Research Chair: Applied Agricultural and Food Data Science

UWC Online - University of the Western Cape; Bellville; On-site; ZAR 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

An educational institution in Cape Town is seeking a Research Chair in Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Food Data Science. This role, starting March 2026, involves establishing a research agenda, supervising PhD students, and leading initiatives in collaboration with partnering institutions. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in a relevant field, a track record in teaching and research, and leadership experience in a multicultural environment.

Qualifications

• Evidence of leadership experience in multinational environments.
• Experience teaching data science courses at a German University.
• Track record of peer-reviewed publications in data science.

Responsibilities

• Establish and advance an independent research agenda.
• Strengthen the research profile via supervision and publications.
• Facilitate learning events related to agri-food data sciences.
• Liaison with partnering institutions for research collaboration.
• Encourage sustainability mechanisms for the Centre.
• Develop agri-food data science courses for industry.

Skills

Data Science

Leadership

Research Management

Teaching

Education

Ph.D. in Data Science, Computer Science, or Food Systems/Agriculture

Job description

In the framework of a DAAD-funded project focused on Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Food Data Science, the University of the Western Cape (Cape Town, South Africa) is seeking to appoint a Research Chair at the level of Associate Professor/Professor, starting from 1 March 2026.The Chair is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).

A key component of this project is the establishment of a Centre of Excellence at the University of the Western Cape, dedicated to sustainable and resilient agri-food systems, as well as applied agricultural and food and nutritional data science. The centre’s primary objective is to further develop the expertise of doctoral students, early-career researchers, and university lecturers through application-oriented and transdisciplinary research in agri-food systems and applied data science. It also aims to enhance teaching methodologies and mentorship programmes within these interdisciplinary fields.

The Centre is established within a German-African university consortium, co-led by the University of Hohenheim and the University of the Western Cape, with the University of Pretoria and the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources as core partners and the University of Mpumalanga as associate partner.

Within the Centre, a Research Chair is created to advance the linkage between agri-food systems research and data science. The Research Chair will, together with the management team, lead and coordinate the activities of the Centre, and serve as a liaison between the Centre and the research groups at the partnering institutions (including the NRF-funded Research Chair on farming systems at the University of Mpumalanga). The duration of the contract position is tied to the project’s duration which ends December 2029.The position is financed by the DAAD with funds from the BMFTR, reporting directly to the Deputy Vice Chancellor responsible for Research and Innovation at the University of the Western Cape.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the following key performance areas:

• Establish and advance an independent research agenda aligned with the Centre’s research themes;
• Strengthen the research profile of the Centre via active participation, postdoctoral and PhD supervision, publications, and innovative contributions;
• Facilitate learning events affiliated to resilient food systems and agri-food data sciences;
• Spearhead the liaison between the Centre and the research groups at the partnering institutions in the consortium with the aim of deepening the synergistic relationships and creating possibilities for creating new opportunities and channels of funding;
• Work with the eResearch Office, the Information and Communication Services (ICS) on Research Data Management (RDM) and High Performance Computing issues related to agri-food systems;
• Facilitate research grants and learning and/or teaching stays for German doctoral students, university lecturers and (young) researchers in South Africa;
• Facilitate regular webinars and seminars on Resilient Food Systems and Agri-Food Data Science;
• Develop mechanisms for long term sustainability of the Centre of Excellence;
• Work with relevant departments on the establishment of agri-food data science short courses for the industry.

• You must be a citizen of an EU member state.
• Applicants (m/f/d) should generally have lived in the Federal Republic of Germany for the last two years before applying. Close contact with a German university is also essential during the period abroad.
• Possession of a Ph.D. in one of the following fields: Data Science, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Food Systems/Agriculture with a demonstrated expertise in Data Science applications.
• Experience in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate data science courses at a German University.
• A track record of quality peer-reviewed publications in accredited journals and conferences, and research in data science, preferably in the context of Agri-food Systems.
• A track record of successful postgraduate supervision of both Masters and PhD students in Data Science and/or Agri-food Systems.
• Evidence of international presence in data science related research fields.
• Evidence of leadership experience and ability to work in multinational and multicultural research environments.

The following documents must be submitted with the application:

• a cover letter outlining your interest.
• a separate description of your research vision for the Centre of Excellence.
• a curriculum vitae including a list of publications.
• contact information for three referees.
• a brief teaching dossier, preferably on data science and food systems related modules including teaching evaluations.