Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences Centre for Sustainability Transitions
Associate Professor / Senior Researcher/ Researcher (Two posts)
(Three-year fixed-term contract with the possibility of a permanent appointment) Ref. EBW13/086/0423
The Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST) is a fully-fledged research and postgraduate training department within the Faculty of Economic and Management Science at Stellenbosch University (SU). It brings together research on transdisciplinary approaches, complexity, sustainability, governance, and social-ecological resilience to inform pressing national, continental, and global sustainability and development challenges. The CST hosts leading scientists and students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds and fosters collaborations with a variety of departments across the University, nationally and globally, providing a vibrant hub for solution-oriented, transdisciplinary sustainability science, that is primarily funded from external research grants. The primary objective of the CST is to co-produce transformational knowledge on the dynamics of multi-scale social-ecological and socio-technical change in partnership with key stakeholders, thereby providing strategic insights into the new modes of research and governance that can bring about a just transition to a more equitable and sustainable society in southern Africa and globally.
The CST’s energy research team engages in a wide range of research aimed at influencing the pace, directionality and governance of the South African and African energy transition. With a focus on governance, CST’s energy research team has worked with various public sector and non-government stakeholders to develop solution-oriented analyses. Some of the key focus areas have been climate finance, energy sector reform pathways, governance of the energy transition, local government’s role in the energy transition, social justice and the energy transition, energy policy, institutional change with respect of, particularly, the unbundling of Eskom, value chains and renewables-led industrialisation, South Africa’s energy transition in comparative perspective vis-à- vis other countries in the global South and North.
The CST seeks an Associate Professor / Senior Researcher/ Researcher who can play a leading role in the CST’s energy research team, as well as CST’s teaching programme, including supervision of postgraduate research at Master’s and Doctoral levels.
The incumbent will be appointed for a three-year, fixed-term contract, subject to ongoing funding for the continuation of the position. There is the possibility of extension or conversion to a permanent position if further funding is secured.
Only Black, Coloured and Indian candidates will be considered. Only applications from South African or Permanent residents of South Africa will be considered.
Duties:
- Providing conceptual, strategic, and visionary leadership for the energy research team, with special reference to research that is aimed at publications;
- Publication of research in recognised, peer-reviewed journals, as well as in chapters of books;
- Developing joint research proposals with members of the energy research team and research partners in South African, African, and international research institutions;
- Co-leading project reports and reporting;
- Participating in the teaching programme, including guest lectures, and (co-)convening one of the one-week modules that forms part of the CST’s teaching programmes;
- Contributing to the supervision of postgraduate students;
- Contributing at least 10% of the time to supporting CST institutional functions and participating in CST seminars, events, and staff meetings;
- Leading and supporting processes that foster interactions with a variety of stakeholders in the energy sector concerned with issues of Just Energy Transition, energy governance, energy poverty and energy policy in Southern Africa, including researchers, practitioners, decision makers from the private and public sector, and community members across multiple scales;
- Collaborating with local and international research partners to conduct research and deliver multi-country energy studies that will facilitate cross-learning and policy-influencing evidence;
- Collaborating with University colleagues from other departments to strengthen multi- disciplinary research and overall institutional outputs.
Job Requirements:
- PhD in energy studies or a related field, with a strong social sciences background;
- Specialist knowledge about renewable energy policies and technologies in Southern Africa;
- An extensive publication record in the areas of energy access and use, energy poverty, energy policy implementation and energy transitions;
- At least five years’ experience in energy research;
- Experience in compiling fundraising proposals;
- Experience in report writing;
- Experience in coordinating and managing international research teams;
- Experience and a desire to work in participatory interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary environments;
- Willingness to secure ongoing funding to support the position; as well as those of more junior researchers at CST;
- A track record of being involved in projects / research that seeks to advance actionable research, especially in relation to enhancing more equitable outcomes of sustainability interventions;
- Experience in academic teaching at a range of levels, including engagement with course development;
- A track record of involvement in community and policy service rendering in a wider community.
Minimum Requirements: Researcher
- An established academic career;
- At least one co-authored publication;
- PI, Co-PI or collaboration with a PI to submit funding proposals to raise research funding;
- Some experience in teaching assistance and course coordination support;
- Experience in convening or co-convening courses or training activities in environmental science, sustainable development, social-ecological systems, and related subjects at undergraduate and postgraduate level;
- Experience in running stakeholder workshops or policy engagement processes;
- National recognition, e.g., NRF rating or serving on national scientific boards.
Minimum Requirements: Senior Researcher
- An established academic career;
- At least ten publications with some as first/only author;
- PI (or Co‐PI) on one or more grants (small or large), or de facto PI (i.e., assistant to a PI) on a large grant;
- Having at least one Master’s graduate, and one or more PhDs enrolled;
- Some teaching experience as, e.g., (co‐)convenor of a course, course moderator, and/or in delivering lectures on one or more modules;
- Evidence of institutional leadership and services activities (both internal and external), e.g., thesis examination, course moderation, journal reviewer, service on institutional committees;
- Experience in running stakeholder workshops or policy engagement processes;
- National recognition, e.g., NRF rating or serving on national scientific boards.
Minimum Requirements: Associate Professor
- An established academic career;
- At least 20 publications with some as first/only author;
- PI on a large research grant involving multiple team members, or on multiple smaller grants, plus co-PI or collaborator on raising other grants;
- Multiple completed Master’s and one or more PhD’s;
- Leadership experience in teaching and training in, e.g., programme leadership, course evaluation, as well as in delivering lectures at undergraduate and postgraduate levels;
- Substantial institutional leadership and services activities (both internal and external), e.g., serving on University committees, institutional leadership roles, editorial boards of journals, lead roles in conference organisation;
- Substantial experience in running stakeholder workshops or policy engagement processes, including media contributions and policy work;
- National and international recognition, e.g., NRF rating secured, serving on national or international scientific advisory boards.
Recommendation: For Researcher:
• Evidence of institutional leadership and services activities (both internal and external).
Commencement of duties:
01 June 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter
Closing date:
31 May 2023
Enquiries regarding this post: Cornelia Jacobs on 021 808 4406, or at corneliajacobs@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, 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.
APPLY ONLINE AT https://www.sun.ac.za/english/careers BY USING THE APPLY NOW LINK AT THE TOP RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF THE SPECIFIC VACANCY PAGE.
The University reserves the right to investigate qualifications and conduct background checks on all candidates.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires people in occupations that entail potential exposure to certain hazards (such as, but not limited to: noise, hazardous chemical substances and hazardous biological agents) to be subjected to medical screening, to determine their fitness to work in the said occupations.
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.