Research Group Leader: Command and Control Systems at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

About the job:

The CSIR has a vacancy for a Research Group Leader: Command and Control Systems in the Command Control and Integrated Systems Impact Area within its Defence and Security Cluster. The incumbent will be responsible for the provision of strategic and technical leadership to the research group, including people management, business development, financial sustainability, and operations management. This position is based in Pretoria.

Key responsibilities:

• Contribute to strategic investment goal setting and development of RDI strategy;
• Implement the research, development and innovation (RD&I) strategy for the Impact Area;
• Lead (and enable others in RG to lead) researchers and engineers;
• Promote a culture of science, engineering and technology (SET) excellence and provide RDI leadership of multiple disciplines;
• Contribute to the Command-and-Control Systems for industry and/or service delivery relevant within national and international standing that is directed at cutting edge offerings.
• Propose and/or contribute to the strategic investment plan and implement Parliamentary Grant, Contract Research and Development and other grant-funded projects;
• Develop and implement a business plan for operation, sustainable growth, impact and robustness of RG (including strategy, goals, mission, HR, finances, technology transfer, IP and commercialization);
• Assume leadership in the RG’s provision of integrated capability technical solutions to capability development projects and client programmes;
• Deeply understand the needs for integrated capability management solutions within the impact area to industry by integrating sector knowledge in multi-dimensional research and development programs in order to deliver industry aligned RDI;
• Manage the development of technology roadmaps, , to enable key offerings of the Research Group to remain relevant and effective;
• Ensure staff development, strategic Human Capital Development and effective teaming;
• Ensure a well-balanced cutting edge ICM SET capability (aligned staff, development strategies using software best practices);
• Ensure productivity and quality SET outputs are achieved;
• Deliver on all KPIs of the area and ensure that all outputs are achieved, including transformation, profit and loss, quality, health, safety and environment as per agreed targets;
• Implement and comply with appropriate financial, business systems requirements, including operational approvals;
• Network with peers in the fields expertise within and outside the CSIR;
• Deliver, through the Research Group, software solutions to Command and Control Systems
• Provide technical support on business development and participate in client interactions;
• Facilitate effective participation of Research Group in a portfolio of projects executed within the Capability Management Area, by managing software resource assignments and utilizing senior team members to lead teams while ensuring growth of people through projects;
• Manage projects through planning of appropriate processes and policies to ensure Intellectual Property (IP) protection and technology transfer;
• In collaboration with the Business Development and Commercialization portfolio: 
  • Drive the transfer of technology and solutions design to industry/user environment;
  • Package technologies for commercialisation or develop an “investment ready business” through financial modelling market assessment and business plan development.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

A Master’s degree in electronic, computer engineering or computer science with at least ten years’ experience in systems and software development processes, of which five years should be in the defence capability engineering experience including concept development and experimentation; and development of software within the defence and security environment with a preference in at least two of the following fields:

• Systems Engineering;
• Simulation modelling and decision support;
• Situational awareness system and operational command centre development;
• Software Engineering;
• Systems Integration;
• Knowledge of military capability, and capability-based planning principles and application in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
• Knowledge of decision support systems design and implementation;
• Sound experience in managing a team of multi-disciplinary professions;
• Proven track record in project management and research project leadership;
• Ability to provide thought leadership and high level conceptualisation;
• Ability to work independently as well as in teams;
• Business Development and financial acumen;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills;
• Conflict management skills;
• Decisiveness and action orientation;
• Appropriate national and international RDI networks;
• An understanding of the research to market ‘innovation’ value chain.