Current Vacancies at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities:

• Develop and implement virtualisation of LIS services.
• Develop and administer the LIS Springshare suite, for example, LibGuides and LibAnswers with LiveChat.
• Investigate, develop, and implement virtual and augmented reality in the LIS.
• Investigate and recommend innovative software and tools to enhance the LIS virtual environment.
• Regular exploration of virtual tools in support of the LIS teaching and learning programmes.
• Regular exploration and implementation of virtual tools that enhance the research output's visibility globally.
• Keep abreast of virtual library environment developments in collaboration with LIS faculty librarians.
• Research and publication of academic article(s) on virtual library services. 
• Develop effective strategic relationships and stakeholder management in collaboration with the LIS Marketing and Engaged Scholarship Assistant Director to ensure LIS visibility.
• Develop and implement marketing strategies to create awareness and increase usage of LIS online information resources and services.
• Increase the visibility of the LIS in the academic and research programmes of the UFS.
• Conduct general and focused roadshows to internal stakeholders.
• Take part in campus-wide events, for example, career fairs, open days, and inaugural lectures.
• Develop and conduct satisfaction and information need surveys to determine users’ perception of the LIS in collaboration with the LIS Quality Assurance Officer.
• Build skills in research analytical tools for the UFS community.
• Develop online training guides to support the UFS research community.
• Develop and implement programmes for the skills development of LIS staff in the virtual library environment.
• Guide faculty librarians on the implementation of virtual services. 
• Share best practices with the sector.
• Provide support to the LIS Digital Library Services for LIS website development and maintenance.
• Develop, maintain, and provide support for the LIS Blackboard site. 

Inherent requirements:

• Postgraduate diploma on NQF level 8 in Library and Information Science.
• Bachelor/ BTech degree on NQF level 7 or equivalent in Library and Information Science.
• A minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience (virtual platforms).

Recommendations: 

• A qualification in ICT

Competencies

Required competencies:

• The ability to cope with a frequently changing environment and to adapt to evolving situations.
• The ability to deal calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
• Strategic Thinking:
• The ability to deal with several activities at a time. 
• The ability to carefully analyse information and use logic to address issues and problems at work. 
• Business Acumen:
• The ability to adhere to rules and strictly follow work regulations.

Leading: 

• The ability to be cooperative with others, display a good-natured attitude and encourage people to work together.
• The ability to maintain high levels of personal motivation, energy, and enthusiasm.
• Building Coalitions:
• The ability to be self-assured and at ease with people in all types of social situations. 
• The ability to interact with others and establish personal connections with people.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Provide administrative support to the Department of Public Law and, when necessary, to the Faculty of Law.
• Contribute to the smooth administrative running of the Department of Public Law.
• Responsible for administrative functions within the Department of Public Law.

Inherent requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree or a B-Tech degree on NQF level seven (7) in the field of Administration or related field.
• A minimum of one (1) year relevant working experience relating to the duties and responsibilities.

Recommendations:

• A minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience in an institution of Higher Education.
• Experience with the PeopleSoft system.
• Honours degree on NQF level eight (8) in the field of Administration or related field.

Competencies

Required competencies: 

Results oriented.

• The ability to cope with a frequently changing environment and to adapt to evolving situations. 
• The ability to be reliable, responsible, dependable and to fulfil obligations.

Strategic thinking.

• The ability to deal with several activities at a time.
• The ability to focus on details, work towards perfection, and approach work in a neat and organised manner.

Business Acumen:

• The ability to adhere to rules and strictly follow work regulations.
• Proficient in using MS Office.

Leading.

• The ability to lead, take charge of situations, and offer opinions and directions to others. 
• The ability to be cooperative with others, display a good-natured attitude and encourage people to work together.
• Building coalitions.
• The ability to be self-assured and at ease with people in all types of social situations.
• The ability to be sensitive and understanding to the needs and feelings of others. 

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Clean residences and other accommodation categories of the Department: Housing and Residence Affairs.
• Clean according to the All-Care Colour Coding System.
• Responsible for issued equipment as provided by the University.
• Clean restrooms as provided by the University.
• Clean during conferences; this includes making up beds and taking off the linen after conferences. Work overtime when required, especially during conference times.

