Senior Scientist Soil Management

International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA)

Job Summary

To lead the development and implementation of innovative soil management strategies that enhance the productivity, resilience, and sustainability of salt-affected and arid lands. The role integrates advanced approaches to support ICBA s mission in biosaline agriculture, focusing on soil health, land suitability, and sustainable crop-soil-water interactions. The Senior Scientist will generate impactful research, develop strategic partnerships, and build regional capacity to address soil-related challenges in arid and saline environments.

Job Responsibilitie

• Secure external funding through proposal development and strategic donor engagement and national priorities, ensuring alignment with ICBA s research priorities and regional impact goals
• Evaluate land suitability for agricultural production and identify soil degradation risks associated with salinization, groundwater depletion, land-use change, and climate variability, in collaboration with water and crop scientists
• Lead the development of innovative soil management systems tailored to saline and degraded environments, enhancing soil fertility and soil health to support sustainable biosaline agriculture
• Design and implement soil amendment, restoration solutions, and Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) to improve physical, chemical, and biological soil properties under saline and arid conditions
• Conduct and oversee soil classification and mapping using advanced techniques, supporting land evaluation and soil suitability analyses for climate-resilient, salt-tolerant crops, and halophytes
• Assess and optimize soil-water-plant interactions, with emphasis on nutrient cycling, salinity dynamics, and water-use efficiency in salt-affected and arid soils
• Utilize GIS, remote sensing, and spatial analysis tools for soil and land use mapping, contributing to regional land degradation assessments and climate-resilient land use planning
• Develop and manage interdisciplinary R&D projects aligned with ICBA s strategic focus areas, including soil reclamation, biosaline agriculture, and climate-smart land management
• Disseminate research outcomes through high-impact scientific publications and technical reports, contributing to global knowledge on sustainable soil use in saline and arid environments
• Build and sustain partnerships with national, regional, and international research institutions, fostering knowledge exchange and collaborative innovation in soil and land resource management
• Design and deliver capacity development initiatives, including training, workshops, and field-based demonstrations for scientists, extension agents, and decision-makers in soil health and biosaline agriculture
• Mentor researchers, technicians, and field teams, ensuring the application of rigorous field protocols and laboratory procedures in soil science
• Manage the soil and water laboratory at ICBA to comply with international accreditation

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Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• PhD in soil sciences, soil health, and soil fertility management, or related fields
• At least 10 years of post-PhD experience in soil management research; preferably with regional or international research experience
• Sound knowledge of methods and approaches for spatial analysis and assessment, as well as associated tools (GIS, remote sensing, statistics)
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals
• Experience working in Soil Laboratory Analysis
• Proven success in obtaining research grant funding from international donors and effective project management
• Proven capacity to manage multidisciplinary and international research teams and projects
• Effective communication skills, with an emphasis on presenting and disseminating research information
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Knowledge of Arabic and/or French is (Desirable, not essential).