Senior Scientist (S) at The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)

Responsibilities:

• Lead and support core research functions, including data mapping, stakeholder mapping, and evidence synthesis.
• Coordinate project operations, stakeholder engagements, logistics, meetings, documentation, and workflow/SOP updates.
• Manage data processes end-to-end: collection, entry, cleaning, verification, curation, and secure documentation.
• Conduct data analysis (e.g., Stata/R) and contribute to high-quality technical reports, proposals, and presentations.
• Prepare and deliver internal/external meeting inputs, ensuring quality control across research outputs and administrative tasks.
• Conduct innovative, high-impact research that contributes significantly to the field in peer-reviewed journals (ISI journal articles, editorials, book chapters, and technical reports) as first/senior author.
• Present at national and international conferences or meetings
• Present research through oral/poster presentations at local or international conferences.
• Contribute to scientific or professional services that support socially responsive activities beyond the SAMRC.
• Support community outreach initiatives and engage with stakeholders, communities, or broader society.
• Participate in developing evidence-based research briefs and technical reports for industry or partners.
• Help raise awareness, promote dialogue, and influence discourse across civil society, community, health, education, or industry sectors using scientific expertise.
• Contribute to training and development through lectures, workshops, technical support, mentoring, and engagement with exchange students.
• Supervise Master's students (enrolled or graduating) and support teaching/training activities for SAMRC staff.
• Lead and participate in writing and securing competitive research grants, including self-initiated research and/or equipment grants

Core Requirements:

• Master’s degree in public health, Epidemiology, Social Sciences, or a related field, with substantial progress toward a PhD.
• At least 5 years’ experience in research, data collection, and systematic reviews.
• Minimum of 5 lifetime publications, with at least 3 as first author in peer-reviewed (ISI) journals or equivalent outputs.
• Successful research and/or equipment grant application of = R100,000 (examples such as external travel award, Thuthuka, etc.)
• Consistent research outputs over the last 5 years.
• Familiarity with data entry, transcription, qualitative and /or quantitative data handling.
• Having successfully supervised at least two post graduate students.
• Ability to follow scientific protocols, standard operating procedures, and ethical research practices
• Strong organizational, and administrative skills with attention to detail.
• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Advantageous:

• A PhD qualification in Public Health.
• Knowledge of systematic reviews, and data analysis and Stata/R Studio.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work in multidisciplinary teams.
• Willingness to learn and grow within a collaborative research environment.
• Ability to multitask and manage competing priorities in a dynamic setting.
• Experience in literature searches on various databases (e.g. Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science).