Senior Scientist – Soil Management

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 Responsibilities

• 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

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• PhD in soil sciences, soil health, and soil fertility management, or related field
• 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 Fren ch (Desirabl e)