Academic Positions - Hydrogen Technology at Durban University of Technology

Position purpose

• The appointee will provide senior intellectual leadership in renewable hydrogen production, with particular strength in electrolysis and integrated operation under African and coastal conditions.

Minimum requirements

• A doctoral degree (NQF 10) in Chemical Engineering, Electrochemical Engineering, Materials Science/Engineering, Energy Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Process Systems Engineering, or a qualification closely related to the theme.
• A minimum of ten (10) DHET-accredited research outputs/creative outputs over the preceding three years, relevant to the discipline, with evidence of research quality and impact.
• Evidence of substantial record of successful supervision to completion of Master's and Doctoral students.
• Substantial and sustained period of distinguished academic experience in research and/or professional experience in higher education or a research environment recognised standing in the field.
• A strong record of research and/or academic leadership with demonstrated leadership in green hydrogen production.
• Demonstrated success in securing competitive research funding (grants, contracts or commissioned research).
• Evidence of leading multidisciplinary teams and building national/international research collaborations.

Theme-specific expertise

• Applicants must demonstrate a coherent record in several of the following areas, with clear depth in at least one: Electrolysis catalysts, membranes, electrodes, coatings, bipolar plates, seals or scarce-material reduction;
• Dynamic electrolyser operation, degradation, diagnostics, predictive maintenance and renewable intermittency; Water--hydrogen systems using responsible sources, including treatment, wastewater reuse, desalination, recovery and competing-use assessment; Renewable/grid integration, power electronics, controls, balance-of-plant, thermal integration or digital twins; Techno-economic optimisation and lifecycle-carbon assessment for hydrogen production and scale-up.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and sustain an internationally visible research programme in Green Hydrogen Production and Renewable-System Integration.
• Publish high-quality peer-reviewed research and pursue appropriate intellectual-property, technology-transfer and innovation outputs.
• Supervise Master's and Doctoral candidates to completion and mentor postdoctoral fellows and emerging researchers.
• Contribute to postgraduate curriculum development, specialist short courses, teaching and assessment in relevant academic programmes.
• Lead or contribute to competitive grant proposals, commissioned research and multi-partner projects with clear deliverables.
• Build productive collaborations with DUT faculties, national hydrogen institutions, government, industry, communities and international partners.
• Apply safety-by-design, research ethics, responsible data management, lifecycle integrity and applicable codes and standards.
• Contribute to institute planning, laboratories, shared research platforms, seminars, reporting, engagement and administrative responsibilities.
• Translate research into demonstrators, test methods, policy or standards evidence, skills, local-enterprise opportunities and measurable societal impact.

Ideal / additional recommendations

• An NRF rating, or equivalent recognised international research standing.
• Professional registration where relevant to the discipline and scope of work.
• Experience with laboratory or pilot-scale systems, research infrastructure, safety governance and industry-facing demonstrators.
• A record of interdisciplinary, multi-institutional or international collaboration.
• Strong communication, organisational, mentoring and stakeholder-engagement capability.

Position 2

• Professor: Biohydrogen Production
• Theme 2: Biohydrogen Production
• Reference Number: 30002758
• Status of Position: Permanent
• Campus: Durban / Pietermaritzburg, as determined by DUT

Position purpose

• The appointee will provide senior intellectual leadership in Direct Biophotolysis, Indirect Biophotolysis, Dark Fermentation, Photo-Fermentation and Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MECs)

Minimum requirements

• A doctoral degree (NQF 10) in Biotechnology, Fermentation Science, Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, or a qualification closely related to the theme.
• A minimum of ten (10) DHET-accredited research outputs/creative outputs over the preceding three years, relevant to the discipline, with evidence of research quality and impact.
• Evidence of substantial record of successful supervision to completion of Master's and Doctoral students.
• Substantial and sustained period of distinguished academic experience in research and/or professional experience in higher education or a research environment.
• A strong record of research and/or academic leadership with demonstrated leadership in biohydrogen production.
• Demonstrated success in securing competitive research funding (grants, contracts or commissioned research).
• Evidence of leading multidisciplinary teams and building national/international research collaborations.

