Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2 years contract) - Wits Agincourt / SCIS

AJ Personnel; Bushbuckridge; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

AJ Personnel seeks a research fellow to conduct high-impact, interdisciplinary work for the Aspire Africa Research Programme, a three-year, four-country study of youth economic inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa. The role involves developing reports and manuscripts for top journals, preparing progress drafts, attending project meetings, and building networks for future collaborations across institutions.

Requirements include a PhD completed within the last five years, strong English writing, and a

Qualifications

• PhD completed within the past 5 years.
• Background in Epidemiology, Statistics, Demography, Public Health, Economics, Development Studies or Social Sciences.
• Evidence of scholarly potential (publications, conference presentations).
• Excellent written English and strong conceptual skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of reports and manuscripts suitable for publication in high-quality journals.
• Assist in proposals and progress reports for the project.
• Prepare timely progress and final research drafts for meetings and dissemination.
• Engage in networks and contribute to knowledge exchange with collaborators.

Skills

Qualitative research

Quantitative research

Academic writing

Networking

Literature review

Education

PhD (recent)

Epidemiology

Public Health

Statistics

Development Studies

Social Sciences

Job description

Division:

• Wits - Agincourt
• Wits - Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS)

Main purpose of the job:

• To conduct high-impact, interdisciplinary research to the Aspire Africa Research Programme: a Tree Year, Four-Country study of youth economic inclusion and resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa

Location:

• Bushbuckridge Sub-District, Mpumalanga Province, or the Wits School of Public Health in Johannesburg with travel to the SAMRC/Wits-Agincourt Research Unit in Buschbuckridge

Key Performance Areas:

Contribution to Research Outputs and Publications

• Engage in the wider research and scholarly activities of research group, Unit and contribute to its profile by participating in promotion activity
• Participate in internal/external networks for the exchange of information and to form relationships for future research collaboration
• Prepare research results for publication or presentation at conferences to include performing literature reviews and writing results and discussions
• Contribute to publications, conferences and other academic activities
• Keep up to date with developments in the field and attend relevant seminars
• Contribute to peer-reviewed publications and other outputs, including as co-author

Development of Reports, Manuscripts and Administration

• Lead the development of reports and produce manuscripts suitable for publication in high-quality journals
• Assist in the preparation of proposals and reports
• Prepare timely progress and final research draft reports for the project
• Attend project meetings where required
• Carry out any administrative work associated with the programme of research

Personal Development and Training

• Engage in appropriate training and development opportunities to develop own transferable skills, career and reputation
• Develop new concepts and ideas to extend intellectual understanding
• Contribute to knowledge generation, knowledge exchange and knowledge transfer activities

Required Minimum Education and Training:

• PhD Degree completed within the past 5 years
• Background in relevant discipline(s), including Epidemiology, Statistics, Demography, Public Health, Economics, Development Studies, Social Sciences
• Evidence of academic and scholarly potential (publications, conference presentation, grants)
• English language proficiency, strong conceptual and writing skills

Required Minimum Work Experience:

• Experience in qualitative or quantitative research methods with a track-record of publication output.
• Experience with mixed methods of research is an advantage

Desirable Additional Education, Work Experience and Personal Abilities:

• Demonstrated experience preparing donor progress reports and managing audit processes
• Proven ability to work effectively across institutional and national boundaries
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• High levels of initiative, diplomacy, and capacity to manage competing priorities under pressure
• Meticulous attention to detail and strong organisational capacity
• Strong confidentiality and impeccable work ethic