Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Benguerir, Morocco, is hiring a Postdoctoral Researcher in Membrane and Electrode Technologies for batteries and fuel cells. The post sits in the university’s ACER Centre of Excellence (ACER CoE), which works on chemistry and engineering process problems. You would make and test polymer membranes, build membrane electrode assemblies for fuel cells, design polymer electrolytes for safer lithium-ion batteries, and write papers and patents. The salary is not stated. The Deadline is 15 November 2026.
You apply through the Times Higher Education (THE) Unijobs form. UM6P asks for one file holding your CV, a cover letter and contact details for three referees. Below I explain what this UM6P postdoc job involves, the essential and desirable criteria, how to build that single application file, and how to judge whether you are a good fit.
UM6P postdoc in membrane and electrode technologies: key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employer | Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) |
| Unit | ACER Centre of Excellence (ACER CoE) |
| Location | Benguerir, Morocco |
| Job title | ACER COE Postdoctoral Researcher in Membrane and Electrode Technologies (for battery and fuel-cell systems) |
| Contract | Listed as permanent, full time; no duration given |
| Salary | Not stated |
| Start date | Not stated |
| Application documents | One file: detailed CV, cover letter and three referees’ contact details |
| How to apply | “Apply now” form on THE Unijobs listing 416668 |
| File rules | .doc, .docx, .pdf or .rtf, maximum 1 MB |
| Advert posted | 16 October 2026 |
| Closing date | 15 November 2026 |
Check the contract length
THE lists this postdoc as “permanent”, which is unusual for a postdoctoral post, and the advert gives no duration. Before you resign from a current job or move country, ask UM6P in writing how long the contract runs and what the renewal terms are.
What the ACER Centre of Excellence works on
The listing does not spell out the ACER acronym. It says the centre was set up to tackle long-standing process challenges in chemistry and engineering and to support interdisciplinary research. Its work covers catalysis, separation, energy generation, conversion and storage, organic optoelectronics, advanced polymers and materials. This postdoc sits where polymers and energy storage meet.
What the postdoc will do
The project aim is to develop and synthesise membranes, build them into working electrodes or electrolytes, and test how they perform in fuel cells and batteries. The two target applications are catalytic materials and electrodes for fuel cells, and polymer electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries. The duties are:
- Original research: on membranes and polymers for batteries and fuel cells.
- Characterisation: study membranes with physicochemical, structural, morphological and electrochemical techniques.
- Membrane electrode assemblies: combine polymer electrolyte membranes with catalytic electrodes, then build and optimise the assemblies.
- Battery electrolytes: design polymer electrolytes for safer batteries.
- Testing: run electrochemical and fuel-cell performance tests under controlled conditions.
- Reporting: analyse results and write characterisation and performance reports.
- Publishing: draft scientific papers and patents.
Requirements: essential and desirable
| Criterion | Status |
|---|---|
| PhD in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, electrochemistry, energy engineering, physics or a close field | Essential |
| Strong background in batteries, fuel cells, hydrogen technology or electrochemical energy conversion | Essential |
| Hands-on experience of membrane synthesis, processing and characterisation | Essential |
| Knowledge of electrode fabrication, catalyst deposition and electrode-forming methods | Essential |
| Skill in physicochemical and electrochemical characterisation | Essential |
| Ability to link material properties, electrode features and electrochemical performance in data analysis | Essential |
| Excellent written and spoken English | Essential |
| Experience of fuel-cell and battery testing, electrochemical measurements and hydrogen-consumption analysis | Desirable, “a significant advantage” |
| Multidisciplinary research and work on funded research programmes | Desirable |
The language requirement is English, not French or Arabic, so candidates from English-speaking countries are not at a disadvantage on paper. Daily life in Morocco is mostly in Arabic and French, and some French helps outside the lab.
How to show you meet the criteria
The essential list is long, and few candidates will tick every line from their PhD alone. What the panel needs is evidence they can check. This is how I would map common PhD and postdoc experience onto the listing:
- If your PhD was on fuel cells: lead with membrane electrode assembly work, catalyst inks and coating, and polarisation curves. Then show any polymer synthesis you did, because the post starts with making membranes.
- If your PhD was on lithium-ion batteries: lead with polymer or gel electrolytes, ionic conductivity measurements and cell cycling. Then show what you know about electrodes and catalysts, even from coursework or collaborations.
- If your PhD was on membranes for water or gas separation: you have the synthesis and characterisation side. Show any electrochemistry you have done and explain how your membrane skills transfer to proton or ion conduction.
- If you have hydrogen experience: say so directly. The listing names hydrogen technology and hydrogen-consumption analysis.
In each case, name the instruments and techniques. “Electrochemical characterisation” on its own tells the panel little; “impedance spectroscopy and linear sweep voltammetry on a [model] potentiostat” tells them you have done it.
Salary and pay context
UM6P does not give a salary, benefits or relocation package for this post, and I could not find a published UM6P pay scale. Ask at interview about the monthly salary, housing support, health cover and travel to conferences. For comparison, postdoc adverts in our job list that do state pay include the University of Helsinki (EUR 3,800 to 4,000 a month) and Durham University (GBP 39,560 to 46,970 a year). Those are different countries with very different living costs, so use them only as a rough guide to what to ask, not as a prediction of UM6P’s figure.
