Chief Specialist Scientist

SkillsMap; Cape Town; Presencial; ZAR 1 526 000 - 1 865 000; Tempo integral

Resumo da oferta

The South African Medical Research Council invites applications for a Chief Specialist Scientist (E) based in Cape Town. The role provides strategic leadership in BRIP's cancer and NCD molecular research, spearheading multidisciplinary programmes and translating findings into public health impact.

You will secure national and international funding, supervise postgraduate students, publish extensively, and contribute to unit management, transformation, and precision medicine initiatives.

Qualificações

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Epidemiology, or related field.
• ISI-indexed publications: at least 40 with 12 as first author.
• Internationally recognised leader in cancer with NRF C1 (pending) or equivalent standing.
• Proven track record of securing and leading major research grants; cumulative income > R10 million as PI.
• Supervise MSc and PhD students; minimum 10 graduated.
• Leadership and management in cancer research; mentorship and capacity development.
• Experience in budgeting, financial oversight, and risk management.
• Membership of national and international scientific bodies/committees.
• Collaborate to build an effective team; strong scientific writing and stakeholder engagement.
• University affiliation at Associate/Full Professor level.
• >20 years experience in molecular/cell biology in NCD/cancer.
• Understanding of ethical standards in human subjects research.

Responsabilidades

• Provide strategic leadership in cancer and/or NCD molecular research within the unit.
• Initiate, lead, and manage national and international multidisciplinary research programmes.
• Conduct high-impact translational research and publish in ISI-indexed journals as first or senior author.
• Secure and manage substantial national and international grant funding as PI.
• Lead and implement research strategy, innovation, and capacity development initiatives.
• Supervise and mentor postgraduate students, postdocs, and early-career scientists.
• Foster and maintain strategic collaborations with academic, governmental, clinical, and international partners.
• Translate research findings into public health impact, policy contributions, and outputs.
• Present findings at national/international conferences, including keynote talks.
• Contribute to unit management, budgeting, reporting, and risk management.
• Support transformation and equity initiatives within SAMRC and BRIP.

Conhecimentos

Strategic leadership

Grant funding

Postgraduate supervision

High-impact publications

Stakeholder engagement

Budgeting & management

Formação académica

PhD in Molecular Biology or related field

Associate/Full Professor university affiliation

20+ years molecular/cell biology in NCD/cancer

NRF C1 (pending)

MBChB (advantage)

Descrição da oferta de emprego

Chief Specialist Scientist (E)
South African Medical Research Council
2026/10/15 Cape Town

Job Reference Number: R951B
Department: Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform
Business Unit:
Industry: Academic
Job Type: Permanent
Positions Available: 1
Salary: Market Related The SAMRC invites suitably qualified candidates to apply for a Chief Specialist Scientist position within the Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), based in Cape Town.

Job Description

The SAMRC invites suitably qualified candidates to apply for a Chief Specialist Scientist position within the Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), based in Cape Town.

The successful candidate will provide strategic scientific leadership and contribute towards strengthening BRIP's international reputation in cancer and non-communicable disease (NCD) research. The incumbent will be expected to initiate and lead pioneering multidisciplinary research programmes, secure national and international grant funding, supervise postgraduate students and early-career scientists, and publish extensively in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.

The post holder will further drive innovation, translational research, capacity development, and strategic partnerships, while contributing towards unit management, transformation initiatives, and the advancement of precision medicine, risk prediction, and early disease detection approaches within BRIP.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership in cancer and/or NCD molecular research within the unit.
• Initiate, lead, and manage novel national and international multidisciplinary research programmes.
• Conduct high-impact translational research and publish in peer-reviewed ISI-indexed journals as first and/or senior author.
• Secure and manage substantial national and international grant funding as Principal Investigator.
• Lead and implement research strategy, innovation, and capacity development initiatives within the unit.
• Supervise and mentor postgraduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early- and mid-career scientists.
• Foster and maintain strategic collaborations with academic, governmental, clinical, and international stakeholders.
• Translate research findings into public health impact, policy contributions, intellectual property, and innovation outputs where applicable.
• Present research findings at national and international scientific conferences, including keynote presentations.
• Contribute towards unit management, budgeting, operational oversight, reporting, and risk management.
• Support transformation and equity initiatives within the SAMRC and BRIP.

Duration:

Permanent

Remuneration:

R 1,695,807 per annum

Job Requirements

Core Requirements:

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Epidemiology, or a related field.
• Excellent academic and scholarly track record, including at least 40 lifetime peer-reviewed ISI-indexed publications, with a minimum 12 as first author
• Internationally recognised leader in the cancer field with an NRF C1(pending B3-rating re-evaluation outcome) or equivalent standing.
• Proven track record of successfully securing and leading major research grants and programmes, including cumulative research income exceeding R10 million as Principal Investigator.
• Proven track record of postgraduate supervision to completion, including MSc and PhD students, with a minimum of 10 students graduated.
• Proven Leadership and management experience in cancer research with a strong record of mentorship, capacity development, and people management.
• Experience in budgeting, financial oversight, and risk management.
• Membership of national and international scientific bodies and committees.
• Work collaboratively to build an effective team with excellent scientific writing, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• University affiliation at Associate or Full Professor level.
• More than 20 years' experience in molecular and cell biology research within the NCD and/or cancer field
• Strong understanding of ethical standards in human subjects research.

Advantageous:

• Proven track record of international collaborative partnerships in cancer and/or NCD research.
• Experience in translational precision medicine in cancer research.
• Demonstrated contribution to national and international scientific guidelines, policy documents, or advisory committees.
• MBChB

Closing date:

15 November 2026