Local recruitment: PhD Position: Agricultural water availability, productivity, and food security in the coastal zone of Bangladesh under changing climate and management scenarios

(This vacancy is aimed at Bangla speaking candidates)

Are you a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual passionate about sustainable water management for food production under a changing climate, and eager to develop your expertise in these fields? Do you want to be part of an interdisciplinary research team tackling the critical challenges of agricultural water availability and food security in the coastal zone of Bangladesh? Are you proficient in Bangla and English? Then we may have the perfect opportunity for you!

We are looking for a proactive and self-motivated PhD candidate to join our NWO-funded Coast-Water-Solutions project team (4 years, Sandwich program; 18-months at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and rest of the time will be based at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) in Bangladesh to (i) simulate the production potential of salt-tolerant and water-efficient crops and assess their productivity across a range of soil and water salinity conditions, (ii) estimate agricultural water demand and evaluate the impact of available water resources on agricultural production needs. The work will be carried out focusing the development of a “Living Lab” in the south western coastal zone of Bangladesh.

Coast-Water-Solutions project: Most large deltas (70%), including the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna (GBM) delta, are under a constant threat of groundwater overexploitation, saltwater intrusion, freshwater scarcity, land subsidence, and pollution due to anthropogenic and climatic pressures. Home to millions, the GBM delta is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions, facing existential threats from relative sea-level rise and extreme weather. Furthermore, salinity as well as arsenic and other groundwater (toxic) contaminations drastically reduces freshwater availability of high quality for coastal population and agriculture, a problem projected to worsen due to climate change and increased human pressure.

The Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP2100) identified the coastal region as one of the hotspots and seeks to ensure sustainable water-system management to mitigate future freshwater scarcity by developing effective techniques and strategies for reducing stress on safe water resources. To support the practical implementation of the BDP2100, the Coast-Water-Solutions project aims to close crucial knowledge gaps on the functioning of the coastal (ground)water system and develop much-needed, science-informed strategies to secure future access to clean freshwater for WASH and food production. The project aims to create an integrated understanding of the (ground)water system. Collaborating with stakeholders, it will co-create site-specific, acceptable technologies and adaptation, mitigation, and management strategies for implementation in Bangladesh.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Co-develop your PhD research proposal within the framework and deliverables of the Coast-Water-Solutions project;
• Identify and characterize salt-tolerant and water-efficient crops and identify potential zones for crop and aquaculture areas;
• Simulate production potential of salt-tolerant and water-efficient crops and improved soil and crop-water productivity models, coupling them with a distributed groundwater model to simulate soil and crop water requirements; enhance the Bangladesh Meta-model’s soil and crop-water simulation capabilities and apply the Meta-model for impact modelling;
• Evaluate crop productivity under varying salinity conditions;
• Estimate agricultural water demand based on crop and salinity conditions and evaluate the impact of the proposed nature-based solutions or management strategies (e.g., MAR) on crop production, aquaculture, and food and water security;
• Actively engage and collaborate within the larger project team (other PhDs and project teams) towards the common goals of the project;
• Commitment to the project’s required travel, including an 18-month stay (structured as 6+6+6 months) at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, followed by a return to Bangladesh for the rest of the project period to work and reside at Bangladesh Agricultural University for research, including living lab field experiments, data collection, meetings, and collaboration with local stakeholders:
• Publishing your research in peer-reviewed scientific journal papers and presenting your results at conferences.

You will work here

The selected PhD candidate will be appointed for a 4-year full time PhD position at Bangladesh Agricultural University and registered for the PhD Programme at Wageningen University (The Netherlands). Candidate having a permanent position in a Bangladeshi Institution/Organization will need to take study leave/deputation for the project period granted by the employer.

During your 18-month stay at Wageningen University, the research is embedded within the Hydrology and Environmental Hydraulics Group (HWM), a dynamic and committed team of 14 academics, 5 support staff, 3 postdocs and 29 PhD researchers, which is led by Prof.dr. Martine van der Ploeg. Your main supervisors from this group will be Dr. ir. Syed Mustafa and Dr. Victor Bense.

This position will be shared with the Physical Geography group of Utrecht University (UU). From the Physical Geography group (UU), you will be supervised by Dr.ir. Gualbert Oude Essink.

For the rest of your program, you will be based at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Bangladesh, as this position is shared with the Department of Irrigation and Water Management. From the Department of Irrigation and Water Management, you will be supervised by Prof. dr. Md. Abdul Mojid.