Theme-specific expertise

• Applicants must demonstrate a coherent record in several of the following areas, with clear depth in at least one: Use of green algae or cyanobacteria to split water molecules directly into hydrogen and oxygen;
• Indirect hydrogen evolution after a photosynthetic first step; Breakdown of carbohydrate-rich organic matter or food and agricultural waste in the complete absence of light to generate hydrogen; Consumption of organic acids by photosynthetic bacteria in the presence of visible light to produce hydrogen; Formation of hydrogen gas efficiently after microbial oxidation of organic waste at an anode.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and sustain an internationally visible research programme in biohydrogen production.
• Publish high-quality peer-reviewed research and pursue appropriate intellectual-property, technology-transfer and innovation outputs.
• Supervise Master's and Doctoral candidates to completion and mentor postdoctoral fellows and emerging researchers.
• Contribute to postgraduate curriculum development, specialist short courses, teaching and assessment in relevant academic programmes.
• Lead or contribute to competitive grant proposals, commissioned research and multi-partner projects with clear deliverables.
• Build productive collaborations with DUT faculties, national hydrogen institutions, government, industry, communities and international partners.
• Apply safety-by-design, research ethics, responsible data management, lifecycle integrity and applicable codes and standards.
• Contribute to institute planning, laboratories, shared research platforms, seminars, reporting, engagement and administrative responsibilities.
• Translate research into demonstrators, test methods, policy or standards evidence, skills, local-enterprise opportunities and measurable societal impact.

Ideal / additional recommendations

• An NRF rating, or equivalent recognised international research standing.
• Professional registration where relevant to the discipline and scope of work.
• Experience with laboratory or pilot-scale systems, research infrastructure, safety governance and industry-facing demonstrators.
• A record of interdisciplinary, multi-institutional or international collaboration.
• Strong communication, organisational, mentoring and stakeholder-engagement capability. -

Position 3

• Associate Professor: Hydrogen Storage, Fuel Cells and Distributed Power
• Theme 3: Hydrogen Storage, Fuel Cells and Distributed Power
• Reference Number: 30002759
• Status of Position: Permanent
• Campus: Durban / Pietermaritzburg, as determined by DUT

Position purpose

• The appointee will provide senior intellectual leadership in safe hydrogen storage and conversion technologies and their integration into mobility, port, critical-facility and distributed-power systems.

Minimum requirements

• A doctoral degree (NQF 10) in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science/Engineering, Electrochemical Engineering, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Energy Engineering, or a qualification closely related to the theme.
• A minimum of seven (7) DHET-accredited research outputs/creative outputs over the preceding three years, relevant to the discipline, with evidence of research quality and impact.
• Successful supervision to completion of Master's and Doctoral students
• A significant period of sustained academic experience of academic experience in research and/or professional experience in higher education or a research environment.
• A good record of research and/or academic leadership with demonstrated leadership in hydrogen storage, fuel cells and distributed power.
• Evidence of success in securing competitive research funding (grants, contracts or commissioned research).
• Evidence of leading multidisciplinary teams and building national/international research collaborations.

Theme-specific expertise

• Applicants must demonstrate a coherent record in several of the following areas, with clear depth in at least one: Compressed-hydrogen vessels, metal hydrides, sorbents, materials compatibility, cycling, embrittlement and structural integrity; Hydrogen carriers such as ammonia, including conversion, handling, logistics, traceability and comparative assessment;
• Fuel-cell catalysts, membranes, electrodes, bipolar plates, stacks, thermal/water management, durability and recycling; Fuel-cell/battery/renewable hybrid systems, microgrids, black start, resilience, controls and remote operation; Hydrogen safety, leak sensing, ventilation, ignition prevention, hazard and risk modelling, condition monitoring or emergency response.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and sustain an internationally visible research programme in Hydrogen Storage, Fuel Cells and Distributed Power.
• Publish high-quality peer-reviewed research and pursue appropriate intellectual-property, technology-transfer and innovation outputs.
• Supervise Master's and Doctoral candidates to completion and mentor postdoctoral fellows and emerging researchers.
• Contribute to postgraduate curriculum development, specialist short courses, teaching and assessment in relevant academic programmes.
• Lead or contribute to competitive grant proposals, commissioned research and multi-partner projects with clear deliverables.
• Build productive collaborations with DUT faculties, national hydrogen institutions, government, industry, communities and international partners.
• Apply safety-by-design, research ethics, responsible data management, lifecycle integrity and applicable codes and standards.
• Contribute to institute planning, laboratories, shared research platforms, seminars, reporting, engagement and administrative responsibilities.
• Translate research into demonstrators, test methods, policy or standards evidence, skills, local-enterprise opportunities and measurable societal impact.

Ideal / additional recommendations

• An NRF rating, or equivalent recognised international research standing.
• Professional registration where relevant to the discipline and scope of work.
• Experience with laboratory or pilot-scale systems, research infrastructure, safety governance and industry-facing demonstrators.
• A record of interdisciplinary, multi-institutional or international collaboration.
• Strong communication, organisational, mentoring and stakeholder-engagement capability.

