Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Morocco is hiring a Professor in Cyber Security / Privacy for its College of Computing (COLCOM). The post is open at all three ranks, assistant, associate and full professor, and it is permanent and full time. The person appointed will lead a research team of graduate students and teach undergraduate and graduate courses. The UM6P professor in cyber security job closes on 20 November 2026.
The advert promises “best in class salaries” without a figure, and lists housing, tuition fees, life and medical insurance, retirement provision, sabbatical and a research budget among the benefits. You apply online with a cover letter, CV, short research and teaching statements and three referees. This guide covers the role, the requirements at each rank, the application, how to write the research statement, and how this post compares with other cybersecurity and computing faculty jobs open now.
UM6P cyber security professor job: key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employer | Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) |
| Unit | College of Computing (COLCOM) |
| Location | Morocco. The advert does not name the campus |
| Rank | Assistant, associate or full professor |
| Contract | Permanent, full time |
| Field | Cybersecurity and privacy |
| Salary | Not stated. The advert says “best in class salaries” |
| Benefits | Housing, tuition fees, life and medical insurance, retirement, maternity leave, sabbatical, research budget allowance |
| Documents | Cover letter naming the position, detailed CV, brief research statement, brief teaching statement, contacts for at least three referees |
| How to apply | Online through the THE Unijobs listing (job 416775) |
| Closing date | 20 November 2026 |
| Visa sponsorship | Not mentioned in the advert |
Where the job is likely to be based
The advert says only “Morocco”. UM6P’s main campus is in Benguerir, a planned “Green City” about 70 km north of Marrakech, and it also has a campus in Rabat (on the Salé side). In October 2024 UM6P opened a Rabat branch of the College of Computing dedicated to cybersecurity, while the Benguerir site focuses on AI and machine learning. A cybersecurity professor could therefore be placed in Rabat, Benguerir or across both. Ask at interview, because daily life in the capital is quite different from life in a university town.
About Mohammed VI Polytechnic University
UM6P was established in 2013 under the OCP Foundation and officially inaugurated by King Mohammed VI in January 2017. It is a research-led university that says it aims to serve Morocco and Africa. Recent figures:
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| THE World University Rankings 2027 | 376 to 400 | Times Higher Education UM6P profile |
| THE World University Rankings 2026 | 351 to 400, 4th in Africa | Morocco World News, October 2025 |
| Students | 8,756 from 40 nationalities, 55% women | Morocco World News, October 2025 |
| Permanent professors | 379 | Morocco World News, October 2025 |
| Doctoral students | About 1,300 | Morocco World News, October 2025 |
| Publications 2020 to 2025 | More than 6,600 indexed, 85% in Q1 journals | Morocco World News, October 2025 |
UM6P also hosts the African Supercomputing Center, whose “Toubkal” system has been listed in the TOP500 of supercomputers. That matters if your privacy research needs heavy computation.
The College of Computing
When the Rabat branch opened in October 2024, the College of Computing reported 32 professors, 91 PhD students and 239 undergraduates. It offers engineering degrees and PhDs in computer science. The Rabat cybersecurity track is a three-year programme open to students from preparatory classes and bachelor’s programmes. Professor Rachid Guerraoui chairs the College’s steering committee. The college is recruiting heavily: THE currently lists seven COLCOM professor posts at once, in machine learning, computer vision, software systems, data sciences, cyber security and privacy, computer systems and bioinformatics.
What the professor will do
- Build a research group: lead a team of graduate students working on cybersecurity and privacy.
2. Teach: deliver undergraduate and graduate courses, including in the new cybersecurity programme.
3. Publish and win funding: the advert’s emphasis on research achievement means output will be the main measure.
4. Help shape a young college: with seven posts open at once, new hires will influence curricula and PhD recruitment.
The advert does not name a reporting line or start date. In most new colleges like this, professors report to the college leadership, and start dates are agreed at offer stage.
Requirements at each rank
The advert does not split essential and desirable criteria. It sets these conditions:
- All ranks: a PhD from a recognised university and substantial expertise in cybersecurity and privacy. Hiring is based on academic accomplishments.
- Assistant professor: evidence of “excellent research potential”. In practice that means strong PhD and postdoc publications and a clear independent research agenda.
- Associate and full professor: an established record of outstanding research achievements, which usually means an international publication record, grants, graduated PhD students and recognition in your field.
The advert does not mention a language requirement. UM6P teaches many programmes in English, and French is widely used in Moroccan higher education and daily life, so French helps but is not listed as required.
Salary and benefits
UM6P does not publish professor pay scales, and the advert gives no figure. It does list a strong benefits package: housing, tuition fees (relevant if you have children), life and medical insurance, retirement provision, maternity leave, sabbatical and a research budget allowance. The housing benefit is worth a lot, especially in a small town like Benguerir. Ask for the full package in writing at offer stage, including the research budget amount and any start-up funds.
