of higher education and practical-based research with a vision of solving real African agriculture challenges leveraging up to date science and technology. Oriented towards Africa, CAES acts in connection with a wide network of universities and research centers around the continent in order to link real field issues with up-to-date science. Research on plant nutrition, (a)biotic stresses resistance and biofortification is part of the AgroBiosciences Program (AgBS) with main focus on Moroccan and African agriculture challenges in particular meeting the food and nutritional security.

About the PHENO-MA Platform:

The PHENO-MA is an innovative research platform for high-throughput plant phenotyping built and established at the University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) in Benguerir – Morocco. It can be used to assess plant responses to nutrient deficiency, drought, high temperature, pests, and diseases, and exploring smart solutions to enhance resistance and boost crop productivity. The platform includes:

• An outdoor system with a (i) a fully automated lysimetric system with 1400 large container (mini-plots) to study water dynamics and drought scenarios simulation under close-to-field conditions, and (ii) a fully autonomous phenotyping robot, Phenomobile.v2+, equipped with a set of sensors (LiDAR, RGB, IR, and Spectrometer) that enable advanced plant measurements, that allow us to assess plant’s water budget in response to abiotic stress and nutrients’ application. 
• An indoor system with (i) the phenotyping machines, "PhenoMerzouga.v2", which is a small-scale lysimetric system for simulating climate change scenarios, and (ii) 150 m² of growth chambers and speed breeding platform to accelerate the genetic gain and germplasm development.

Job description:

We are seeking a Post-Doctoral Fellow specializing in Plant Phenotyping using Image Analysis. The successful candidate will conceive state-of-the-art imaging technologies and data analysis methods for high throughput quantification of plant traits in response to various stresses and cropping systems. This role is critical for enhancing the understanding of genotype interactions with environmental factors and developing resilient crop varieties. The successful candidate is expected to work with an interdisciplinary team to develop research programs revolving around crop improvement. The position is part of the PHENO-MA platform team. Priority will be given to the candidates having research experience particularly in international research organizations and on African agricultural challenges. Evidence and excellence in research and teaching are required all with the ability to professional engagement with a diverse faculty, staff, and students across the university and externally are required. Good English communication skills; both verbal and written are required.

Main responsibilities:

The successful candidate is expected to:

• Develop and implement innovative image analysis methods to quantify plant characteristics.
• Collaborate on multidisciplinary projects involving high-throughput phenotyping platforms.
• Apply machine learning and deep learning techniques to improve image processing and trait prediction.
• Analyze large datasets generated by the Phenomobile.v2+ to identify key traits affecting crop performance under stress conditions. 
• Implementing a multimodal approach for large-scale data analysis using CPU and GPU Solutions at the UM6P Data Center. 
• Innovate and improve image analysis algorithms for plant trait quantification.
• Collaborate with international research teams and contribute to joint publications and presentations.
• Develop research proposals for funding from potential donors and prepare submissions for external, and international funding to support and maintain integrated research programs.
• Supervise graduate and undergraduate students, develop teaching materials, and attract high level-students. 
• Contribute to the multidisciplinary research team in the development of the Crop Improvement team, 
• Contribution to establishing and/or maintaining collaboration with other research entities at SAES college, UM6P and external partners, 

Education, qualifications and experience

• PhD in a relevant field such as plant sciences, computational biology, or bioengineering with a focus on image analysis.
• Proven experience with image processing software and techniques.
• Background in plant biology and physiology, especially related to stress responses.
• Experience with high-throughput phenotyping tools and data analysis.
• Publication record demonstrating expertise in phenotyping, image analysis, or related fields.
• High publication record; books, book chapters, and research papers in leading international and well-ranked journals.
• Excellent English communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Aptitude for teamwork, problem-solving and collaborative work. 

Employment terms:

The successful candidate will be employed on a competitive salary by the University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) based in Benguerir, Morocco.

Applications and selection procedure:

Applications must be sent using a single electronic zipped folder with the mention of the job title in the mails subject. The folder must contain:

• Cover letter indicating the position applied for and the main research interests. 
• Detailed CV.
• Contact information of 3 references (Applicants are assumed to have obtained their references’ consent to be contacted for this matter).

Applications are to be submitted directly on the hiring platform.

Contact information: moez.amri@um6p.ma