Job Openings at University of the Free State

Duties and responsibilities:

• Coordinate national research projects within the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) to attain deliverables within the set time, with agreed resources and within budget by applying project management principles.
• Set up budget estimates, control project costs, and manage risks.
• Liaise with project stakeholders and funders regarding project schedule and deliverables.
• Provide project management training to CTL staff.
• Update and distribute service agreement contracts with various national and international institutions.
• Prepare correspondence, including meeting minutes, for team/stakeholders.
• Communicate with stakeholders/sponsors regarding project progress about timelines, funding and deliverables.
• Organise logistical arrangements with regard to workshops and conferences online/face-to-face.
• Coordinate and assist with the preparation of reports pertaining to projects’ progress and deliverables.
• Support project external and internal evaluation processes and audits.
• Ensure quality management of project deliverables.
• Collaborate with other researchers within CTL and UFS on data-related research and analysis.
• Interpret results from the above-mentioned and write reports based on findings.

Inherent Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or an Advanced Diploma/B.Tech degree/Postgraduate Certificate on NQF Level 7 or a 3-year National Diploma on NQF Level 6 in Project Management or related field. 
• A minimum of two (2) years’ relevant working experience in project management.

Recommendations:

• Project management experience within the higher education environment.
• Knowledge of university systems, policies, and procedures.

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Duties and responsibilities: 

Teaching and Learning 

• Act as teaching and learning coordinator in the Department of Family Medicine.
• Assist with the management of assessment regarding Family Medicine modules for undergraduate students, including coordination, development, implementation, evaluation and administration of assessments. 
• Update teaching and learning material and assessment tools in the Department of Family Medicine.
• Monitor the throughput of the undergraduate Family Medicine modules.
• Provide student support and development.
• Contribute to curriculum development in the MBChB programme relevant to Family Medicine as part of the team in the Department of Family Medicine. 
• Provide quality assurance services in the undergraduate curriculum related to the Family Medicine modules and Community-Based Education (CBE).
• Provide clinical training for UFS undergraduate MBChB students (and from time-to-time Foreign Trained students) as arranged by the Department of Family Medicine and the School of Clinical Medicine.
• Participate in the general academic programme of the Department of Family Medicine.

Research 

• Conduct and support research related to medical education or clinical service delivery and/or student projects. 
• Participate in national and/or international fora to share research results.
• Actively participate in the research focus areas of the Department, producing outputs such as journal papers and conference presentations.

Engaged Scholarship 

• Maintain a scholarly profile in line with a lecturer appointment in an academic department. 
• Utilise academic, scholarly and professional expertise for intentional public purpose or benefit and demonstrate engagement with external constituencies.
• Assist in the generation of new knowledge integration, and the application and dissemination of knowledge. 
• Engage in community projects and providing support to community-based education and service learning.

Leadership and Administration 

• Assume administrative and/ leadership duties in the department, such as course coordinator of the undergraduate Family Medicine programme.
• Become acquainted with all relevant University and Faculty policies and the appropriate implementation thereof.
• Serve and attend on Departmental, School, Faculty and University committees’ workgroups and bodies, as applicable. 
• Execute administrative duties as designated by the head of the department and school.

Inherent requirements:

• MBChB on NQF Level 8 and/or specialist qualification at NQF Level 9 in Family Medicine (attach a copy).
• Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as an independent medical practitioner (attach a copy).
• Proven experience in clinical training and supervision of students or junior medical staff.
• Research experience.
• Five years’ experience in Primary Health Care or Family Medicine. 

Recommendations:

• Basic Life Support (BLS) and/or Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) accredited trainer (attach proof).
• Experience in working/training in a higher education environment.
• Knowledge of university online systems e.g. Blackboard.
• Research publications and conference/forum presentations. 

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Present undergraduate and postgraduate modules in Education Psychology and/ or life skills and general education modules. 
• Participate in the work integrated learning programme of the faculty (teaching practice). 
• Ensure active involvement in the research activities of the faculty. 
• Contribute to curriculum development in the field of Education Psychology and/or life skills specifically. 
• Supervise and provide consultation sessions for undergraduate and postgraduate students. 
• Work in a team with colleagues within the faculty. 
• Contribute to leadership and administrative tasks related to the faculty. 

Inherent requirements:

• A PhD on NQF Level 10 in Education Psychology and/or life skills as the focus of specialisation

or

• Master’s degree on NQF Level 9 in Education Psychology and/or life skills as the focus of specialisation. Candidates must submit proof of registration for a Doctoral degree with Education Psychology and/or life skills as the focus specialisation.
• Candidates should submit an abstract of their thesis or dissertation to indicate relevance to the teaching, learning and assessment of Education Psychology and/or life skills (attach).
• A formal teaching qualification (e.g., Diploma in Education or Bachelor of Education degree or equivalent) with Life Skills and/or Life Orientation as major(s) (attach a copy).
• A minimum of five (5) year’s relevant teaching experience in a school context or a minimum of two (2) year relevant teaching experience in a higher education environment.
• Proven experience in the delivery of poster or oral presentations at conferences or equivalent activities.
• Evidence of manuscripts produced that have the potential to be converted or submitted for publication in accredited journals.
• A good academic record (attach a copy).

