Fully Funded MS and PhD Openings in Chemical Engineering, Soil Science, and Environmental Engineering at KAUST King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is advertising fully funded MS and PhD openings in the group of Associate Professor Himanshu Mishra (Interfacial Lab, iLab@KAUST). The positions are aimed at ambitious students who want to work at the interface of chemical engineering, agricultural science, soil science, environmental engineering, chemistry, and related fields.

The lab’s research focuses on biochar engineering, desert agriculture, slow-release fertilizers, soil physics, water-use efficiency, and water-soil-plant interactions. The flyer highlights work on technologies such as CarboSoil (engineered biochar from organic waste) and SandX (a bio-inspired hydrophobic mulch), with applications in crop resilience, soil amendment design, nutrient release, and water retention under arid conditions.

Students will join a problem-driven, interdisciplinary environment with opportunities to collaborate with soil scientists, biochar experts, microbiologists, and plant physiologists. The post emphasizes rigorous experimental, modeling, and analytical training, publication in leading journals, and translation of research into real-world deployment through spin-outs and industry partnerships.

Funding: The positions are described as fully funded MS and PhD openings.

Eligibility: Applicants from chemical engineering, agricultural engineering, soil science, environmental engineering, chemistry, agricultural science, and related backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The group is looking for critical thinkers who are excited to move science from the lab to the field.

How to apply: Interested candidates should email [email protected] and review the lab details linked in the post. No formal deadline is stated in the post.