Position 4

• Associate Professor: Electrolyser Systems, Water-Hydrogen Nexus and Digital Optimisation
• Themes 1 & 3: Green Hydrogen Production and Hydrogen Storage, Fuel Cells and Distributed Power
• Reference Number: 30002760
• Status of Position: Permanent
• Campus: Durban / Pietermaritzburg, as determined by DUT

Position purpose

• The appointee will build a translational research programme connecting electrolyser performance with water quality, renewable supply, balance-of-plant, controls and digital optimisation.

Minimum requirements

• A doctoral degree (NQF 10) in Chemical Engineering, Water Engineering, Electrochemical Engineering, Process Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Energy Engineering, Data/Computational Engineering, or a qualification closely related to the theme.
• A minimum of seven (7) DHET-accredited research outputs/creative outputs over the preceding three years, relevant to the discipline, with evidence of research quality and impact.
• Successful supervision to completion of Master's and Doctoral students
• A significant period of sustained academic experience of academic experience in research and/or professional experience in higher education or a research environment.
• A good record of research and/or academic leadership with demonstrated leadership in electrolyser systems, water-hydrogen nexus and digital optimisation.
• Evidence of success in securing competitive research funding (grants, contracts or commissioned research).
• Evidence of leading multidisciplinary teams and building national/international research collaborations.

Theme-specific expertise

• Applicants must demonstrate a coherent record in several of the following areas, with clear depth in at least one: Experimental evaluation of electrolyser performance under variable renewable profiles and realistic impurities;
• Water-quality, purification, wastewater-reuse, desalination, recovery or brine-management requirements for electrolysis; Balance-of-plant design, compression, drying, purification, sensors, heat recovery and system optimisation; Digital twins, model-predictive control, uncertainty analysis, techno-economics and lifecycle emissions; Design and operation of modular laboratory or pilot platforms with credible measurement and validation protocols.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and sustain an internationally visible research programme in Green Hydrogen Production and Renewable-System Integration.
• Publish high-quality peer-reviewed research and pursue appropriate intellectual-property, technology-transfer and innovation outputs.
• Supervise Master's and Doctoral candidates to completion and mentor postdoctoral fellows and emerging researchers.
• Contribute to postgraduate curriculum development, specialist short courses, teaching and assessment in relevant academic programmes.
• Lead or contribute to competitive grant proposals, commissioned research and multi-partner projects with clear deliverables.
• Build productive collaborations with DUT faculties, national hydrogen institutions, government, industry, communities and international partners.
• Apply safety-by-design, research ethics, responsible data management, lifecycle integrity and applicable codes and standards.
• Contribute to institute planning, laboratories, shared research platforms, seminars, reporting, engagement and administrative responsibilities.
• Translate research into demonstrators, test methods, policy or standards evidence, skills, local-enterprise opportunities and measurable societal impact.

Ideal / additional recommendations

• An NRF rating, or equivalent recognised international research standing.
• Professional registration where relevant to the discipline and scope of work.
• Experience with laboratory or pilot-scale systems, research infrastructure, safety governance and industry-facing demonstrators.
• A record of interdisciplinary, multi-institutional or international collaboration.
• Strong communication, organisational, mentoring and stakeholder-engagement capability. -

Position 5

• Senior Lecturer: Green Hydrogen Production
• Theme 1: Green Hydrogen Production
• Reference Number: 30002761
• Status of Position: Permanent
• Campus: Durban / Pietermaritzburg, as determined by DUT
• Position purpose
• The appointee will develop a research programme in renewable hydrogen production, with particular strength in electrolysis and integrated operation under African and coastal conditions.

Minimum requirements

• A doctoral degree (NQF 10) in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering/Science, Electrochemical Engineering, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Process Systems Engineering, or a qualification closely related to the theme.
• A minimum of three (3) DHET-accredited research outputs/creative outputs over the preceding three years, relevant to the discipline.
• Evidence of participation in supervision of Master's students
• An appropriate period of relevant academic experience of academic experience in research and/or professional experience in higher education or a research environment.
• A record of research and/or academic leadership with demonstrated leadership in electrolyser systems, water-hydrogen nexus and digital optimisation.
• Evidence of participation in grant writing.
• Evidence of participation in multidisciplinary teams and research collaborations.

