Education jobs in South Africa

Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer: Engineering Management and/or Project Management

• Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer: Engineering Management and/or Project Management
• Type of engagement: Permanent appointment

Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer: Engineering Management and/or Project Management

Ref. ING01/124/0625

The Department of Industrial Engineering at Stellenbosch University (SU) is research-driven, focusing on areas that are key to enhancing global competitiveness. These include engineering, project and technology management, operations research, data science in industrial engineering, operations management and logistics, and advanced manufacturing.

We invite applications for an academic role in the Structured Master’s in Engineering Management programme. This flagship programme, designed for working professionals, aims to develop future engineering leaders through teaching and applied research relevant to the industry. We are looking for an incumbent with strong academic credentials and practical industry experience to contribute to the growth, innovation and impact of this prestigious postgraduate offering.

The Department is recruiting for a full-time, permanent academic appointment in the fields of engineering and/or project management. We will focus on candidates who can demonstrate academic excellence and prove industry experience. The incumbent must be committed to advancing research in engineering and/or project management as well as delivering high-quality postgraduate teaching.

The incumbent will play a key role in teaching, research, and academic leadership in the two fields mentioned above. The appointee will join a vibrant, research-focused department dedicated to academic excellence, industry relevance and innovative teaching practices.

The position will be filled at the appropriate level depending on the calibre of applications received and within the constraints of available funding.

Duties:

The incumbent’s duties will include, but will not be limited to, the following:

• Delivering high-quality teaching and facilitating life-long learning at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in areas aligned with the focus of the structured master’s in engineering management and/or the field of project management.
• Supervising master’s and doctoral students with a view to contributing to the development of future leaders in engineering management and/or project management.
• Conducting high-impact research and publishing it in internationally accredited journals, maintaining a consistent and productive level of research outputs.
• Developing and maintaining a focused research agenda in engineering management or project management, with demonstrable potential for both academic and industry impact.
• Engaging proactively with industry stakeholders to enhance the relevance of our teaching and research activities and to strengthen collaborative networks with both industry and academia.
• Securing and managing external research funding from national and international sources, including industry partners, to support the activities of relevant research initiatives.
• Contributing to curriculum design and development, ensuring alignment with emerging trends and best practice in engineering management and/or project management.
• Developing innovative academic content and learning activities, and using digital learning platforms such as Moodle effectively.
• Participating in departmental and programme-level service activities, including administrative duties and strategic planning.

Requirements:

• Bachelor of Engineering accredited by ECSA for registration as professional engineer.
• Master of Engineering Management or Project Management, or a master’s degree in a closely related field.
• PhD (completed or in progress) for appointment as senior lecturer; or a completed PhD for appointment as associate professor.
• An excellent academic track record: full transcripts for all undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications required.

Industry experience

• At least five years’ relevant industry experience, preferably in a management role in project management and/or engineering management. Preference will be given to candidates with more extensive or more senior-level industry experience.

Personal attributes

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Creative problem-solving abilities and a commitment to continuous professional and academic development.

Please ensure that your cover letter address each of the requirements listed above, outlining how you meet them.

Recommendations:

Teaching and learning

• Proven teaching ability at tertiary level, with a passion for student development and academic mentorship.
• Proven experience of supervising postgraduate students at master’s and PhD level. A strong preference will be given to candidates who have extensively supervised structured master’s research assignments.
• Proficiency in digital learning platforms, learning management systems and assessment tools such as Moodle, Turnitin and online marking rubrics.

Research and scholarly output

• Research experience in engineering management and/or project management, with a proven track record of scholarly publications, research leadership and contributions to advancing knowledge in these fields.
• For the senior lecturer’s position: sustained scholarly output, including publications in Q1 or Q2 journals and presentations at internationally recognised conferences.
• For the associate professor’s position, in addition to the above: active involvement in the academic community, including membership of relevant scholarly and professional societies, experience as external examiner for postgraduate theses, peer reviewing for journals or conferences, and recognised international research standing.

Other:

• Proficiency in English and one or more of South Africa’s other official languages.
• Registration or have taken steps towards registration as professional engineer with ECSA.
• Academic excellence (research, teaching, curriculum development).
• Practical, real-world experience (especially in project/engineering management roles).

Commencement of duties:

01 October 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter

07 July 2025

Enquiries regarding this position: Prof Joubert van Eeden on 021 808 4234, or at jveeden@sun.ac.za

Enquiries regarding remuneration/benefits, as well as technical assistance with the electronic application process: Human Resources Client Services Centre on 021 808 2753 (Stellenbosch) / 021 938 9636 (Tygerberg), or at sun-e-hr@sun.ac.za

Stellenbosch University is committed to employment equity (EE), and appointments will be made in line with the EE plan for the specific environment as well as the institutional EE Plan of the University.

Stellenbosch University reserves the right not to make an appointment.

Your application, comprising a comprehensive curriculum vitae (including the names and email addresses of at least three referees), must reach the University before or on the closing date of the advertised post.

The University reserves the right to investigate qualifications and conduct background checks on all candidates.

Should no feedback be received from the University within four to six weeks of the closing date, kindly accept that your application did not succeed.

Stellenbosch University (SU) is home to an academic community of 29 000 students (including 4 000 foreign students from 100 countries) as well as 3 000 permanent staff members (including 1 000 academics) on five campuses. The historical oak-lined university town amongst the Boland Mountains in the winelands of the Western Cape creates a unique campus atmosphere, which attracts local and foreign students alike. On the main campus, paved walkways wind between campus buildings – some dating from previous centuries; others just a few years old. Architecture from various eras attests to the sound academic foundation and establishment of an institution of excellence. This, together with the scenic beauty of the area; state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly facilities and technology, as well as visionary thinking about the creation of a sustainable 21st-century institution, makes for the unique character of Stellenbosch University.

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