Active Jobs at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Key responsibilities:

• Assist with conducting research on bioremediation from a conservation and experimental science focus
• Carry out tasks and duties pertaining to research projects and responsibilities within nature-based solutions
• Maintain data/laboratory space for research
• Assist with writing technical reports, papers and relevant outputs within the research project
• Ensure the lab has adequate resources to perform all aspects of the project work;
• Ensure compliance with all corporate policy procedures in the laboratory; 
• Represents inspectorate by appearance and conduct.  Always behaves ethically and ensures compliance in all areas.

Qualifications, skills, and experience:

• A National Diploma in the fields of Microbiology/Biotechnology or related fields;
• An Honours degree would be an added advantage;
• Must be Computer literate with MS Office Package;

The following skills are required;

• Excellent communication (verbal and written);
• Self-motivated and a team player;
• Analytical, methodical, innovative, and results-driven;
• Willingness to learn and work under pressure;
• Pro-active and focused;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving;
• Ability to prioritise and have a good sense of urgency and accuracy;

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Key responsibilities:

• Source and obtain quotations.
• Create, issue and expedite orders.
• Liaise with internal and external clients/customers;
• Provide administrative support and handle general procurement enquiries;
• Assist with information gathering for reports and auditing purposes;
• Ensure compliance to policies and procedures, rules and regulations, legislative objectives and other related frameworks;
• Perform any other supply chain management tasks as and when mandated.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A three-year diploma or degree in supply chain management;
• Computer literacy and numerical skills;
• Ability to maintain high degree of accuracy;
• Ability to pay attention to detail;
• Problem-solving ability and communication skills;
• High degree of customer focus and care;
• Ability to meet demanding deadlines;
• Ability to work in a team is essential.

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Key responsibilities:

Prepare standard financial report: data analytics and measurements

• Plan, communicate and manage month-end, year-end and ad hoc processes required to ensure accurate and complete monthly and annual financial results and follow-up and resolve outstanding queries
• Compile, analyse and interpret monthly management accounts for relevant business areas, including detailed variance analysis with accurate and relevant stakeholders to mitigate financial risk and met financial targets.
• Prepare relevant ad-hoc reports and data analysis to provide insight into business performance, including predictive results, to support effective management decision making and improve financial sustainability.
• Ensure relevance of reports and implement improvements on continuous basis.
• Ensure that all are accurate, completed and approved with the required timeframes.

Contract Management: for ensuring accurate and complete commercial contracting and financial results

• Ensure compliance with terms and conditions of commercial agreements for both customers and suppliers
• Review accuracy and completeness of the contract milestones/deliverables, billing plans, budget allocations and cost centres on the financial system to monitor and report on progress
• Ensure that contracts (and associated projects) are correctly classified, and register based on the required accounting standard which is informed by the relevant IFRS/IAS contract classification checklist
• Ensure that a signed copy of contract, routing sheet and accounting standard classification checklist is registered on the system to ensure ease of access to supporting documents and electronic audit trail
• Prepare/review weekly, monthly and annual contract reports, including analysis to identify gaps and areas of concern.  Provide reports to relevant manager/line staff, including recommended actions required to ensure contract delivery in terms of performance obligations
• Ensure that contract/project specific reports are prepared based on client specification and requirements are as per signed agreements to include progress against plan (if applicable)
• Review and approve contract reconciliations prepare by the financial administration/accounting officers for accuracy and correctness and ensure queries have been actioned timeously
• Ensure that contract/project management meetings are attended by relevant finance team members

Finance Service Delivery: ensure high levels of internal customer satisfaction through delivering high quality Finance products and services for the organisation

Financial Management

• Ensure that all financial information for relevant areas of responsibility is recorded accurately and completely
• Formulate and recommend relevant revenue and costing models informed by latest information, benchmarking, and best practice to improve operational decision making and profitability within areas of responsibility
• Identify and implement cost savings initiatives and efficiencies within areas of responsibility
• Review and approve manual journals and upload (including correction of errors, provisions and accruals, bad debt, manual adjustments, zero rate vat, forecast, interest capitalisation and monthly overhead cost recovery) to accurately reflect financial information and cost distribution for accurate financial month-end results
• Scrutinise the trial balance before month end to ensure completeness and validity of entries and follow up on abnormal or missing entries.  Consider accruals and discuss findings, recommendations, and corrections with Finance Manager
• Ensure that monthly reconciliations for relevant income statement and balance sheet accounts are prepared and reviewed and that reconciling items are resolved and cleared timeously
• Provide information and substantiating documentation to central Finance to clear items from control accounts and ensure expenses are correctly accounted for and assets added in the correct categories