Your qualities

For this position, we are looking for enthusiastic candidates with a strong educational background preferably, but not necessarily, in Agricultural Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Earth Sciences, Environmental Science/Engineering, Irrigation and Water Resources Management, Hydrology, Geology or related field, preferably with a proven background in, or willingness to learn, crop water field investigation, and crop water modelling. Openness to collaborate within interdisciplinary and multi-cultural project teams, stakeholders, and research groups at Wageningen University (WU), Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), and other (inter)nationally institutes, both in the Netherlands and Bangladesh, is a must. Experience in crop water field investigation techniques, crop water modelling and in-depth knowledge on the water resources in the coastal zone of Bangladesh is a big plus. During your 18-month stay at Wageningen University as part of this Sandwich PhD program, you will join the PhD program of the WIMEK graduate school. You will spend up to 10% of your time on the education and supervision of BSc/MSc students. For the rest of your program, you will be based at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) in Bangladesh. The selected candidate is expected to finish the 4-year project by writing a PhD thesis that contains a series of peer-reviewed journal articles.

You possess:

• a completed (or about to be completed) MSc degree, preferably, but not necessarily, with a link to agricultural engineering, water resources engineering, water resources development/management, environmental science/engineering, earth sciences, irrigation and water resources management, hydrology, geology or or related field; preferably with a background, or willingness to learn, crop water field investigation, and crop water modelling;
• proven experience in, or a willingness to learn, crop water field investigation, and crop water modelling—managing the entire process from initial data collection and analysis and interpretation to conceptual model building, hypothesis development, and the design of targeted field work for hypothesis testing;
• demonstrated ability or motivation to lead independent research projects, including taking full ownership of the work, and critically analyzing and interpreting both field and model-based data
• proven proficiency, or willingness to develop, technical skills relevant to crop-water modelling;
• a team player mentality and demonstrated ability or motivation to work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and multicultural research environment.
• motivated to develop strong analytical skills, including statistical analysis, data processing, and modelling of agricultural water systems;
• proven proficiency or willingness to develop programming skills in Python (preferably)/R/ MATLAB/or a comparable language
• proven experience/willingness to develop skills in stakeholder communication and agro-hydrogeological fieldwork;
• willingness to travel to and collaborate closely with stakeholders and research partners of Coast-Water-Solutions project;
• proven experience/willingness to develop communication and scientific writing skills in English and the ability to publish research results in peer-reviewed academic journals.
• proven communication skills in Bangla and in English

For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.

We offer you

A 4-year full-time PhD position at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), registered for the PhD Programme at Wageningen University (The Netherlands).

During your stay in Bangladesh, you will receive a salary at the standard Bangladeshi rate, in line with guidelines of Bangladesh University Grants Commission and salary paid by other Bangladeshi universities under the same NWO programme. During your 18-month stay in the Netherlands, you will receive a living allowance. The details regarding the salary in Bangladesh and the living allowance in the Netherlands can be discussed during the interview.

We shall offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project on the basis of mid-term evaluation in the form of a written progress report and presentation.

We also offer you:

• Enrollment in the PhD programme of Wageningen University, including PhD courses, library access, and ICT services.
• Supervision by experts in the field at Wageningen University, Utrecht University and Bangladesh Agricultural University.
• The opportunity to develop and graduate as a researcher, supported by a vibrant international community of researchers and stakeholders linked to adaptive delta management.
• The chance to conduct high-impact research.

Do you want more information?

For more information about the position, please contact Dr.ir. Syed Mustafa (syed.mustafa@wur.nl) and Prof. dr. Md. Abdul Mojid (ma_mojid@bau.edu.bd).

Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Jessa Rozema, Corporate Recruiter (jessa.rozema-stol@wur.nl).

Ready to apply?

You can apply by e-mailing you application to: jessa.rozema-stol@wur.nl

To apply, please send the following documents (max. 3 pages in total for both documents):

• Complete and up-to-date curriculum vitae;
• Motivation letter.

The maximum length of the documents must not exceed 3 pages. If it exceeds, applications will not be considered. Additional files such as grades and transcripts are not required during this stage and will not be considered.

You can apply until 08 May 2026. The first job interviews are scheduled 1-2 weeks after the closing date.

Have you applied before? There’s no need to apply again, your previous application is still valid and will be taken into consideration

Additional information form

For this position, you must fill in a mandatory form which will allow us to have a comprehensive view of your qualifications and better assess your fit for it. You can access the form using the link below:

PhD Position: Agricultural water availability, productivity, and food security – Fill out form

Your prompt response will ensure that your application continues to move forward in the evaluation process. We assure you that the information provided will be kept confidential and used solely for this application process.

Welcome, safe, and valued

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone’s unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.