Inherent Job requirements:

• Grade 10 on NQF level 2.

Recommendations:

• Minimum of two (2) years’ experience in a colour code cleaning system.
• Colour coding cleaning system certificate.

Competencies

Key Competencies required: 

Results-oriented:

• The ability to be reliable, responsible, dependable, and to fulfil obligations.
• Strategic thinking:
• The ability to focus on details, work towards perfection, and approach work in a neat and organised. 

Business Acumen:

• The ability to adhere to rules and strictly follow work regulations.
• Experience in cleaning with a colour-coding cleaning system.

Leading:

• The ability to be cooperative with others, display a good-natured attitude and encourage people to work together.
• Building coalitions:
• The ability to interact with others and establish personal connections with people.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Issue traffic fines for traffic contraventions on campus.
• Clamp vehicles parked in unauthorised parking areas.
• Attend to reported traffic incidents, such as accidents on UFS campuses.
• Ensure effective flow of traffic by conducting point duty services.
• Conduct visible traffic patrols on campus to ensure compliance with the minimum speed limit.
• Conduct traffic safety assessments on campus.
• Reserve parking during events, as well as when a need arises. 
• Record all accidents in the accident register and compile the accident report form.
• Participate in road safety awareness campaigns.

Inherent requirements:

• Grade 12 or National Vocational Certificate on NQF level 4.
• Traffic Warden certificate from a recognised traffic training academy.
• Driver’s licence.
• Recommendations:
• One (1) year of relevant working experience related to the duties and responsibilities.
• Traffic Officer’s Diploma. 
• Computer literacy.
• Registration with the Institute of Traffic Officers.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Provide formal teaching for undergraduate as well as post-graduate programmes.
• Act as a supervisor for postgraduate students.
• Ensure active involvement in research. 
• Active involvement in curriculum development relating to Early Childhood Development (ECD) and/or Foundation Phase modules specifically.
• As an Academic Head of Department (AHD): Continuous planning and execution of teaching and research strategies, general organising and coordinating of administrative duties, mentoring and motivating staff, manage finances (e.g. annual budgeting, allocation of funds) of the school.

Additional duties applicable to the Academic Head of Department:

• Provide academic leadership by creating and executing strategies to establish the Department as a leader in the faculty vis-à-vis competing international entities.
• Direct the academic debate in the Department.
• Influence the Department's overall climate and culture.
• Energise everybody in the Department and beyond; and
• Shape the future of the Department.
• Contribute positively to the overall leadership in the faculty.
• Plan, organise and coordinate staff, students, and activities, mentor and motivate staff, structure and exercise overall control frequently.
• Create an atmosphere of consensus among staff.
• Communicate effectively internally and externally.
• Link staff in disciplines and students with the University’s management and administration through communication, negotiation, and consultation.
• Actively participate and be involved in faculty management structures, attend meetings, lead project teams, represent the Department and faculty, and fulfil the roles of liaison officer and marketer when necessary.
• Initiate, formulate, and implement a visionary academic strategy for the department that is aligned to and supportive of the guiding strategic documents of the UFS and faculty.
• Ensure:  
• The provision of top-quality, research-informed facilitation of learning at all levels of teaching in the department.
• Relevance of content, material, and presentation in all modules.
• The enhancement of student experiences and their continuous engagement in academic debates.
• That adequate rules and regulations are in place to optimally deliver high-quality teaching and learning programmes on both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
• Adherence to all the rules and regulations of the UFS, faculty and disciplines.
• Quality and timely feedback on student work.
• Proper and quality-driven academic advice and support to all under-and postgraduate students in the Department; and
• Revisit and develop fresh learning programmes that will help to position the Department as a leader in the education fraternity.
• Create and maintain a(n):
• Visionary research strategy for the Department.
• Environment that encourages research leading to strong and active research habits and a culture of inquiry.
• Ensure that – 
• Every academic staff member is engaged in quality-driven, discipline-specific, and collaborative research.
• Postgraduate students are recruited to broaden the research base of the Department and ethical requirements are met.
• Guide and support senior academics towards acquiring NRF grants.
• Actively engage with the faculty research committee and the UFS Directorate of Research Development to ensure sustainable financial support for the Department’s research initiatives.
• Build an effective team of scholars through:  
• Planning and implementing a fair and reasonable dispensation regarding the workload of staff members in the department.
• Planning and implementing a clear and reasonable career path for every staff member in the department, taking into account the strategic plans of the university, faculty and department.
• Appropriate mentoring interventions where and whenever needed.
• Managing staff performance in accordance with existing university policies and procedures.
• Recruitment and selection of scholars in the case of vacancies and/or specific strategic needs, whenever strategic repositioning requires expansion of academic endeavours.
• Creating and maintaining a scholarship-friendly environment in the department
• Planning and overseeing effective and relevant staff development.
• The ultimate responsibility in terms of financial management culminates in:  
• Annual budgeting.
• Financial planning.
• Allocation of funds.
• Financial control.
• Adhere to the UFS’s financial policies and procedures.
• Encourage and actively support academic staff members to apply for external research and other grants.