Recommendations:

• A proven research record of relevant publications in national or international accredited journals,
• Experience in postgraduate supervision
   

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Duties and responsibilities: 

• Supervise and co-supervise postgraduate students.
• Mentor emerging researchers and junior staff, including support in research design, academic writing and qualitative data analysis.
• Lead and contribute to context-responsive research aligned with the Centre for Health Systems Research & Development’s (CHSR&D) core research themes, using appropriate qualitative and/or mixed methods approaches.
• Contribute to the co-design and evaluation of culturally relevant health interventions using participatory and implementation science research principles.
• Organise and contribute to webinars, workshops, and conferences organised by the CHSR&D.
• Contribute to competitive grant proposals aligned with the CHSR&D’s research themes.

Inherent requirements:

• A PhD on NQF Level 10 in Social Sciences, Public Health, or a related field.
• A minimum of three (3) years' relevant experience in health systems research within a higher education or research and development environment.
• Proven experience in supervision of graduated master’s degree students Demonstrated expertise in qualitative research methods and approaches.
• Evidence of active participation in productive research collaborations and networks with leading national and/or international universities/scholars. 
• Proven experience in presenting research papers/posters at national /international scholarly conferences. 
• Proven research track record of accredited publications in national/internationally accredited peer-reviewed journals. 
• An NRF-rating or demonstrated potential to obtain an NRF rating. 

Recommendations:

• Experience in participatory health systems or implementation research conducted in collaboration with communities, health service providers, or policy makers.
• Exposure to implementation science or health systems intervention research.
• Experience contributing to the development of research grant proposals.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Provide and coordinate high-impact research programmes in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and environmental management with emphasis on disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
• Contribute to developing innovative geospatial methodologies and models for environmental assessment, hazard mapping, and risk analysis.
• Pioneer the integration of GeoAI and advanced machine learning techniques in disaster risk and environmental research.
• Establish and maintain a strong publication record in high-impact, internationally recognised journals.
• Present research findings at prestigious international conferences and scientific forums.

Inherent requirements:

• PhD on NQF Level 10 in Environmental Management, Geography, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Geoinformatics, or a closely related discipline.
• Proven experience in the presentation of papers/posters at national scholarly conferences.
• Proven national recognition for specialist expertise and research in a specific area of scholarship.
• An NRF rating or demonstrated potential for obtaining an NRF rating.
• Proven experience in supervision of graduated master's-degree 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.

Recommendations:

• Minimum of 2 years postdoctoral research experience in relevant fields.
• Demonstrated track record of research excellence with substantial publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals (minimum 10 publications).
• Proven experience in leading research projects and managing multidisciplinary teams.
• Extensive expertise in advanced GIS and remote sensing software and methodologies.
• Strong record of postgraduate student supervision with successful completions.
• Excellent scientific writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Spatial modelling, geostatistics, and predictive analytics.
• Disaster risk assessment and vulnerability analysis using GIS and Remote sensing.
• GeoAI and machine learning applications in environmental science.
• Big data analytics and cloud computing for geospatial applications.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Provide Psychotherapy and counselling with regards to personal social, emotional and career development.
• Identify, diagnose, and treat serious psychological problems and refer to other professionals when need arises.
• Lialise with Student Counselling and Development, management, student affairs, faculties, academic departments, support services and student representatives.
• Conduct Psychometric assessments & provide Career Counselling.
• Perform psychological screening and first level interventions aimed at enhancing  student functioning.
• Design and present developmental workshops for students.
• Marketing of service.
• Office Management and administration
• Participate in the Division of Student Affairs goals and objective

Inherent requirements:

• A Master’s degree in Counselling/Clinical Psychology on NQF Level 9.
• Active registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in the category Counselling/ Clinical Psychology (attach proof).
• Minimum one (1) years’ experience working with students in Higher Education, or in working with young adults, and an involvement in student/young adults' life activities or initiatives.

Recommendations:

• Two (2) years’ relevant experience within a counselling setting in a higher education environment.
• Proven experience in providing career counselling to young adults.
• Proven experience in providing trauma counselling to young adults.
• Sesotho and/ or Zulu speaking.

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Duties and responsibilities:

• Analyse and develop/review organisational and staffing models and productivity metrics.
• Analyse design and review organisational structures, staff establishments, job profiles and work processes.
• Perform work measurement studies and determine standard times and workload norms.
• Provide inputs for the development of organisational metrics and KPIs to measure organizational effectiveness
• Compile formal reports and recommendations for executive decision-making.
• Implement approved organisational interventions and evaluate outcomes.
• Engage and liaise with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

Inherent requirements:

• A relevant bachelor’s degree or an advanced diploma/BTech degree/postgraduate certificate on NQF Level 7 or a three-year national diploma on NQF Level 6 (attach a copy).
• Minimum of two (2) years’ relevant efficiency improvement experience.
• Proven experience in most of the following areas: organisational review and design, business process redesign, capture job profiles, work measurement, forms design, electronic data processing, office automation and performance management systems.

Recommendations:

• Higher Certificate in Work Study or equivalent qualification (attach a copy).
• At least four (4) years’ relevant experience.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High levels of integrity and professional objectivity.