Mohammed VI Polytechnic University

International Water Research Institute (IWRI)

Position Announcement: PhD position in water resources management

Area of specialization: Groundwater economics and policy

Expected starting date: November 2021

Job description:

The PhD student will work on the research project “An Appraisal for the Experimental Substantiation for the Inclusive Groundwater Management Contract Project in Morocco”. The aim of this project is to contribute promoting economic field experiments’ applications to enhance the understanding of water users’ decision making and monitor the impact of groundwater management policies. The main example that will be considered in the PhD investigation is the case of “contrat de nappe”; the study will help in providing framework and insights to ongoing efforts to monitor the effects and assess the outcomes of such policies in selected regions in Morocco.

Key duties:

• Conduct a state-of-the-art review on the use of experiments in water resources research, with a special focus on groundwater management and water users’ cooperation.
• Be actively involved in the development of the research plan.
• Develop questionnaires and other experimental material to better understand farmers decision making and their water use behavior
• Conduct field (and laboratory) experiments to collect experimental data, and administer questionnaire to complete the analysis
• Collect and analyze the collected data, using appropriate statistical tools, and publish the results in peer-reviewed journals.
• Be involved in other projects at IWRI.

Criteria of the candidate:   

The potential applicant must hold a higher university degree (Engineering, MSc or equivalent) in a relevant field (Agricultural engineering, Applied Economics, or Water Resources Management and Policy), and the ability to complete the doctoral studies within the targeted timeframe of four years. Candidates with backgrounds in one of the aforementioned fields with a previous relevant industry/executive experience are particularly encouraged to apply.

Skills:   

Ideal candidate should be strongly self-motivated, keen to innovate, can work well in an interdisciplinary research environment, and with rigorous work ethics. He/she should be able to deliver outputs (scientific publications, presentations, and the dissertation) in the targeted timeframes, and according to the international standards of excellence.

The skill set sought in an ideal applicant includes:

• Solid acquaintance with water and groundwater management
• Experience with economic experiments and/or survey questionnaire studies
• Knowledge of data management and statistical analysis.
• English and French language proficiency
• Good writing skills