We are hiring: post-doc research fellows x 2

03 Aug 2023
hands on tree trunk
03 Aug 2023

The Environmental Humanities South (EHS) is looking to hire two (2) Post-Doctoral Fellows to join the Critical Zone Africa South East (CzASE), funded by the Science for Africa Foundation as part of the DELTAS II.

EHS is focused on forging pathways for inter/transdisciplinary collaboration between university-based researchers and different sectors of society, including government officials, activists, community members and artists. 

Below are the areas of research for which EHS is recruiting: 

(1) Commons Governance, based at the University of Cape Town 

The appointment is for one year renewable annually for four years, subject to performance and the availability of funds. The fellow will support a team within the Reclaiming the Commons Research Hub, led by A/Prof.Frank Matose, with the unified goal of promoting a paradigm shift in environmental governance policy in Africa. The fellow will have the opportunity to develop and supervise a team of Masters researchers within the Commons Governance Hub within the Critical Zones Africa South and East (CzASE Studies) research project led by Prof Lesley Green. The appointee will be supervised jointly by Prof Green and A/Prof Matose

Prerequisites

  • A Ph.D. in environmental humanities, social science, human geography or a related field obtained in the last 5 years, with a strong commitment to African decolonial thought and transdisciplinarity.

Requirements

  • A Ph.D. in environmental humanities, social science, environmental and geographical sciences, or natural sciences (and must be willing to learn methods in social sciences);
  • Conducted research on indigenous people's relationships to the commons;
  • Experience in conducting transdisciplinary studies including qualitative studies; commons mapping and story-telling;
  • environmental histories, and policy research
  • Capacity to work across disciplines
  •  Presented at seminars, workshops and conferences
  • Ability to work in a team and independently
  •  Experience in using software such as GIS, NVivo, etc
  • The successful applicant should ideally able to commence the fellowship on 1 October 2023.
  • A later start can be negotiated
  •  Fluency in an African language spoken in Southern or East Africa

Value and Tenure

  • The value of the fellowship is R380 000 – R480 000 per annum, depending on experience and qualifications.
  • The award is initially for 12 months, renewable for further years subject to satisfactory annual progress and availability of funds.
  • Twenty working days leave per year is allowed for.
  • An office and a laptop will be provided, with access to a shared kitchen and printing facilities.

For inquiries

See the Post-Doc advert and full requirements below:

(2) Social Sciences of Soil, based at the University of Cape Town

The fellow will have the opportunity to develop and supervise a team of Masters researchers within the Soil and Society Research Hub, as part of the Critical Zones Africa South and East (CzASE Studies) research project led by Prof Lesley Green. The Soil Social Science Hub is a partnership with the SARChI Research Chair in Bioeconomy, Prof Rachel Wynberg. The appointee will be supervised jointly by Prof Green and Prof Wynberg.

Prerequisites

  • A Ph.D. in environmental humanities, social science, human geography or a related field obtained in the last 5 years, with a strong commitment to African decolonial thought and transdisciplinarity.

Requirements

  • A Ph.D. in environmental humanities, social sciences, or environmental and geographic sciences with a focus on soil, habitability and wellbeing;
  •  track record of innovative writing and publishing in at least two of the following fields: land, habitability and agro-ecology in the changing African climate; soil and society in postcolonial and decolonial thought; African ecofeminism and small-scale farmers; Critical bioeconomy
  • Field research experience of working with Southern and/or East African small-scale farmers;
  • Transdisciplinary research skills including qualitative research software such as Nvivo and geospatial information systems such as ArcGIS;
  • Ability to work in a team and independently
  •  Fluency in at least two African languages from the Southern and Eastern regions of the continent.

Value and Tenure

  • The value of the fellowship is R380 000 – R480 000 per annum, depending on experience and qualifications.
  • The award is initially for 12 months, renewable for a second and then a third year subject to satisfactory progress and availability of funds.
  • Twenty working days leave per year is allowed for.
  • An office and a laptop will be provided, with access to a shared kitchen and printing facilities.

See the Post-Doc advert and full requirements  below: 

For inquiries, please email lesley.green@uct.ac.za; the subject line "Soil Social Science PostDoc"

Applications Close on 21 August 2023, 23:59 Southern African Time (SAT)