CST Post-doctoral Fellow (2024): Low carbon urban transformation in African cities

The Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST) is excited to announce the availability of postdoctoral research fellowships in the field of sustainable urbanism and Just Urban Transition. These fellowships will be part of a globally recognised hub of research excellence focusing on urban innovations in African cities, with the aim of achieving greater sustainability, social equality, and gender equity.

The proposed research programme aims to generate innovative new research which explores, develops, and advances new theories and evidence-based knowledge about how African cities should confront the societal challenges of population growth, urbanisation, urban poverty, gender inequality and environmental destruction. The specific focus will be the emergence of urban innovations across many African cities that do not follow conventional policy solutions.

This research focus will contribute to growing body of scholarship that addresses the intersections between climate change, multi-dimensional class- and gender-based inequality, rapid implementation of low-carbon energy infrastructures and the challenge of financing in the context of rapidly growing African cities and towns.

Application requirements and procedure: We invite applications from highly motivated postdoctoral researchers with a strong commitment to the research goals as outlined above. Applicants should hold a PhD in a relevant field and have a demonstrated track record of research excellence.

Interested candidates should submit the following documents:

  • A cover letter outlining their research interests and how they align with the goals of the fellowship
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) with a list of publications
  • Contact information for at least two academic references
  • An example of recently written work
  • A brief research proposal (not exceeding three pages) detailing their proposed research project related to the research goals and objectives

Documents should be sent to Amanda October, PhD and MPhil administrative officer, at cstenquiries@sun.ac.za, by 30 November 2023.

Funding: Fellowship will be funded from the DST/NRF SARChI chair. The fellowship should start as soon as possible and run to the end of 2028. Funding will be R300 000 for each year. Based on the National Research Foundation’s funding guidelines, strong preference will be given to South African nationals and under-represented groups.