"Postdoctoral Researcher (PostDoc) in Blue Economy, Coastal Luxury Tourism, Yachting Industry & Territorial Development"

Position Overview

This position is launched by the Sustainable Real Estate Innovation Lab (SuRE In Lab) at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (Morocco) as part of its strategic effort to expand its multidisciplinary research team.

The Postdoctoral Researcher will directly contribute to the finalization and further development of the ongoing research project “Sustainable Tourism Development: Blueprint for a Green Luxury Yacht Cluster in the Tétouan Region”.

Within this project, the candidate will help conceptualize and analyze sustainable models for luxury yachting and coastal tourism development in northern Morocco, while supporting SuRE In Lab’s broader mission of advancing innovative, sustainable, and territorially integrated approaches to real estate and coastal development.

This role includes the design and execution of a dedicated work package on the Blue Economy and Yachting Value Chain, focusing on regional value chains connected to tourism, nautical services, and shipbuilding/repair.

Key Responsibilities

Under the direct leadership of the Director of SuRE In Lab, the selected candidate will develop the work package structured around:

a. Value Chain Analysis in Marine & Maritime Sectors

• Conduct detailed mapping and analysis of the blue economy value chain, with emphasis on:
• Marine and coastal tourism
• Nautical and marina-based services
• Yachting operations and supporting infrastructure
• Identify strengths, gaps, innovation drivers, and strategic opportunities for sustainable development.

b. Regional Economic Impact of Tourism & Nautical Services

• Assess the potential for regional economic growth derived from:
• Luxury tourism flows in coastal areas
• The availability, quality, and specialization of nautical services
• Local and regional supply chains supporting yachting and marine tourism
• Evaluate socio-economic spillovers at the territorial level, with a focus on the Tétouan region.

c. Economic & Industrial Dynamics of the Yachting Industry

• Analyse industrial and economic aspects of:
• Yacht and superyacht manufacturing
• Shipbuilding, repair, and refit activities
• Marina technical services and associated suppliers
• Skills and labour-market needs in regional maritime industries
• Explore green innovation pathways for yacht manufacturing and maintenance.

d. Integration of Blue Economy & Territorial Development

• Evaluate how yachting, nautical services, and coastal tourism contribute to:
• Sustainable territorial development
• Real-estate and infrastructure planning in coastal zones
• Regional competitiveness and resilience strategies
• Formulate policy and planning recommendations aligned with sustainable real estate and coastal development principles.

2. Research and Scientific Output

• Produce scientific publications, technical reports, value chain analyses, and policy briefs.
• Contribute to SuRE In Lab’s research agenda on sustainable coastal development, responsible tourism, territorial innovation, and real-estate transformation in maritime contexts.
• Support consolidation and validation of the Green Luxury Yacht Cluster blueprint for the Tétouan region.

3. Project Development & Stakeholder Engagement

• Engage with regional authorities, marina managers, shipyards, tourism operators, and industry stakeholders.
• Support the design of new research extensions and proposals (e.g. Horizon Europe, Interreg, EMFAF).
• Facilitate participatory workshops, co-creation activities, and stakeholder consultations.

4. Capacity Building & Dissemination

• Present results in academic, policy, and professional forums.
• Support SuRE In Lab’s training and capacity-building initiatives in sustainable development, blue economy, and coastal planning.
• Coordinate seminars, roundtables, and dissemination activities related to project outputs.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Blue Economy, Tourism Studies, Yachting and Maritime Economics, Territorial Planning, Real Estate Development,or related fields.
• Expertise in at least two of the following areas:
• Coastal and luxury tourism development
• Yachting industry and maritime industrial ecosystems
• Regional and territorial development
• Nautical services and marina systems
• Knowledge of shipbuilding, repair/refit processes, or marina management.
• Strong research background with relevant publications.
• Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative analytical methods.
• Excellent communication, teamwork, and stakeholder-engagement skills.
• Fluency in English and French. Italian is an asset.

Desired Additional Skills

• Familiarity with sustainability frameworks (blue economy, circular economy, ESG, regenerative coastal development).
• Ability to produce actionable, policy-oriented insights.