Manage the budget process

• Plan, communicate and manage the budget process in terms of annual directive for areas of responsibility
• Provide financial information and budget requirements to managers to enable them to prepare their budgets
• Ensure accuracy and completeness of budget base data received from the internal CSIR department to assist with accurate internal overheads/recoveries planning
• Ensure the budgets are accurately captures on the CSIR budget system
• Consolidate budgets for review by Financial Manager and relevant operational manager

Manage the forecast process

• Plan, communicate and managed the monthly forecast process for areas of responsibility
• Engage with Division/Portfolio and department managers to ensure accuracy and reliability of information used as a basis for forecasts
• Consolidate forecasts including variance analyses and corrective actions for review by Financial Manager and relevant operational manager
• Review/approve forecast adjustment journals and ensure that journals are updated into system as per agreed upon forecast

Interact with customers and stakeholders (internal and external)

• Maintain professionalism in all interactions
• Ensure that all queries are resolved timeously

Support internal/External audits to ensure compliance to stated financial objectives and audit requirements

• Engage with internal and external auditors to understand the audit requirements and to ensure an efficient audit is conducted within the required frames
• Provide system and process descriptions and other information requirements, on project specific audits, internal audit requests/reports and annual/specific external audits to comply with stated objectives of the audit and financial requirements and to assist the auditors in meeting set deadlines
• Review and provide recommendations and implement corrective action as agreed

Governance and compliance: compliance to financial framework and relevant legislation and implementation of effective financial controls within the Business areas

• Review and recommend business process improvements to the financial manager or relevant responsible persons to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of financial support
• Communicate and assist with the implementation of CSIR policy and process changes to ensure compliance by staff

Financial Administration

Provide management oversight and direction to all financial administration activities, including:

• Ensure the Business areas Petty Cash float is managed and accounted for through regular cash counts and that petty cash expenses are within policy and procedures and that total expenses and cash reconciles with the petty cash float (where relevant)
• Ensure effective management of open orders, ensuring timely follow up and action to close orders by Financial Administration Officers
• Ensure local and overseas employee reimbursement claims are verified that the appropriate and supporting documentation is attached and that the correct cost centres are indicated, the correctness of the approval by the direct managers are validated, before approving and submitting for processing
• Review and approve voice and data allowances for areas of responsibility
• Ensure effective record keeping
• Any other financial administration related activities

Support Finance Team

• Coach, train and manage performance of staff or junior team members
• Ensure team members perform their duties in accordance with their job requirements
• Evaluate segregation of duties continuously to ensure the control environment remains intact
• Identify gaps for training or development of staff to assist with skills retention and succession planning
• Provide training to support finance team on the business process requirements of contract management and project administration and the impact of transactions processed in the financial system to provide them with a good understanding of their responsibilities in performing their duties efficiently in support of the Division/Portfolio
• Foster a culture of excellence, customer service and continuous improvement

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting/Finance/Management Accounting or equivalent
• B Comm Hons or CIMA - advantageous

At least five years` finance experience in a medium to large business, including:

• At least three years management accountant experience
• Financial reconciliation and reporting
• Financial planning, including budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis
• Analysis and interpretation of financial data
• Sound understanding of international accounting standards
• Sound understanding of legislation applicable to state owned entities
• Supervision of junior team members
• Financial management
• Management accounting
• Financial analysis and reporting
• Budget/forecast preparation
• Internal controls
• Sound knowledge of auditing requirements
• Full Microsoft suite
• Solid understanding of accounting and CSIR financial systems
• Knowledge and application of contract and project administration principles and accounting requirements
• Excellent communication skills
• Effective leadership skills
• Well organised
• Ability to multitask and manage competing priorities

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Key responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute the strategic vision for CSIR C³ in alignment with CSIR’s broader industrial development and innovation goals.
• Lead the development and implementation of commercialization strategies for CSIR and partner technologies across all CSIR relevant sectors.
• Undertake periodic strategic reviews of CSIR IP portfolios.

Business Development and Partnerships

• Build and manage partnerships with industry, investors, and government to accelerate the uptake of CSIR technologies.
• Identify and nurture spin-offs, startups, and joint ventures based on CSIR and partner IP.
• Develop partnerships with CSIR internal stakeholders and IP developers.