Visa and work permit
The advert does not mention visas or work permits. Foreign nationals working in Morocco need a work contract approved by the authorities and a residence card. Employers of international staff normally guide new hires through this, but confirm with UM6P’s HR team what they handle and how long it takes.
How to apply for the UM6P cyber security professor job
- Open the listing: go to the THE Unijobs listing for job 416775 and click apply. The form asks for your name, email, a CV and optional supporting documents.
2. Check file limits: files must be .doc, .docx, .pdf or .rtf, up to 1MB each. Compress PDFs before you upload.
3. Write the cover letter: name the exact post, “COLCOM Professor in Cyber Security / Privacy”, and the rank you are applying for.
4. Add your statements: a brief research statement and a brief teaching statement. “Brief” suggests one to two pages each.
5. List three referees: give contact details for at least three, and get their consent first, since UM6P assumes they have agreed to be contacted.
6. Submit before 20 November 2026: no closing time is given, so submit a day early.
How to write the research statement
Keep it short and specific. A structure that fits a two-page limit:
- Your area in one paragraph: for example applied cryptography, privacy-preserving machine learning, network security or systems security.
2. Past results: two or three contributions, where they were published, and what changed because of them.
3. Next five years: two or three projects you could start at UM6P, with the PhD students you would need.
4. Why Morocco and UM6P: link your work to the region, for example securing digital public services, financial systems or critical infrastructure in Africa, and to the college’s Rabat cybersecurity centre.
5. Funding: where you would seek grants and which industry partners you would approach.
A sample opening, for illustration only: “My research designs privacy-preserving protocols for large-scale data systems; at UM6P I would build a group applying this work to digital identity and payment systems used across Africa.”
For the teaching statement, name two or three courses you could teach at once (for example introduction to computer security, cryptography, and network security), plus one graduate seminar in your speciality.
What happens after you apply
UM6P does not publish its timetable. Faculty searches at research universities usually go through a screening of files, a first video interview, a campus visit with a research talk and sometimes a teaching demonstration, and reference checks before an offer. With seven COLCOM posts open, expect the college to run interviews in batches after the November deadlines.
Common mistakes
- Uploading files over 1MB: the portal will reject them. Check sizes first.
- A generic cover letter: name the position and rank and say why UM6P.
- Long statements: the advert asks for brief ones. Respect that.
- Referees who have not agreed: UM6P assumes consent. Ask first.
- Not asking where you will live: Rabat and Benguerir are very different places to live.
Who should apply and who shouldn’t
You should apply if you hold a PhD in computer science or a related field with a research focus on security or privacy, have a strong publication record for your stage, and want to help build a young college. Researchers from African countries working abroad who want to return to the continent will find this one of the better-resourced options on the continent. Senior researchers who want to build a large group quickly should also look closely.
You probably shouldn’t apply if your work is mainly practical security operations without research output, or if you do not yet have a PhD. In that case, look at postdoc posts or graduate funding first, such as those in our guide to scholarships for African students.
How this job compares with similar posts
| Role | University | Salary as advertised | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professor in Machine Learning (COLCOM) | UM6P, Morocco | Not stated | 20 November 2026 |
| Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Cyber Security | RMIT Vietnam | Not stated | 18 November 2026 |
| Postdoctoral Associate, Center of Cyber Security | NYU Abu Dhabi | Not stated | 18 November 2026 |
| Associate/Full Professor, HCI | MBZUAI, Abu Dhabi | Competitive | 30 June 2027 |
The NYU Abu Dhabi post is the best stepping stone if you are not yet ready for a professorship. RMIT Vietnam is more teaching-focused.
Living in Benguerir or Rabat
Benguerir is a small town built around the university and OCP’s operations, with Marrakech about an hour’s drive south. Life there is quiet and campus-centred, and the housing benefit removes the largest cost. Rabat is Morocco’s capital, with more schools, shops and international flights, and higher rents. In both, daily costs are lower than in Europe or the Gulf. French and Moroccan Arabic (Darija) are the everyday languages, with English common on campus.
FAQs about the UM6P cyber security professor job
What is the salary for a professor at UM6P?
The advert gives no figure and says “best in class salaries”. Benefits include housing, tuition fees, insurance, retirement and a research budget.
When is the deadline for the UM6P cyber security job?
20 November 2026. No closing time is given, so apply a day early.
Can an assistant professor apply for this UM6P job?
Yes. The post is open at assistant, associate and full professor rank. Assistant applicants need to show excellent research potential.
Do I need to speak French to work at UM6P?
The advert does not require French. English is widely used in teaching and research, but French helps with daily life in Morocco.
Sources and updates
I checked this post on 29 October 2026 against the Times Higher Education Unijobs listing and the copy on Inside Higher Ed Careers. UM6P’s current College of Computing vacancies come from its THE employer page. University figures come from Morocco World News’s October 2025 report on the THE 2026 rankings, the Times Higher Education UM6P profile (2027 rankings), and Morocco World News’s report of 31 October 2024 on the Rabat cybersecurity branch. UM6P has not published a salary figure, campus or start date for this post. I will update this page if the deadline changes.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
