Associate Professor in Desert Ecology Al Ain – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates Full-time

College of Agricul.&Veterinary Med. is hiring a Associate Professor in Desert Ecology Al Ain – Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates in Al Ain. This is a full-time position.

Desert ecology research in the UAE is not a niche academic exercise — it sits at the centre of the country’s food security strategy, climate adaptation agenda, and land restoration priorities. This faculty position at the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine asks you to build an externally funded research program that works directly on those problems, from saline soil rehabilitation and halophyte gene banking to carbon cycling in arid agroecosystems. You will also contribute to the Zayed Program for saline agriculture, one of the UAE’s flagship scientific initiatives connecting desert plant science to national genetic resource conservation. If your research addresses how ecosystems function — and fail — under extreme environmental stress, this role puts that work where it matters most.

Key Responsibilities for Associate Professor in Desert Ecology Al Ain

• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in desert ecology, soil ecology, environmental science, and sustainable agriculture. Develop new course content that reflects current research in arid systems.
• Supervise MSc and PhD students through the full research cycle, from proposal development through to thesis defense and publication.
• Establish and lead an internationally recognized, externally funded research program in desert ecology. Focus on areas such as soil-plant-microbiome interactions, salinity stress, carbon sequestration, or GHG dynamics in arid agroecosystems.
• Secure competitive research grants from national bodies such as ASPIRE and ADEK, as well as international agencies aligned with climate, food security, and sustainability priorities.
• Publish consistently in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals. Contribute findings that advance both scientific knowledge and applied practice in desert land management.
• Contribute to the Zayed Program for saline agriculture, including establishing and managing a gene bank for halophyte species and stress-tolerant crops.
• Lead research on sabkha soil rehabilitation, salinization mitigation, erosion control, and the development of innovative desert environment management technologies.
• Engage with industry partners, government agencies, and community stakeholders on salinity management, water-use efficiency, and soil restoration initiatives.
• Participate in departmental committees, college service, and interdisciplinary research initiatives linked to UAE national priorities in food security and climate change adaptation.

Requirements & Qualifications

• PhD in Plant Ecology, Soil Fertility, Desert Ecology, Environmental Science, Natural Resources, or a closely related discipline from a recognized institution.
• Demonstrated research productivity in one or more of the following: plant ecology in arid environments, soil fertility and nutrient cycling, salinity and drought stress management, or soil microbiome and ecosystem functioning.
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals relevant to desert, soil, or environmental science.
• Evidence of effective university-level teaching and student supervision experience.
• Experience working in arid or semi-arid environments, either in research or applied land management contexts.
• Track record of research grant acquisition or active participation in funded international projects.
• Expertise in one or more priority specializations: desert soil biogeochemistry, saline soil management, soil microbiome and plant-microbe interactions, climate-smart agriculture, bioremediation, or halophyte crop systems.
• Strong written and spoken English communication skills.

What You’ll Gain

• A direct role in shaping the UAE’s scientific response to desertification, soil degradation, and arid-land food production — research areas with immediate national policy relevance and strong government funding support.
• Institutional connection to the Zayed Program for saline agriculture, giving your research access to unique field sites, genetic resources, and applied research partnerships that few institutions globally can offer.
• A competitive, tax-free salary benchmarked at AED 25,000–40,000/month depending on rank and experience, consistent with UAEU faculty compensation at Assistant and Associate Professor level.
• A research environment at the UAE’s flagship university — ranked #229 globally (QS 2026) — with growing graduate cohorts, established lab infrastructure, and institutional support for interdisciplinary grant development across agriculture, environment, and climate science.