The African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) invites applications for the post of Junior Research Fellow. The ACDI is a University Research Institute at UCT that coordinates and enhances research and teaching on climate change and development across faculties, academic departments and research groupings.

The Junior Research Fellowship is an academic position that aims to support an emerging researcher with post-doctoral experience to build and establish an independent research career within one of ACDI’s thematic focus areas. The Junior Research Fellow will be mentored by senior researchers within ACDI, with support from the Director and Deputy Director, and will also be expected to participate in UCT’s researcher development programmes.

ACDI is seeking candidates who propose an innovative three-year research programme in one of the following priority areas:

a) Climate resilient urban development and multi-level climate governance in Africa.
b) The political economy of climate resilient sustainable energy transitions in Africa.
c) Ecosystem services and nature-based climate change adaptation solutions.
d) Theory and practice of transdisciplinary climate and development research in Africa.
e) Climate change, poverty and inequality.

This is a three-year position, with the possibility of extension subject to performance and funding availability. Required qualifications and experience:

  • A PhD degree from any discipline across the social, economic, arts and natural sciences, in a topic relevant to climate change.
  • Between two and eight years of post-doctoral experience on topics relevant to climate change in Africa.
  • An excellent publication record for a researcher at their career stage.
  • Able to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary and/or transdisciplinary teams.
  • Skilled at communication of complex and conceptual ideas to a range of groups.
  • Ability to work independently and to meet deadlines.

Advantageous experience:

  • Supervising or co-supervising student research at postgraduate level.
  • Teaching at the postgraduate (Honours or Masters) level.
  • Having worked in an engaged, interdisciplinary and/or transdisciplinary research setting.
  • Grant proposal writing and research project management or co-management.

For further details, and information on how to apply, please look at one of the following locations:

http://www.staff.uct.ac.za/staff/vacancies/general

http://www.acdi.uct.ac.za/acdi/opportunities

For this post we seek particularly to attract black (i.e. African, Coloured and Indian) South African candidates.