Investment and Fundraising

• Attract investment to support commercialization efforts, including venture capital, public-private partnerships, and donor funding.
• Invest in viable enterprises that will provide a positive return to the CSIR and its partners.
• Oversee financial sustainability and growth of CSIR C³.

Operational Oversight

• Lead a team of specialists IP commercialization.
• Ensure effective governance, compliance, and performance management.
• Develop operational policies, frameworks, guidelines for the business.
• Obtain all necessary National Treasury exemptions to allow CSIR: C3 to function effectively.
• Implement systems and tools to support business performance, portfolio analysis.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Represent CSIR C³ in national and international forums.
• Engage with policymakers, industry leaders, and the innovation ecosystem to promote CSIR technologies.
• Develop and manage an ecosystem of partners including technology licensees, public and private sector investors.

Innovation Pipeline Management

• Prioritize and manage the pipeline of technologies for commercialization.
• Guide the development and readiness of technologies for market through validation, prototyping, and IP protection.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A minimum qualification of a Masters in Science or Engineering or a Bachelor of Commerce degree with majors in accounting or business management.
• A Masters in Business Administration or Masters in Business Leadership will be an advantage.

At least ten - fifteen years of senior leadership experience, ideally in:

• Technology commercialization
• Innovation-driven enterprises
• Research and development (R&D)
• Venture creation or startup ecosystems

Governance and Directorship Credentials:

• At least three years of directorship or senior management experience in the past five years.
• Understanding of the SA IP legislative frameworks and regime
• Knowledge of and experience with the PFMA, Companies Act and NT regulations
• The Managing Director must be a fit and proper person to fulfil the role of director.
• Proven track record in business development, IP management, and strategic partnerships.
• Deep understanding of South Africa’s innovation ecosystem and public-private collaboration.
• Strategic thinking and execution
• Stakeholder engagement and influence
• Financial and operational acumen
• Techno Economic assessment
• Deal structuring
• Negotiation skills
• People management
• Organised execution
• All international qualifications require an evaluation report / certificate issued by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

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Key responsibilities:

Under supervision, the Intern will be required to:

• Analyse and interpret experimental results;
• Contribute to the planning and execution of experiments;
• Contribute to the development and implementation of standard operating procedures;
• Contribute and assist with laboratory inventory management;
• Compile technical reports and other project-related documents;
• Prepare chemical and biological agents;
• Take responsibility and custodianship of the laboratory;

Qualifications, skills, and experience:

• A BSc, BTech/BEng in chemistry/chemical engineering, biotechnology, nanotechnology, polymer technology/science, material science, mechanical, or electrical engineering.
• An honours in the above fields will be advantageous.  
• Must have a ‘hands-on’ approach with respect to equipment operation, and working in the laboratory and pilot facility;
• Must be Computer literate with the MS Office Package;        
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written);

The following skills are required;

• Self-motivated and a team player;
• Analytical, methodical, innovative, and results-driven;
• Willingness to learn and work under pressure;
• Pro-active and focused;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Ability to prioritise and have a good sense of urgency and accuracy. 
• All international qualifications require an evaluation report/certificate issued by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

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Key responsibilities:

• Design and develop advanced signal processing algorithms that redefine what is possible in radar technology.
• Dive deep into system requirements, capabilities, and functionality, uncovering insights that drive groundbreaking solutions.
• Analyze mathematical systems, optimize their performance, and tackle fascinating system effects head-on.
• Conduct functional analyses and simulations of systems and subsystems, turning concepts into reality.
• Create prototypes using high-level languages like MATLAB, Python, Julia, or C++, turning concepts into tangible solutions.
• Transform algorithms into real-world applications, seamlessly integrating them into cutting-edge systems.
• Simulate, experiment with and analyze operational systems, unlocking their full potential by maximising performance.
• Experiment with deployable systems to validate and refine algorithms, ensuring they perform at their peak.
• Contribute to the design and specification of next-generation operational radar systems that will set new industry standards.
• Engage with internal and external clients as well as domain-defining stakeholders.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Bachelor of Engineering degree in electronic/computer/mechatronic engineering or computer science;
• A postgraduate degree will be advantageous;
• Must have experience in Matlab, Python, Julia and/or C++;
• Must have knowledge of electronic hardware and software implementation;
• Technical report writing and presentation skills;

Knowledge and/or experience in the following will be advantageous:

• Radar and/or Electronic Defence
• (Radar and/or Electronic Defence) Signal Processing
• Algorithm Design
• Statistics
• Pattern recognition
• Sensor / data fusion
• Antennas
• Radio Frequency (RF) systems
• Electromagnetic Theory and Propagation