Visa and work permit
The listing says nothing about sponsorship. Foreign nationals working in Morocco generally need an approved employment contract and a residence card. Ask UM6P how it handles this for international postdocs and how long it takes, so your start date is realistic.
About UM6P and Benguerir
UM6P describes itself in the listing as an internationally oriented university focused on applied research and innovation. It is hiring widely: around 20 faculty and postdoc posts appear on its THE Unijobs employer page, from machine learning to geology. Benguerir is a small town in central Morocco, north of Marrakech, so expect a quieter campus life than in Casablanca or Rabat.
How to apply for the UM6P membrane and electrode postdoc
- Build one PDF: put your detailed CV, your cover letter and your three referees’ contact details into a single file, as the listing asks.
- Check the size: the file must be under 1 MB. Remove images and compress if needed.
- Open the listing: go to THE Unijobs listing 416668 and click “Apply now”.
- Fill in the form: first name, last name and email.
- Upload the file: use the CV field for your single combined PDF.
- Write the cover message: the form requires one. Use a shortened version of your cover letter.
- Submit by 15 November 2026: no closing time is given.
- Stay safe: the listing warns that no one should ask for your bank details. Report it to THE Unijobs if they do.
How to write the cover letter
UM6P asks for a cover letter with a short overview of your background, research, projects, activities, publications and key achievements. A structure that covers all of that in about one page:
- Opening: the post title and your PhD (field, university, year).
- Membranes: the membranes or polymers you have made, and the methods you used to characterise them.
- Electrodes and devices: any membrane electrode assemblies, coin cells or fuel-cell tests you built and ran.
- Results: two or three numbers, such as ionic conductivity, power density or cycle life, with the paper they appear in.
- Projects: funded projects you worked on and your role.
- Fit: why ACER CoE’s mix of polymers, catalysis and energy storage suits your next step.
A sample opening, for illustration only: “I am applying for the Postdoctoral Researcher post in Membrane and Electrode Technologies at ACER CoE. During my PhD in electrochemistry at [university], I synthesised [membrane type] membranes and tested them in [device], reaching [result] reported in [journal, year].”
What to include in the CV for a postdoc like this
| Section | What to show |
|---|---|
| Education | PhD title, supervisor, institution, year; thesis topic in one line |
| Research experience | Each post or project with techniques used (for example impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, SEM, XRD, membrane casting) |
| Equipment | Fuel-cell test stations, battery cyclers, glovebox work, catalyst coating methods |
| Publications | Full list, with your own name in bold and impact-relevant papers first |
| Patents and reports | Any patents or industry reports |
| Funding and projects | Projects you contributed to, funder and your role |
| Referees | Three names, positions, emails and phone numbers |
What the selection process usually looks like
The listing gives no timetable. A typical postdoc hiring round is a screen of applications by the centre’s researchers, an online interview with a short presentation of your PhD work, reference checks with your three referees and then an offer. Ask about the start date and contract length at interview.
Common mistakes
- Several separate files: UM6P asks for one file with CV, letter and referees. Follow that.
- A file over 1 MB: the form will reject it.
- Battery-only or fuel-cell-only framing: the post covers both. Show what you can transfer from one to the other.
- No numbers: describing your results without performance figures makes it hard to compare you with others.
- Not asking about duration: know the contract length before you accept.
Who should apply and who shouldn’t
Apply if you have, or are about to receive, a PhD in electrochemistry, materials, chemical engineering or a close field, with hands-on membrane work and some device testing. Researchers from Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia all fit, and the English-language requirement keeps the door open to applicants who do not speak French.
Don’t apply if your PhD is purely computational with no lab work, or your energy research is in solar cells with no membrane or electrolyte component. If you are still at master’s level and need funding for a PhD, see our list of scholarships for African students and our guide to scholarships in Germany.
Similar postdoc and research jobs to compare
| Role | Institution | Salary | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postdoc in Computational Catalysis and Machine Learning | UM6P, Morocco | Not stated | 6 November 2026 |
| Postdoctoral Research Associate, Onboard Carbon Capture | Durham University, UK | GBP 39,560 to 46,970 | 17 November 2026 |
| Postdoctoral Researcher, Computational Genomics | University of Helsinki, Finland | EUR 3,800 to 4,000 a month | 19 November 2026 |
| Assistant Professor, Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Quality | UM6P, Morocco | Not stated | 8 November 2026 |
FAQs about the UM6P postdoc job
What is the salary for a postdoc at UM6P?
UM6P does not state it for this post. Ask during the interview and get the figure, housing support and contract length in writing.
When is the deadline for the UM6P membrane and electrode postdoc?
15 November 2026. Apply early, as the listing gives no closing time.
Do I need to speak French to work at UM6P?
The listing asks for excellent English and does not mention French. Some French helps with daily life in Morocco.
How do I apply for the UM6P postdoc?
Use the “Apply now” form on THE Unijobs listing 416668 and upload one file under 1 MB containing your CV, cover letter and three referees’ contact details.
Sources and updates
I checked this post on 29 October 2026 against the Times Higher Education Unijobs listing 416668 and UM6P’s employer page on THE Unijobs. UM6P’s own website could not be opened while I checked. UM6P has not published a salary, start date, contract length or visa statement for this post. Comparison salaries come from the other employers’ adverts. 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.