Inherent requirements:

Senior Lecturer

• A relevant Doctoral degree on NQF Level 10 with specialisation in Early Childhood Education and/or Foundation Phase Education.
• Candidates should also be in possession of a formal school teaching qualification (e.g., Diploma in Education, Postgraduate Certificate in Education or Bachelor of Education degree or equivalent).
• Minimum of three (3) years’ experience of teaching ECD and/or Foundation Phase modules at university level.
• Proven experience in the presentation of papers at national scholarly conferences.
• Proven national recognition for specialist expertise and research in a specific area of scholarship.
• An NRF rating or demonstrate potential for obtaining an NRF rating.
• Proven experience in supervision of graduated master’s students.
• A proven research record of relevant publications in national and international accredited journals.
• Proven experience of service as an active member of a national or international scholarly society or committee or agency concerned with research at higher education levels.

Associate Professor

• A relevant Doctoral degree on NQF Level 10 with specialisation in Early Childhood Education and/or Foundation Phase Education.
• Candidates should also be in possession of a formal teaching qualification (e.g., Diploma in Education, Postgraduate Certificate in Education or Bachelor of Education degree or equivalent).
• Proven experience in research management and capacity building.
• Experience as external examiner for postgraduate students.
• Proven experience in the presentation of research papers at national and international conferences, where there is evidence of peer review of papers.
• Act as an editorial board member and/or reviewer of high-quality national scholarly journals.
• Proven national recognition for specialist expertise and research leadership in a specific scientific area of scholarship.
• An NRF rating of C3 or equivalent status.
• Proven experience in the supervision of graduated master’s and doctoral students.
• A proven research record of relevant publications in accredited national and international journals.
• Sere as a member of a national scholarly society, OR a national committee or agency concerned with research at higher education levels, OR show evidence of service as an active member of an international equivalent.

Professor

• A relevant Doctoral degree on NQF Level 10 with specialisation in Early Childhood Education and/or Foundation Phase Education.
• Candidates should also be in possession of a formal teaching qualification (e.g., Diploma in Education, Postgraduate Certificate in Education or Bachelor of Education degree or equivalent).
• Proven experience in research management and capacity building.
• Experience as external examiner for postgraduate students.
• Proven experience in the presentation of research papers at national and international conferences, where there is evidence of peer review of papers.
• Act as an editorial member and/or reviewer of high quality national scholarly journals.
• Proven international recognition for specialist expertise and research leadership in a specific scientific area of scholarship (e.g., regularly serves as a reviewer for international/ISl/IBSS journals).
• An NRF rating of C1 or C2 or equivalent status
• Demonstrated successful supervision of graduated master's and preferably doctoral students.
• Proven experience in delivering keynote addresses at national scholarly conferences.
• Serve as a member of a national scholarly society, OR a national committee or agency concerned with research at higher education levels, OR show evidence of service as an active member of an international equivalent.