Theme-specific expertise

• Applicants must demonstrate a coherent record in several of the following areas, with clear depth in at least one: Electrolysis catalysts, membranes, electrodes, coatings, bipolar plates, seals or scarce-material reduction;
• Dynamic electrolyser operation, degradation, diagnostics, predictive maintenance and renewable intermittency; Water--hydrogen systems using responsible sources, including treatment, wastewater reuse, desalination, recovery and competing-use assessment; Renewable/grid integration, power electronics, controls, balance-of-plant, thermal integration or digital twins; Techno-economic optimisation and lifecycle-carbon assessment for hydrogen production and scale-up.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and sustain an internationally visible research programme in Green Hydrogen Production and Renewable-System Integration.
• Publish high-quality peer-reviewed research and pursue appropriate intellectual-property, technology-transfer and innovation outputs.
• Supervise Master's and Doctoral candidates to completion and mentor postdoctoral fellows and emerging researchers.
• Contribute to postgraduate curriculum development, specialist short courses, teaching and assessment in relevant academic programmes.
• Lead or contribute to competitive grant proposals, commissioned research and multi-partner projects with clear deliverables.
• Build productive collaborations with DUT faculties, national hydrogen institutions, government, industry, communities and international partners.
• Apply safety-by-design, research ethics, responsible data management, lifecycle integrity and applicable codes and standards.
• Contribute to institute planning, laboratories, shared research platforms, seminars, reporting, engagement and administrative responsibilities.
• Translate research into demonstrators, test methods, policy or standards evidence, skills, local-enterprise opportunities and measurable societal impact.

Ideal / additional recommendations

• An NRF rating, or equivalent recognised international research standing.
• Professional registration where relevant to the discipline and scope of work.
• Experience with laboratory or pilot-scale systems, research infrastructure, safety governance and industry-facing demonstrators.
• A record of interdisciplinary, multi-institutional or international collaboration.
• Strong communication, organisational, mentoring and stakeholder-engagement capability.

Position 6

• Senior Lecturer: Biohydrogen Production
• Theme 2: Biohydrogen Production
• Reference Number: 30002762
• Status of Position: Permanent
• Campus: Durban / Pietermaritzburg, as determined by DUT

Position purpose

• The appointee will provide senior intellectual leadership in Direct Biophotolysis, Indirect Biophotolysis, Dark Fermentation, Photo-Fermentation and Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MECs).

Minimum requirements

• A doctoral degree (NQF 10) in Biotechnology, Fermentation Science, Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, or a qualification closely related to the theme.
• A minimum of three (3) DHET-accredited research outputs/creative outputs over the preceding three years, relevant to the discipline.
• Evidence of participation in supervision of Master's students
• An appropriate period of relevant academic experience of academic experience in research and/or professional experience in higher education or a research environment.
• A record of research and/or academic leadership with demonstrated leadership in biohydrogen production.
• Evidence of participation in grant writing.
• Evidence of participation in multidisciplinary teams and research collaborations.

Theme-specific expertise

• Applicants must demonstrate a coherent record in several of the following areas, with clear depth in at least one: Use of green algae or cyanobacteria to split water molecules directly into hydrogen and oxygen;
• Indirect hydrogen evolution after a photosynthetic first step; Breakdown of carbohydrate-rich organic matter or food and agricultural waste in the complete absence of light to generate hydrogen;
• Consumption of organic acids by photosynthetic bacteria in the presence of visible light to produce hydrogen; Formation of hydrogen gas efficiently after microbial oxidation of organic waste at an anode.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and sustain an internationally visible research programme in Biohydrogen Production.
• Publish high-quality peer-reviewed research and pursue appropriate intellectual-property, technology-transfer and innovation outputs.
• Supervise Master's and Doctoral candidates to completion and mentor postdoctoral fellows and emerging researchers.
• Contribute to postgraduate curriculum development, specialist short courses, teaching and assessment in relevant academic programmes.
• Lead or contribute to competitive grant proposals, commissioned research and multi-partner projects with clear deliverables.
• Build productive collaborations with DUT faculties, national hydrogen institutions, government, industry, communities and international partners.
• Apply safety-by-design, research ethics, responsible data management, lifecycle integrity and applicable codes and standards.
• Contribute to institute planning, laboratories, shared research platforms, seminars, reporting, engagement and administrative responsibilities.
• Translate research into demonstrators, test methods, policy or standards evidence, skills, local-enterprise opportunities and measurable societal impact.

Ideal / additional recommendations

• An NRF rating, or demonstrable potential to obtain an NRF rating, commensurate with the level of appointment.
• Professional registration where relevant to the discipline and scope of work.
• Experience with laboratory or pilot-scale systems, research infrastructure, safety governance and industry-facing demonstrators.
• A record of interdisciplinary, multi-institutional or international collaboration.
• Strong communication, organisational, mentoring and stakeholder-engagement capability.

Application Information applies to all six positions:

Application requirements

• A fully completed prescribed DUT application for employment form, obtainable from www.dut.ac.za under Quick Links / Careers.
• A detailed curriculum vitae explicitly demonstrating how the applicant meets the rank and theme-specific requirements.
• A covering letter identifying the exact position, rank and research theme applied for.
• Copies of all relevant academic records and certificates.
• A copy of an identity document or passport, and current contact details for referees.

Closing Date 02 October 2026