Research and Training Coordinator at Stellenbosch University

Duties/Pligte        

• Maintaining an optimally functioning laboratory working environment through managing facilities, instrumentation, stocks, cold storage, etc., and ensuring compliance of students, interns and research assistants with good laboratory practice.                 
• Dealing with registration requirements in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to the National Department of Health, the National Department of Agriculture, the institutional Research Ethics Committee: Biosafety and Environmental Ethics (REC: BEE), Occupational Health and Safety, and others.   
• Liaising with relevant bodies and structures within SU and beyond. 
• Composing, reviewing and updating standard operating procedures (SOPs).                
• Controlling and supervising reagent stocks, storage facilities, etc.             
• Monitoring and arranging servicing, maintenance and calibration of instruments and apparatuses. 
• Determining when needs arise to upgrade instruments and apparatuses. 
• Compiling and managing rotation duty lists, such as checkpoints and liquid nitrogen tank refills.  
• Maintaining the Stellenbosch University asset register of the research and academic section of the Division of Medical Virology. ·           
• Training undergraduate and postgraduate students and interns in laboratory safety and good laboratory practice to national and international standards. ·               
• Training students, interns and laboratory assistants in, and overseeing the use of, the laboratory information management systems, e.g. for booking facilities and equipment, 
• and for managing stocks and storage facilities. ·                
• The scope of the above may extend to laboratories and facilities located outside the physical Medical Virology environment as and if required by projects. ·                
• Dealing with accreditation requirements as and when needed. ·                
• Occasionally attending to out of hours emergency calls, e.g. during power failures, to attend to the situation.

Job Requirements/Pos Vereistes        

• A technical degree or diploma in a relevant discipline.         
• At least two years laboratory experience, preferably in a virological or molecular biology laboratory. ·         
• Experience in performing research-related tasks, such as the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). ·         
• Strong writing and communication skills. ·         
• Strong interpersonal and conflict management skills. ·         
• Strong time management and organisational skills.   

Recommendation/Aanbeveling        

• MSc degree in a relevant field. 
• Prior experience in laboratory management and coordination.      
• HPCSA registration as a biomedical scientist. 
• Prior experience in biosafety level 2 and 3 laboratory work.

Closing Date  29-May-2026