Recommendations:

• Specialisation and/or experience in different research methodologies.
• Experience in community engagement.
• Experience in grant writing and/or preparing research funding applications.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Participate in relevant institutional committees, including CTL management and engagements with Teaching and Learning Managers within faculties.
• Provide strategic direction in student engagement and success research, teaching and learning research, and data analytics at the UFS and collaborate on national research.
• Conceptualise, implement and write reports and publications on research projects in learning and teaching and student engagement and success research projects within the CTL.
• Coordinate research and data analytic assistance for other focus areas within the CTL or units within the UFS.
• Participate in decision‐making processes related to the design, data collection, data analysis, and methodology of research projects.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses as needed for the abovementioned research projects.
• Present findings from research in appropriate form (including reports, conferences, and journal publications).
• Conduct online and face‐to‐face workshops, presentations, seminars, or training.
• Engage with various stakeholders on research projects on institutional and national platforms.
• Provide research training and mentorship to staff members within CTL and beyond as part of staff development initiatives.
• Support the development of an evidence‐based culture in the CTL by collaborating with other focus areas to identify and address developmental needs around research.
• Actively participate in the supervision of postgraduate students.
• Oversee and, where appropriate, manage the quality of research and data analytics within CTL and its affiliate projects.

Inherent Job Requirements:

• A relevant Master’s degree on HEQSF level 9. 
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant research experience in higher education related to the duties and responsibilities.

Recommendations:

• Advanced experience in mixed methods research.
• Management experience.
• Enrolled or obtained a relevant PhD degree on HEQSF level 10.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Provide Psychotherapy and counselling with regard to personal, social, emotional and career development.
• Identify, diagnose, and treat serious psychological problems (within the scope of the registration category) and refer to other professionals when the need arises.
• Liaise with Student Counselling and Development, management, student affairs, faculties, academic departments, support services and student representatives.
• Conduct Psychometric assessments and provide Career Counselling.
•  Perform psychological screening and first-level interventions aimed at enhancing student functioning.
• Design and present developmental workshops and programmes for students.
• Responsible for marketing of the service.
• Responsible for office management and administration.
• Participate in the Division of Student Affairs goals and objectives.

Inherent requirements:

• A master’s degree in Counselling/Clinical/Educational Psychology on NQF level 9.
• Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in the category of Counselling/Clinical/Educational Psychology.
• A minimum of one (1) year experience (after completing an internship as well as community service, where applicable) in working with students in Higher Education or in working with young adults, and involvement in student / young adults’ life activities or initiatives.

Recommendations:

• Sesotho and/or Zulu speaking
• Experience in working with young adults at a counselling centre within Higher Education.

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Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Perform as first violinist in the Odeion String Quartet (OSQ).
• Provide artistic leadership within the quartet, including annual concert planning.
• Do regular rehearsals and performances, including national and international tours, arts festivals, and professional recordings.

Additional duties include:

• Teach services (limited to 8 hours per week) at the Odeion School of Music (OSM).
• Involvement in community service activities.
• Provide assistance in OSM orchestral productions, marketing, and student recruitment at schools.
• Teach and perform related activities in the Mangaung Strings Project in terms of a partnership agreement with the University.
• Availability and participation in the part-time Free State Symphony Orchestra (FSSO) in a position determined by the FSSO at extra remuneration.
• Management Role: The successful candidate may or may not be appointed as the Head of Department of the Odeion String Quartet, with relevant management responsibilities.

Inherent Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or Advanced Diploma in Music on NQF level 7.
• A minimum of five (5) years’ experience in professional chamber music playing.
• A minimum of five (5) years’ experience of professional playing in a symphony orchestra
• A minimum of five (5) years of teaching experience up to advanced levels.

Recommendations:

• Experience of playing as an artistic leader in a string quartet.
• Experience of playing in a principal position in a professional symphony orchestra.

Competencies

Key Competencies required:

Results-oriented.

• The ability to set high standards, establish tough goals, and to work to achieve success.
• The ability to cope with a frequently changing environment and to adapt to evolving situations. 

Strategic thinking.

• The ability to focus on details, work towards perfection, and approach work in a neat and organised manner.
• The ability to be creative and open-minded when addressing work issues.

Business Acumen.

• The ability to adhere to rules and strictly follow work regulations.
• Proficient in using MS Office.

Leading.

• The ability to maintain high levels of personal motivation, energy and enthusiasm.
• The ability to be cooperative with others, display a good-natured attitude and encourage people to work together.

Building coalitions.

• The ability to be sensitive and understanding to the needs and feelings of others.
• The ability to make decisions through consultation, collaboration and working with close supervision.